[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 Hear at Graduation. J-POP Graduation Songs and Anthems (111–120)
GraduationZONE
This is a song by the girls’ band ZONE set on the day of the graduation ceremony.
The guitar phrase in the interlude uses a scale based on the school chime, giving it a nostalgic feel.
Sing your loneliness with aching tenderness, and then take a strong step forward.
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.
GRADUATIONSBACK-ON
This is a song that gently encourages you as you say goodbye to close friends and take a step onto a new path.
Holding the memories of precious friends you spent time with, it captures the wavering feelings of young people heading toward their respective futures through an emotional melody and powerful guitar sound.
The track serves as the theme song for “Kamen Rider Gotchard GRADUATIONS,” released by BACK-ON in February 2025, and stands as a supportive anthem that stays close to the major life turning point of graduation.
It blends seamlessly with the worldview of the V-Cinext production, further heightening the work’s emotional impact.
It’s a perfect song for the grand finale of a school or cultural festival and for making memories with friends.
While feeling the importance of friendship and bonds, this song gives you the courage to take your first steps toward the future.
Song of a FriendBUMP OF CHICKEN
It can feel a little embarrassing to thank a friend directly, can’t it? If that’s you, why not be honest with yourself at graduation? “Tomodachi no Uta” is a song that makes you want to say “thank you” to the friends who shared your school life.
Released by BUMP OF CHICKEN in 2011, it was featured in the film Doraemon: Nobita and the New Steel Troops—Winged Angels.
Its lyrics, which express the hope that your friends will remember you even if you’re apart, convey warmth and kindness.
After spending years together with friends, you’ve surely shared smiles, tears, and many moments.
It’s a song that will make you want to express your feelings to your friends as you graduate.
sakura colorGReeeeN
GReeeeN’s 2013 track “Sakura Color” gives you the strength to do your best until the next time you meet your friends.
After graduation and leaving your hometown, there isn’t a single person who doesn’t feel anxious, right? Even if you step out into the world on your own to chase your dreams, anxiety is part of the deal.
Still, this song portrays the moment you take that first step forward for the sake of the dreams you want to fulfill.
Each person who shared their youth with you is living toward tomorrow’s future, fighting their own anxieties.
Hoping for the day we can all meet again with smiles, give this song a listen.
Words of FarewellGReeeeN
A perfect GReeeeN song to listen to during graduation season.
Released as a single in October 2018, it was also chosen as the theme song for the film “Run! T School Basketball Club.” The gentle piano melody and the four-part harmonies bring back memories of the days we spent together.
It beautifully captures a page of youth—like “the days we dreamed and talked about our hopes,” and “gratitude to friends with whom we shared frustration and joy.” While it lingers on the sorrow of parting, the lyrics also inspire hope for a new beginning, making it ideal for graduation ceremonies or retiring from a school club.
It’s a song that helps you reaffirm your bonds with friends and gives you the courage to take a step into the future.
Our Starting LineHIPPY
This is an uplifting support song by HIPPY that delivers heartwarming vocals about the friendships of youth and the passion for pursuing goals.
It gently conveys the importance of bonds with friends and working hard toward your ambitions, while giving you the courage and hope to take a new step in life.
Released in August 2024, it was selected as the official support song for the 2025 National High School Comprehensive Sports Tournament.
Created together with high school students in Hiroshima Prefecture, the song is infused with the energy and dreams of young people.
It’s a track we hope everyone will listen to—not only those starting a new chapter, but anyone striving toward an important goal.
When you’re taking a step toward your dream or feeling anxious about a challenge, it will surely give you a push forward.