[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)
YELL ~Yell~Kobukuro
This is a Kobukuro song that affirms the experiences you’ve accumulated so far and gives you the courage to move forward into the future.
With a gentle sound centered on acoustic guitar, the strumming at the beginning evokes the image of taking steady steps ahead.
While empathizing with the anxiety anyone might feel when heading into a new place, it conveys the message that taking the first step leads to a brighter future.
It’s a song that seems to give you the strength to overcome hardships—strength that’s essential for carving out your future.
[2026] Cheer songs you want to hear at graduation. J-pop graduation songs and anthems (121–130)
Sakura Clear SkiesYuuri
A song that truly resonates during graduation season is Yuuri’s “Sakurabare.” Yuuri, known for “Dry Flower” and “Kakurenbo,” released this track digitally in 2021.
Perfect for closing out one’s youth, the song carries a moving message of gratitude to one’s parents.
Yuuri’s emotional vocals powerfully convey that thankfulness and are sure to capture listeners’ hearts.
As you look back on bonds with friends and family at graduation and take your next step forward, this song will be a source of encouragement for many.
spring skySuzuki Suzuki
A ballad themed around graduation, it expresses a swirl of youthful emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.
The lyrics carry gratitude for friendship and the past, as well as hope for the future, stirring deep empathy in listeners.
Released in February 2022, the song carefully traces the protagonist’s feelings as they step into a new life.
It’s a perfect track for the season when farewells and encounters, and the tension of new beginnings, all coexist.
Its message that friends can reunite soon after graduation, along with a warm sentiment of cherishing the days gone by as precious treasures, gently resonates in the heart.
Highly recommended for anyone embarking on a new start under the spring sunshine.
Kadode no Ippo (feat. CHICO CARLITO)ASOBOiSM
A heartwarming cheer song that gives you the courage to take a step beyond the familiar has been born! This collaboration between ASOBOiSM and CHICO CARLITO is packed with encouragement for those facing graduation or a fresh start.
It captures the mix of excitement and anxiety that comes with taking your first steps toward a dream, expressed through laid-back rap and a powerful melody.
Released in March 2024, the track is a tour de force self-produced by ASOBOiSM.
It’s a wonderful song that’s sure to give you a push—not only at graduation ceremonies, but whenever you reach a turning point in life.
Myself ROCKONE OK ROCK
It’s a song that gives you a chance to reflect on yourself.
ONE OK ROCK’s aggressive musical style and Taka’s powerful vocals are striking.
It was released in April 2010 and included on the album “Niche Syndrome,” which came out in June of the same year.
The song carries a message about valuing your individuality and moving forward with your head held high, without giving in to the challenges you encounter in life.
Listening to it during moments of anxiety—like at graduation or when stepping into a new environment—might give you courage.
It’s a track that makes you feel the strength to believe in your own path and keep walking.
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.
