[Graduation Songs] Tear-Jerking, Heartwarming Ballads | A Showcase of Classics and the Newest Hits!

KanadeSukima Suichi

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

A moving ballad that resonates in the heart during graduation season.

From the moment when a chance encounter changes the way you see the world, to the wish to stay connected in your heart even as you go through farewells, it’s filled with deep emotion.

Released in March 2004, this song was also used as an insert track in the film “Rough,” and it touched many people’s hearts.

It’s perfect for anyone experiencing partings and growth, especially students approaching graduation.

It’s easy to sing at karaoke, too, so it will surely become a song that accompanies your memories.

GraduationKobukuro

Kobukuro “Graduation”

Kobukuro, whose moving, heart-stirring songs are loved by people of all genders and ages, have a graduation song titled “Sotsugyo” (“Graduation”).

Released in 2020 as their 31st single, this track showcases the duo’s remarkable vocal ability and power, painting vivid scenes just by listening.

It’s a song that can bring anyone to tears—not only those about to graduate, but also those who have already experienced it.

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utatane

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oneselfTani Yuuki

My True Self – Tani Yuuki [MV]

A song perfectly suited for graduation season has arrived.

With Tani Yuuki’s heartfelt vocals, this piece gently encourages those taking their first steps forward.

The lyrics convey a strong resolve to keep moving ahead, believing in oneself despite anxieties and confusion about the future.

Released in March 2022, the song was also featured in a web-exclusive UQ mobile commercial, capturing the hearts of many.

In the music video, you can see Tani Yuuki himself playing the piano, adding an even deeper emotional resonance.

It’s an ideal choice not only as background music for graduation ceremonies, but also for anyone feeling uneasy about starting a new chapter.

It will surely stay close to your heart and give you courage.

365 Days’ Paper AirplaneAKB48

[MV] Paper Airplane of 365 Days (Short ver.) / AKB48 [Official]

AKB48 is a girls’ group that has risen to the top of the modern idol scene with an innovative style built on the concept of “idols you can meet.” 365 Nichi no Kamihikōki (365 Days of Paper Airplanes), created as the theme song for the NHK morning drama Asadora Asa ga Kita, is a ballad that, despite being included as the coupling track on their 42nd major single, Kuchibiru ni Be My Baby, garnered overwhelming support.

Its lyrics, which teach us that the journey matters more than the outcome, may help ease the anxieties of those about to graduate.

With a gentle, simple melody that also makes it ideal for choral performance, this beloved classic transcends the boundaries of idol songs.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Gift SongCHiCO with HoneyWorks

Gifted Song / CHiCO with HoneyWorks

Gift Song is a perfect number for graduation season, with lyrics of gratitude carried by a gentle, tender melody.

Sung warmly by CHiCO of CHiCO with HoneyWorks, Gift Song was released in 2018.

Graduation season is a time to express “thank you.” Gift Song is about singing out those feelings of thanks—to teachers, friends, family, and even the classrooms you walked into every day—sending them through the voice.

It fits graduation scenes perfectly.

It’s a song that offers thanks for the everyday life and the past you’ve lived, and gives you a push on the day you set off toward the future.

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nikki

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Sakura PhotographHatsuboshi Gakuen

Hatsuboshi Academy “Sakura Photograph” Official Music Video (HATSUBOSHI GAKUEN – Sakura Photograph)

It’s a moving ballad perfect for the season when cherry blossoms dance.

Released in April 2025, this song is the theme for the season event “Sakura-Mau Start Line” in the game Gakuen Idolmaster.

The gentle harmonies of the trio—Liliya Katsuragi, Sayaka Shiun, and Saki Hanami—leave a lasting impression.

It’s as if the tender melody rides the spring breeze and soars into the sky.

The lyrics, which portray meetings, farewells, and irreplaceable friendship, will especially resonate with those graduating from school.

Be sure to give it a listen during cherry blossom season.

1096Cody Rī (Ri)

Cody・Lee (Li) – 1096 (Music Video)

Cody・Lee (Li), a band that exudes a unique blend of wistfulness and warmth woven into everyday life, offers a farewell-themed number.

Written by vocalist and guitarist Hibiki Takahashi in the winter when he dropped out of high school at 18, the lyrics don’t celebrate a radiant youth; instead, they chronicle three “hopeless” years, capturing the feelings of a high schooler in a true-to-life way.

Hailing from Hanamaki City in Iwate Prefecture, Takahashi threads a graduation song whose world is suffused with the quiet beauty of steadily falling snow and a gentle overflow of everyday dignity and love—an atmosphere that’s absolutely irresistible.

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hiyori

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