Wonderful school festival / cultural festival

Youthful songs recommended as theme songs and openings for cultural and school festivals

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.

Music that makes school culture festivals even more special.

It can boost excitement as BGM for stage performances, as a theme song, or as an opening track.

In this article, we’ve picked recommended Japanese songs and J-pop perfect for culture festivals and school festivals.

From tracks that refresh your mood, to songs overflowing with youthfulness, to tunes that capture the momentum of a great start—there’s plenty to choose from! Create unforgettable memories with a colorful soundtrack to match.

[Culture Festival / School Festival] Youth songs recommended for theme songs and openings (91–100)

Yes, with pleasure.kocchi no kento

[Pro Dancer Tried Dancing] Hai Yorokonde / Kocchi no Kento | YDK Apartment

Yes, with pleasure.kocchi no kento

This song features an up-tempo, catchy melody and a supportive message for those who feel life can be tough.

Riding on a light, lively beat, it gently asks us to value living true to ourselves.

Kocchinoken-to draws on personal experiences to craft positive lyrics that resonate with listeners and give them courage.

Released in May 2024, the track went viral on TikTok and also made waves through a collaboration with Sanrio characters.

The familiar “Giri Giri Dance” in the chorus brings the whole venue together, offering an irresistible dance break that makes everyone want to move.

With its bright vibe and uplifting message, this song is perfect for creating wonderful memories.

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I am the strongest.Ado

[Ado] I’m the Strongest (Uta from ONE PIECE FILM RED)

I am the strongest.Ado

A rousing anthem that powerfully sings of one’s dreams and hopes! Riding on a melody created by Motoki Omori of Mrs.

GREEN APPLE, Ado’s commanding vocals surge forward, carrying heartfelt wishes from deep within.

Messages like “overcoming fear and moving ahead” and “a shining future with your companions” resound alongside an aggressive rock sound, gently giving listeners a push from behind.

Featured as an insert song in the June 2022 film ONE PIECE FILM RED, this track brought theaters to life and reached No.

2 on the Billboard JAPAN Hot 100.

It’s sure to instantly ignite the atmosphere at sports days and school festivals as well.

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Walking with youNovelbright

Novelbright – Walking with you [Official Music Video]

Walking with youNovelbright

This is a coming-of-age number whose straightforward feelings and moving melody resonate in the heart.

Its powerful message—singing of the resolve and hope to walk through life with the one you love—inevitably stirs your emotions.

Released in October 2018 as the lead track of the album “SKYWALK,” it also drew attention as an insert song for AbemaTV’s “Koisuru Weekend Homestay 2020 Spring.” Novelbright’s sound, blending strength with wistfulness, is beautifully expressed through Takenaka’s soaring vocals.

If you sing it at a school festival, you’ll be able to fully showcase both your vocal ability and expressiveness!

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SignalWANIMA

WANIMA “Signal” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

SignalWANIMA

A single song packed with a passionate message for the school festival that colors a page of youth.

It’s a cheering anthem by WANIMA that brilliantly depicts the drive to move toward the future and the real, everyday struggles we face.

While carrying anxieties about an unseen future, it expresses, through powerful rock sounds, the feelings of young people determined to walk their own path.

Featured on the album “Everybody!!,” the track was also used in a Lotte Ice “Sou” commercial, generating a huge response.

In a special NHK program, the band performed with 1,000 eighteen-year-olds, and the moving stage left a lasting impression on many viewers.

With a sound that unites the entire venue, it’s perfect for club presentations and as a theme song for school festivals.

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KICKBACKYonezu Kenshi

[Chainsaw Man OP] KICK BACK / Kenshi Yonezu – Tried Dancing [Bakekai]

KICKBACKYonezu Kenshi

The opening theme of the anime Chainsaw Man is packed with a sense of speed and fierce energy.

Crafted by Kenshi Yonezu with his unique sonic sensibility, it was released in November 2022.

The complex key changes woven from electro-rock and drum’n’bass create rollercoaster-like twists and turns, vividly portraying a surge of emotion.

The lyrics, which sing of the emptiness and hope of people striving to rise from rock bottom, would lend themselves well to the intense emotional expression of a cultural festival dance performance.

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summer festivalWhiteberry

NatsuMatsuri

summer festivalWhiteberry

A coming-of-age love song that portrays a summer festival night spent with a sweetheart in a yukata.

Interwoven with nostalgic scenes like goldfish scooping and sparklers, it captures, in a true-to-life way, the frustration of being unable to confess one’s feelings, the pangs of regret, and the fleeting nature of young love.

Released as a single in August 2000, it became a major hit, peaking at No.

3 on the Oricon weekly chart.

Its sweet-and-sour lyrics and sound make it perfect for school cultural festivals where students are in the thick of youth.

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voiceGurīn Bōizu

Green Boys (Masaki Suda, Ryusei Yokohama, Ryo Narita, Yosuke Sugino) “Koe” Short Ver.

voiceGurīn Bōizu

This is an insert song from the film “Kiseki: Ano Hi no Sobito,” which depicts the story of how the GReeeeN song “Kiseki” came to be.

It was released as a single in 2017 under the name Green Boys, a group formed by the cast.

Its message—encouraging you to take even one step forward—makes it perfect for kicking off a school culture festival with flair.

If everyone sings it together, the excitement will skyrocket.

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