Wonderful school festival / cultural festival

[Culture and School Festival Songs] A curated selection of popular and hit songs to brighten up your venues and events!

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

Among the many events in school life, the culture festival is one of the most memorable!

At culture festivals, there are countless moments where music plays a crucial role—whether it’s background music at the venue, songs for band performances, or tracks for dance numbers.

In this article, we’ll introduce songs that are guaranteed to hype up the culture festival, aimed at those running the event as committee members and those performing on stage.

With these picks, your festival production is sure to shine!

If you’re in the middle of choosing songs, be sure to use this as a reference.

[Culture Festival & School Festival Songs] A curated selection of popular and hit songs to brighten up venues and events! (41–50)

Sing Out！Nogizaka 46

Nogizaka46 'Sing Out!'

Sing Out！Nogizaka 46

It starts with powerful claps and features graceful, feminine choreography! How about considering it as a candidate when your group of girls performs a dance cover? If some members say they’re not comfortable with intense, street-style moves, mastering the choreography and doing a clean dance cover will look better on stage! Even those who aren’t used to dancing can give it a try!

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MiracleGReeeeN

GReeeeN – Kiseki

MiracleGReeeeN

A four-member male vocal group, GReeeeN, known for songs that showcase catchy melodies while spanning a wide range of styles—pop, rock, reggae, breakbeats, and hip-hop—scored a hit with their seventh single.

The track was used as the theme song for the TV drama ROOKIES, and in 2017, a film inspired by the song, Kiseki: Sobito of That Day, was released, cementing it as one of GReeeeN’s signature songs.

Its lyrics, which evoke pure youth, and its slightly wistful melody bring vivid color to school festivals and cultural events.

Whether sung with friends or performed by a band, it’s a crowd-pleaser and a classic that stands out in J-pop history.

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Hoshino Takashi

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flying boatKing Gnu

King Gnu – Hikōtei (Seaplane)

flying boatKing Gnu

A lot of people are probably looking for cool rock songs.

For you, I recommend King Gnu’s “Hikoutei.” Its sound is almost like Western music, so it’s sure to liven up a school festival as background music.

It’s a versatile track you can use in many situations—show off your vocal chops on a karaoke stage or deliver a cool performance with a band on stage.

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Crazy F-R-E-S-H BeatSnow Man

Snow Man「Crazy F-R-E-S-H Beat」Dance Video (YouTube Ver.)

Crazy F-R-E-S-H BeatSnow Man

Snow Man, a Johnny’s group that debuted in 2020.

Their track “Crazy F-R-E-S-H Beat” features an easy-to-groove-to, cool sound that incorporates bounce, a subgenre of EDM, along with sharp, punchy rap! It’s a style that differs from past Johnny’s idols, and it feels like they’re only going to get more buzz from here.

This song is definitely recommended as a dance track! If you dance to this one, the crowd is sure to go wild!

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You don’t have to put on a brave face until dawn.Nogizaka 46

Nogizaka46 “You Don’t Have to Pretend to Be Strong Until Dawn”

You don’t have to put on a brave face until dawn.Nogizaka 46

Idol songs are also popular at school festivals, right? I bet many people are thinking about singing or dancing to Nogizaka46, one of the most popular idol groups.

If you’re looking for a Nogizaka46 song, I recommend Yoake Made Tsuyogaranakute mo Ii (You Don’t Have to Pretend to Be Strong Until Dawn).

It has a youthful vibe that’s perfect for school festivals, so it’s sure to shine on stage!

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Philosophy[Alexandros]

[Alexandros] – Philosophy (MV)

Philosophy[Alexandros]

[Alexandros] is a rock band wildly popular especially among younger generations.

You’ve probably heard their songs in lots of places, like commercials and movie theme songs! “Philosophy” was created for the 18 Festival and was reportedly made based on numerous videos submitted by 18-year-olds.

The lyrics acknowledge a heart that feels like it might weaken, and, after accepting that, offer strong encouragement.

It’s a track that looks cool performed with band instrumentation and a chorus, just like the original.

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NaiwaHatsuboshi Gakuen

Hatsuboshi Academy “Naiwa” Lyric Video (HATSUBOSHI GAKUEN – NAIWA)

NaiwaHatsuboshi Gakuen

It’s a heart-stirring track that embodies the world of “Gakuen Idolmaster,” which portrays the growth of its idols.

The song serves as the class anthem for the in-game event “Class Showdown: First Star Sports Festival,” energetically depicting both competitive spirit and the strong bonds between classmates.

Created entirely by Saeki youthK—from lyrics to arrangement—its dramatic soundscape greatly deepens your immersion in the story.

It’s the perfect number to play when you want to get fired up before a competition or to rally together with teammates toward a shared goal.

The track was released digitally in September 2025 and was later included on the album “Class Showdown: First Star Sports Festival SONG COLLECTION” in December of the same year.

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