[Great Lyrics!!] Recommended Tear-Jerking Graduation Songs with Heartfelt, Moving Words [2026]

DepartureFUNKY MONKEY BABYS

FUNKY MONKEY BABYS “Departure”

FUNKY MONKEY BABYS, a musical unit known for their uplifting message songs that encourage people’s hearts, released “Tabidachi” in 2008.

The song expresses feelings for someone special with whom you’ve shared both joyful and difficult times.

Its brisk flow over a driving beat will help lighten a heavy heart.

Phrases that sound like they’re repeatedly urging, “Take a new first step!” also give you courage.

Give a listen to their energetic vocals—powerful enough to blow away anxiety and loneliness.

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Waiting for flowersKihara Rui

Rui Kihara / Waiting for Flowers Official Music Video

Written and composed by singer-songwriter Atsu Mizuno, this piece is a ballad distinguished by its warm melody.

It captures the loneliness of parting and a wish to meet again, offering comfort to those standing at the major milestone of graduation.

Released as a single in March 2025, it was also included on the first album, “REPLAY,” released the same year.

It’s a perfect song for spring, a season of new beginnings.

horizonback number

back number – Horizon

This piece, released in August 2020 by a three-piece band from Gunma Prefecture, is well known for the story behind its creation: it was made for high school students who lost their stage when the 2020 Inter-High was canceled.

It gently stays close to the frustration of efforts that don’t pay off and the unreasonable sorrow that follows, delivering a message that knowing pain makes us kinder to others—one that deeply moves listeners.

While holding the sense of loss from shattered dreams and goals, it carries a warmth that suggests those very experiences will become the nourishment that shapes your future self.

Even as graduates face a reality that doesn’t go as planned, this song will softly support them as they take their first steps down a new path.

For a cherished new beginning, why not offer the deep love woven by back number?

DreamerJO1

JO1 | ’Dreamer’ Official MV

It’s a ballad that gives you the courage to take one step at a time toward your dreams.

Written as the theme song for the drama “Short Program,” in which all the members starred, it was included on the album “KIZUNA,” released in May 2022.

Created as an anthem to support those pursuing their dreams, the song stays close to people who, despite their anxieties and doubts, try to look ahead.

Its melody, which blends gentleness with fragility, builds dramatically toward the end and truly moves the listener’s heart.

It’s a song you’ll want to hear on the day you set off on a new journey.

Embrace the presentsatō moka

Satomoka – Embrace the Now (Music Video)

A ballad by Moka Sato that makes you want to gently embrace the “now” we tend to lose sight of during busy days and the season of graduations and farewells.

Released as a single in November 2025, it’s a work that lays bare unadorned feelings.

What really hits home is how it portrays the will to move forward, even while carrying loneliness, through everyday details like familiar rooms and scenery.

It’s a song that sinks into the heart when you’re tucking away precious memories and heading toward a new place.

Blue BenchSasuke

Blue Bench / Sasuke

This song portrays a poignant, bittersweet love, looking back on a past relationship and expressing a deep longing and regret for a lost love.

Sasuke’s vocals vividly convey the protagonist’s emotions, resonating deeply with listeners.

Released in April 2004 as an indie debut single, it spread by word of mouth and became an exceptional hit.

In 2011, it was covered by Tegomass from Johnny & Associates, achieving high rankings on many charts.

It’s a song you’ll want to listen to during graduation or farewell season, recommended for moments when you want to reflect on memories with someone special.

When the fleabanes bloomNogizaka 46

Nogizaka46 'When the Harujion Blooms' Short Ver.

When the season is filled with the scent of spring, a complex mix of the sadness of parting and the resolve to set out begins to grow, doesn’t it? This number by Nogizaka46 is a masterpiece that gently embraces those emotions we feel during graduation season.

Released in March 2016 as their 14th single, it features Mai Fukagawa as the center, serving as a grand send-off toward her graduation.

It was also used in a commercial for “sizebook,” so many of you have likely heard it.

The video, with its hakama outfits that evoke the Taisho era’s romantic aesthetic, is striking—just watching it may bring a lump to your throat.

When you’re anxious yet determined to step into a new world, this song will quietly give you courage and become something truly precious.