[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 ceremonies. J-pop graduation songs and fight songs (101–110)
spring melancholyMrs. GREEN APPLE
Mrs.
GREEN APPLE’s “Shunshuu” vividly captures both the joy and the bittersweet feelings that come with the milestone of graduation.
Singing of anxieties about the future, new hopes, and the sadness of parting, this song grips listeners’ hearts and doesn’t let go.
Because Motoki Omori wove into the music the emotions he felt right after experiencing his own graduation, its appeal is likely to resonate even more strongly after a ceremony.
It’s a perfect choice to foster a moving sense of togetherness during karaoke in the graduation season.
Feel the tender wistfulness of spring through “Shunshuu,” and share emotions befitting this milestone of graduation.
Bye, my friendbokula.
This is a moving song that portrays the end of youth and the start of a new journey.
The delicate vocals and melodies woven by the members of bokula.
beautifully capture the complex emotions of those facing graduation.
Included on the mini-album “Seikatsu ni, Yorisoi.” released in May 2022, this track is perfect for graduation ceremonies where the sadness of parting intersects with hope for the future.
It was also performed on the “Itomeru Tour Tour,” deeply resonating with many in the audience.
As a song that encourages you to take a new step while looking back on cherished memories with close friends, it’s highly recommended for students approaching graduation.
It might also be nice to listen with friends and reminisce about your youthful days.
Live in the present.Saucy Dog
“Live in the Present” by Saucy Dog, with Shinya Ishihara on vocals, is a perfect song for the new beginning that graduation represents.
Its energetic vocals and refreshing melody seem to mirror the passion of young people excited about their future paths.
To everyone taking a big step forward despite their anxieties, it sends a powerful message of support.
Written from their own experiences, this track is an unforgettable anthem that colors the very moment you sow the seeds of your dreams.
The lyrics, packed with their stories of overcoming hardship, will move listeners’ hearts and give them the courage to say, “I’ll do my best, too.”
graduation songerica
Singer-songwriter erica, whose lyrics themed around “love within a two-meter radius” resonate and have garnered strong support particularly among young women.
The track “Graduation Song,” included on her second digital EP, “Confession Weather: Between White and Red,” features delicate arrangements and a string sound that creates a floating sense and depth, leaving a pleasant impression in the ear.
Its message—that graduation is not an end but a beginning—suggests the new paths each of us will take from here.
It’s an encouraging song that gives you the courage to step into the future, perfect for listening to at a graduation ceremony.
ANTENNAMrs. GREEN APPLE
Mrs.
GREEN APPLE’s song “ANTENNA” is perfectly suited for the moment of a new beginning like graduation.
Its moving melody and lyrics that empower you to move forward will serve as encouragement for graduates facing ever-changing days.
Chosen as the support song for Japan’s national team on Fuji TV’s “World Cup Volleyball 2023,” the track skillfully conveys the emotional blend of anxiety and anticipation.
It’s also a great choice to try at karaoke—truly a song befitting the season of departure.
Now, believe in yourself and take the first step onto a new path.
[2026] Cheer Songs to Hear at Graduation. J-POP Graduation Songs and Anthems (111–120)
GraduationTakahashi Yuu
When we talk about graduation, besides farewells and loneliness, there’s also anxiety and a faint sense of hope.
Listening to Yu Takahashi’s sincere way of singing that hazy hope and the sadness of the moment makes me want to belt it out at karaoke.
The lyrics work not only for graduation but also for moving to a new place, so I recommend it when you want to let your feelings out.
Departure GraffitiFLOW
A single released by FLOW in November 2010 is drawing attention as a song that resonates with students on the verge of graduation.
Carried on a gentle breeze, it sings of the courage to take a step toward the future, with themes of warm-hearted farewells and growth.
It speaks of paper airplanes launched outside the classroom window and memories of days spent together, renewing the resolve to move forward even while looking back on the past.
The lyrics also convey the importance of believing in oneself and living in the present, delicately portraying the loneliness and anxiety, as well as the hope and anticipation, that accompany a departure.
A special live performance was also held at Moro Hospital Nursing School in Saitama Prefecture, making this a song that lifts the spirits of graduating students.