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

We againSG

Us, Again – SG (Official Lyric Video)

When it comes to songs you want to hear during cherry blossom season in full bloom, this is the one! Sung by SG, this heartwarming track centers on the themes of parting and reunion.

It carries messages that support life’s turning points—like graduation or changing jobs—and resonates deeply with listeners.

It was also featured in a Calorie Mate commercial cheering on exam-takers, and a wind ensemble version was released digitally in November 2024.

The lyrics are memorable, reflecting on past memories while inspiring hope for the future.

It’s the perfect song to play at graduations or during farewells with friends.

Listen to it while viewing the spring blossoms, and it’s sure to warm your heart.

It’s goodbye, but it’s not goodbye.yamadakatsutenai Wink

It's goodbye, but it's not goodbye.

Yamada Katsutenai Wink wraps this classic spring song—one you want to hear around graduation season—in warm, gentle vocals.

Its melody, which sings of the sorrow of parting and the hope of reunion, nestles close to the heart and gives you courage to face a new future.

Released in February 1991, the song was used as an insert track on Fuji TV’s “Hō-chan no Yamada Katsutenai Terebi” and became a major hit, reaching No.

2 on the Oricon weekly chart.

With lyrics by Kuniko Yamada and music by KAN in beautiful harmony, it’s a gem of a message song that teaches us that parting is not an end but a beginning.

Listened to in the season of departures, it’s a wonderful, heartwarming cheer song that continues to be loved by many.

GraduationOzaki Yutaka

Yutaka Ozaki – Graduation (Official Music Video)

Yutaka Ozaki delivers a work that captures the clumsy emotions of youth in their entirety with his powerful singing voice.

Frankly portraying the feelings of young people—such as the sense of suffocation in school life and distrust toward adults—this piece carries a universal message about the thirst for freedom felt within the school days that everyone experiences.

Released in January 1985 and peaking at No.

20 on the Oricon charts, it was issued as the lead single from the album Kaikisen (Tropic of Cancer).

Later, in 2016, it was also featured as the commercial song for a web-exclusive short film by a casual clothing chain, continuing to resonate with many people across generations.

It’s a track you’ll want to listen to when you’re wavering between ideals and reality or questioning the norms of society.

Only the graduation photo knowsHinatazaka46

The Only One Who Knows Is the Graduation Photo by Hinatazaka46

A fresh, springlike song from Hinatazaka46! Centered on the theme of graduation, it gently sings of feelings for days gone by.

It delicately portrays the bittersweetness of cherry blossom season and unspoken first love.

Released in January 2025 with Nao Kosaka as center, the music video unfolds a fantastical world inspired by a “parade that heralds spring.” It’s a perfect track for graduation season—recommended not only for students but also for anyone who wants to look back on fond memories.

Its heartfelt lyrics and clear, luminous vocals are sure to move you.

Sakura (Solo)Moriyama Naotaro

Naotaro Moriyama – Sakura (Solo)

This song, themed around cherry blossoms that brighten the spring graduation season, gently sings of farewells, reunions, and the treasured memories that remain in our hearts.

Naotaro Moriyama’s clear, pure vocals and the majestic arrangement of piano and strings resonate deeply.

The beautiful story, intertwining life’s important moments with the fleeting nature of cherry blossoms, leaves a lasting impression on listeners.

Released in March 2003, the track was chosen as the ending theme for the MBS/TBS program “Sekai Ururun Taizaiki,” and was later included on the album “In Search of New Spices.” Embraced as a song that accompanies life’s milestones such as graduation and school entrance ceremonies, it has also become a gentle, comforting piece for elementary school children.

Azure Swimnishina

Nishina – Seiran Yūei [Official Video]

Nishina’s “Seiran Yuei” is a ballad that’s perfect for the milestone of graduation.

Its gentle piano and string melodies tenderly embrace past memories and give you courage to take the first step into a new life.

The lyrics carry a message of support: even if friends go their separate ways, each will do their best on their own new path.

Created from Nishina’s own experiences, this song will resonate deeply with anyone facing graduation.

Don’t miss the immersive performance on THE FIRST TAKE, either.

Before spring comesGōruden Bonbā

[Tried adding a PV] Before Spring Comes [Golden Bomber]

Golden Bomber, known as an air band, has made waves with their comedic songs and outrageous performances.

While they’re usually a band I’d recommend for laugh-out-loud tracks and upbeat tunes, their song “Before Spring Comes” is very earnest, with a surge of poignant emotion—perfect for graduations and moments of meeting and parting.

Although it can be heard as a love song, it’s a number that conveys feelings for someone important and dear, and many listeners will likely picture the friends they’ve spent every day with.

How about listening to it together with your close friends at your graduation ceremony?

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