Farewell Song: A goodbye song. A tearful parting song.
In life, we encounter many farewells at various milestones—graduation, transfers, retirement, pursuing our dreams, and even heartbreak.
Even when we know that parting is a step toward a new path, leaving our current environment can still bring feelings of loneliness and pain.
Conversely, sending someone off on their new journey can be just as difficult.
In this article, we introduce songs that center on different farewell scenarios in life—friendships, romance, graduation, and more.
We’ve carefully selected masterpieces that give you the courage to overcome the anxiety of a new path and the pain of parting, transforming them into new strength.
We’ll present wonderful tracks that will make you feel that farewells, too, have meaning.
- [Songs of Bereavement] Songs about losing someone dear. Tracks to listen to while thinking of a loved one.
- [Song for a Departure] A send-off song for you. A classic masterpiece among departure songs.
- Farewell Songs: Tracks that sing various kinds of “goodbyes”
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- Farewell Songs: Karaoke tunes to sing at a farewell party. Goodbye songs.
- [Gratitude, Encouragement, Memories] Tear-Jerking Graduation Songs You Can’t Listen to Without Crying [2026]
- [Songs About Loving Yet Parting] Love songs for those who want to overcome heartbreak
- A Tearful Farewell Song: A Love Song About Parting with Someone You Love
- Songs to Play at My Own Funeral: Timeless Gems to Make Farewells Uniquely My Own
- [A moving friendship song] For dear friends and best friends. Songs of friendship that make you feel the bond.
- A song about losing a friend: bereavement, betrayal, and separation.
- Only masterpieces that color the season of meetings and farewells! Spring songs recommended for Gen Z.
- [So touching it makes you cry] A heartbreakingly wistful and sad song that tightens your chest
[Farewell Song] A song of goodbye. Tearful goodbye songs (31–40)
some skiesShibasaki Kou
When your heart feels unsettled as you think of someone you can no longer see, “Ikutsuka no Sora” stays by your side.
Released in 2004 by singer and actor Kou Shibasaki, it was chosen as the theme song for the film One Missed Call.
Its majestic, string-filled sound and gentle tempo soothe the listener.
The lyrics, overflowing with longing for someone you can’t meet, are also a highlight.
Though she has a radiant voice, there’s a certain sentimental allure to her singing.
It’s a ballad that helps you get through farewells with someone precious—be it a lover, a family member, or another dear one.
Beyond the GoodbyeYamaguchi Momoe
Momoe Yamaguchi is a legendary singer beloved across generations and genders.
Her 1980 release “The Other Side of Goodbye” is a renowned ballad covered by many artists.
Its beautiful, jazz-tinged arrangement resonates deeply.
The lyrics, which make you want to express gratitude to someone dear at the moment of parting, are truly beautiful.
The gradually swelling melody line reflects the ebb and flow of emotion.
Her steady, impassive yet powerful delivery can be a source of strength when you lose your way in life.
It’s a number that makes you want to believe in the future that awaits beyond a heartbreaking farewell.
Let the cherry blossoms bloomarashi
This is the perfect song to give to someone who’s moving on after a farewell and striving in a new place—the signature track by Arashi! “Sakura blooms” doesn’t just literally mean cherry blossoms opening; like saying exam success, it signifies that something you’ve challenged yourself with has gone well.
That forward-looking spirit is woven throughout the lyrics.
And before you set off running in a new place, there’s almost always a parting from your current environment and friends.
This song carries a powerful message: “Even after we part, the bonds we’ve built won’t disappear—so keep your head up and keep running forward!”
Until we meet againOzaki Kiyohiko
Released in 1971 and winner of that year’s Japan Record Award, this song became a massive hit, topping the Oricon charts for nine consecutive weeks.
It not only stands as Kiyohiko Ozaki’s signature piece, but has also become a timeless standard among songs about parting.
With lyrics by Yū Aku and composition by Kyōhei Tsutsumi—the golden duo—the combination of their craftsmanship and Ozaki’s soulful vocals has made this number an enduring classic that never fades.
MetronomeYonezu Kenshi
For those who feel lonely being apart from someone important, I recommend “Metronome.” It’s included on Kenshi Yonezu’s 2015 release Bremen, and its promotional video—composed of 200 drawings he created—became a hot topic.
The ambient synth textures and unhurried tempo make it a warm, gentle track.
The emotional lyrics delicately portray the misalignment between hearts, leaving a deep impression.
It’s a song that softly embraces anyone struggling to come to terms with a painful farewell.
Farewell Etude: Songs of Goodbye. Tearful Parting Songs (41–50)
shutterYuuri
A poignant song by Yuuri that delicately portrays the moment a love you thought would last forever comes to an end.
It likens memories with a lover to a camera shutter, expressing regret over the time that should have been cherished more.
Released in July 2021, the track racked up astonishing streaming numbers, becoming the third song by a male solo artist in history to surpass 300 million streams.
It’s a moving piece that offers solace to those carrying the pain of heartbreak and the weight of days gone by.
A must-listen for anyone who can’t yet accept the end of a romance or who has experienced parting with someone dear.
The meaning of goodbyeNogizaka 46
Nogizaka46 is an idol group with many songs that continue to resonate in the heart—beauty, transience, euphoria.
“Sayonara no Imi” is a 2016 single composed by Katsuhiko Sugiyama, who has created numerous masterpieces, and it is a celebrated classic among fans as well.
At the time, Nanami Hashimoto served as the center, and the peace-sign scene during her graduation performance at the 5th YEAR BIRTHDAY LIVE surely brought everyone to tears.
Partings are incredibly painful, but perhaps the world that awaits after overcoming them is even broader than the one we know now.
It’s a farewell song that embraces many emotions and empowers you to believe strongly in the future beyond.
A moving masterpiece that supports so many people’s “goodbyes.”
