Youthful songs recommended as theme songs and openings for cultural and school festivals
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.
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[Culture Festival / School Festival] Youth songs recommended for theme songs and openings (41–50)
Curtain callYuuri
A high-velocity rock tune where doubt, inner conflict, and hope collide.
Yuuri’s heartfelt vocals and the sweeping melody strike straight to the heart.
It carries a message that resonates: people struggling with life, unable to understand each other—maybe, if they’d met in a different place, they could have connected.
Released as a digital single in July 2024, this track was chosen as the opening theme for Cour 2 of Season 7 of the TV anime My Hero Academia.
It’s a wonderful anthem that stirs the courage to step toward a hope-filled future!
[Culture Festivals & School Festivals] Youthful songs perfect for theme music and openings (51–60)
BOW AND ARROWYonezu Kenshi
A youth anthem whose exhilarating melody and powerful vocals strike straight to the heart! Created at Kenshi Yonezu’s own request as the opening theme for the figure-skating anime “Medalist,” this ambitious work accompanies the story of a young man who has faced setbacks and a girl chasing her dreams.
Through the symbolic motif of “bow and arrow,” it conveys challenge, growth, and the importance of supporting one another.
Produced in January 2025, the song debuted on the first day of his nationwide tour, “Kenshi Yonezu 2025 TOUR / JUNK,” sending the venue into a frenzy.
It’s a gem of a cheer song you’ll want to hear with friends striving toward their goals—perfect for lighting up school and culture festivals.
Sugar Song and Bitter StepUNISON SQUARE GARDEN
The three-piece rock band with guitar, bass, and drums, UNISON SQUARE GARDEN, delivers a catchy rock tune, “Sugar Song to Bitter Step,” written as the ending theme for the anime Blood Blockade Battlefront.
It’s so poppy that just hearing it makes your body want to start dancing, and its refreshing melody even feels a bit cute—but if you listen closely to the lyrics, there’s a touch of bitterness too…
Ah! So that’s why it’s sugar and bitter!
silhouetteKANA-BOON
This is a signature song by KANA-BOON, the band that brought Japanese rock back to the center of the music scene.
It’s also known as the opening theme for the TV anime Naruto Shippuden.
Brimming with a sense of speed, the track is filled with the excitement that something is about to begin.
New My NormalMrs. GREEN APPLE
If you’re looking for a vibrant youth anthem to color a major school-life event, “New My Normal” is a top pick.
It was released in 2022 by the rock band Mrs.
GREEN APPLE, known for their powerful vocals and technical instrumental performance.
The track features a driving band sound and resonates with a classical melodic line.
Its lyrics, which remind us that everyone has their own wonderful individuality, are truly heart-throbbing.
This rock number is highly recommended as an opening song to energize your school’s cultural festival or campus festival.
IchibanboshiSnow Man
Snow Man is a male idol group that shines across a wide range of fields, from stage productions to variety shows.
“Ichibanboshi,” included on their 2022 release “Brother Beat,” is a perfect song for school cultural festivals where each student takes center stage.
Its warm melody line, highlighted by moving strings, leaves a strong impression.
The heartfelt, part-by-part vocals are sure to give you courage.
Why not listen to this medium-tempo number that will brighten the atmosphere of the whole school?
Youth PhotographLittle Glee Monster
When you think of cultural festivals or school festivals, the image that comes to mind is definitely student youth.
A perfect opening song that fits that image is Little Glee Monster’s “Seishun Photograph.” Its lyrics that capture the feeling of youth and its bright sound go perfectly together, so I think it would be easy for festival-goers to enjoy.