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

Graduation (feat. Shuto)hannya

Hannya / Graduation (feat. Shuto) / Official Music Video

Partings and new departures that come at life’s turning points.

Hannya’s new song “Sotsugyo” (“Graduation”) takes on this universal theme.

Released for streaming in February 2026, the track features Hiito, an artist based in Okinawa.

Over a calm, piano-centered beat, Hannya recounts past memories with restraint yet palpable heat.

It’s a reality—far from mere platitudes—that only he could portray after building his career since the 2004 album “Ohayo Nippon” and even headlining a successful Budokan show; it really hits home.

With Hiito’s gentle vocals added, the song leaves a bittersweet yet forward-looking afterglow.

Carrying all of the past and still striving to move on to the next stage, it feels like a quiet push on the back for anyone on that path.

Youth and a momentmakaroni enpitsu

Macaroni Enpitsu “Youth and a Moment” MV

This song by Macaroni Enpitsu—a rock band whose members all graduated from music college—is a high-energy number that rides on a driving sound to capture the fragility of youth and the brilliance of a fleeting moment.

Because time never comes back, the message urging us to love even the seemingly dull everyday carries a passionate cheer for young people.

Even if you make tons of mistakes, as long as you move forward as yourself, that sense of affirmation will give you a push.

Released digitally in March 2019 and later included on the mini-album “season,” the track was written for a McDonald’s commercial.

It’s a song especially worth hearing for men facing the sadness of parting from friends at graduation and the anxiety of leaping into the unknown.

Throw your arm around a friend and sing it together—you’ll feel the courage that any future can be rolled forward.

the first strong spring windnishina

nishina – First Spring Storm [Official Video]

This is a song that gently wraps up youthful memories as they drift away with the spring breeze.

Created by Nishina, it captures those everyday scenes—laundry swaying by the window, the scent of shampoo—that suddenly make you wonder, “I hope that person is doing well,” and bring the past rushing back.

Even while holding onto feelings that were never confessed, the song embraces that truth as a cherished memory, which really resonates.

Released in March 2023, it was chosen as the theme song for radiko’s new commercial, “Sound connects the past and the future,” and also featured as an insert song in ABEMA’s dating reality show “Kyo, Suki ni Narimashita.: Phu Quoc Island Edition.” Centered on acoustic guitar, the simple band arrangement highlights Nishina’s delicate yet resolute vocals.

It’s a song I recommend not only to those who have just graduated, but to anyone who finds themselves remembering someone every time spring arrives.

KanadeSukima Suichi

Sukima Switch – “Kanade” Music Video : SUKIMASWITCH / KANADE Music Video

This song is a beautiful ballad that portrays parting with someone dear and the wish to stay connected at heart beyond that farewell.

Released by Sukima Switch in March 2004 as their second single, it features a sentimental sound centered on piano and guitar that truly resonates.

It was used as an insert song for the film “Rough,” the theme song for the drama “Sotsu Uta,” and in 2006 was selected as the ending theme for the final day of “Netto Koshien.” The protagonist’s earnest desire to reach someone through voice and song even when apart mirrors the feelings of junior high school students facing the milestone of graduation.

It’s a track that, while looking back on days with friends, makes you want to cherish those bonds going forward.

Sung as a chorus, it would surely fill the entire venue with warm tears.

Friend ~Time to Depart~yuzu

Yuzu “Friend ~The Time of Departure~”

Yuzu is a duo that enjoys widespread popularity across generations.

Their song “Tomodachi ~Tabidachi no Toki~” is Yuzu’s 38th single, released in 2013.

From the title alone, you can tell it’s a graduation song.

That year, it was chosen as the set piece for the NHK National School Music Contest and was also featured on NHK’s “Minna no Uta.” For anyone approaching graduation, its lyrics are sure to bring tears.

Even after graduating, listening to this song will give you strength—it’s a moving graduation anthem that becomes a source of support for the heart.

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utatane

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JourneyFuji Kaze

Fujii Kaze – Tabiji (Official Video)

In March 2021, the song was performed on Hodo Station for graduates across the country.

As the title “Tabiji” (Journey) suggests, the lyrics convey a message that on the path we’ve walked, many things have happened, and we should keep moving forward—sometimes forgiving what’s past and sometimes looking back and laughing.

At the end of the song, it also expresses the wish to give back to those who have supported us through the various experiences that lie ahead on this journey, which I believe resonates with graduates as they spread their wings toward a bright future.

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Hane Keisuke

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Because we’re friends.Ochiai Wataru

Wataru Ochiai – Because We’re Friends (Music Video)

Singer-songwriter Wataru Ochiai, whose warm voice and down-to-earth words resonate with many listeners.

Perfect for graduation season, “Tomodachi Yakarane” is a friendship song written in unpretentious language with a touch of Kansai dialect.

Its warm message—that even if you’re apart, the relationship doesn’t end—helps ease the sadness of parting.

Released as a digital single in February 2022, the song was also chosen as the tie-up track for Tokyo Dome City Attractions’ spring event “Welcome, Graduates 2023.” The lyrics, sprinkled with concrete memories from student days, are sure to awaken each listener’s own recollections.

How about giving it to a friend who’s graduating to convey your unchanging bond?