[2026] Uplifting Songs for Graduation: J-POP Graduation Songs and Anthems
After graduation, many of you may find yourselves living apart from the friends you’ve spent so much time with and the family who has supported you, as you move on to higher education or start working.
Perhaps excitement about taking your first steps toward your dream coexists in your heart with the anxiety of wondering if things will go well.
At times like these, when you might be feeling a little discouraged, you want to listen to uplifting songs that cheer you on, don’t you?
We’ve gathered songs filled with warm encouragement to give a gentle push to you, who are setting off at graduation, and to your dear friends.
Tune in to these tracks that will give you courage as you take your next step forward!
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[2026] Cheer songs to listen to at graduation. J-pop graduation songs and anthems (61–70)
Friend ~Time to Depart~yuzu
If you’re looking for a song to dedicate to friends who are graduating, how about “Tomodachi ~Tabidachi no Toki~” by Yuzu? With close friends who shared so much of your student life, you can often understand each other without words—but you still want to express your gratitude out loud.
The lyrics, which put those feelings into a message, will help convey what’s in your heart.
Instead of saying goodbye at graduation, give this song as a way to connect the present with the future you’ll each walk toward as friends.
Letter ~To You, Fifteen~Anjura Aki
This song, which begins with the gentle sound of piano, is based on a letter Angela Aki wrote to her future self when she was 15.
The lyrics feel like an exchange of letters between a troubled 15-year-old “me” and the future self who replies—an especially moving piece.
It gently stays close to the emotional ups and downs of a sensitive time and seems to encourage you, reminding you that the future isn’t only dark.
Released in September 2008 as her eighth single, the track is also included on the album ANSWER.
It was chosen as a required piece for the NHK National School Music Contest, and is also known as a song featured on NHK’s Minna no Uta and as the theme song of the film “Have a Song on Your Lips.” It’s an inspiring anthem that will resonate with your heart as you graduate and set out on a new path.
It’s fine.Urufuruzu
A simple, straightforward song that distills all of Ulfuls’ appeal, and it’s also popular as a graduation tune.
When someone tells you “Een-en” (“It’s all good”) this many times, you can’t help but feel that way.
Each word seems convincing, probably because the experience of an artist who’s been on the front lines for so long seeps through in the voice.
Even when something unpleasant happens, say this and move on to the next step!
paprikaYonezu Kenshi
As a song to cheer you on and help you take a strong first step into a new season of beginnings, Kenshi Yonezu’s “Paprika” is a perfect fit.
While Foorin’s version is beloved, Yonezu’s own rendition carries a slightly more mature feel with a danceable EDM beat.
It also gained popularity as NHK’s 2020 support song, and its warm melody and catchy refrain give people courage and hope, leaving unforgettable memories.
The heartwarming lyrics are loved across generations, making it an ideal song for graduations and new departures.
bookmarkkuriipuhaipe
Originally written and composed by Seikaikan Ozaki of CreepHyp as the 2018 FM802 × TSUTAYA ACCESS campaign song, this track features poignant lyrics that overlay the falling of cherry blossoms with parting, resonating with the feelings of many graduates.
The scenes of looking back on the past—like memories left between the pages of a book you stopped reading—are deeply moving, yet the song still depicts a determination to face forward.
Included on the album “Nakitaku Naru Hodo Ureshii Hibi ni,” it’s an up-tempo, fast-paced number that, strangely enough, lifts your spirits as you listen.
A perfect song for graduation season, where the sadness of farewell mingles with hope for the future.
Before the departureWANIMA
WANIMA’s “Before the Departure” is a song I’d like to give to anyone about to embark on a new journey and feeling overwhelmed with anxiety.
Also chosen as the theme song for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks’ project “Fight! Kyushu,” which aims to energize Kyushu, this track is a warm, melodious rock number that shines with WANIMA’s signature style.
It’s filled with gentle words that affirm your weaknesses and energetic lines that turn those weaknesses into strength.
Even if you can’t see your family or friends right away, it’s a cheer song that becomes your strongest ally.
Gazing up, the sky is blueHata Motohiro
Graduating and setting off on a new path can make you feel really anxious, right? You wish your close friends could stay by your side, but you won’t be able to see each other like before…
What helps ease that loneliness is Motohiro Hata’s song “Aogeba Aozora.” Buoyed by Hata’s voice as he sings as if entrusting his hopes to the wide-open sky, you can accept graduation with a clear and refreshed heart.
The lyrics, which say that parting due to graduation isn’t a final goodbye, transform that sadness into the strength to take a new step forward.