From classic choral pieces to popular J-pop! Moving songs you’ll want to sing at graduation ceremonies

skyBE:FIRST

BE:FIRST / Sora - Music Video -

Released in 2025 as the set piece for the Junior High School Division of the 92nd NHK All-Japan School Music Competition, this work carries a heartwarming message that resonates: under the vast sky, everyone is connected.

The lyrics, which portray the hope that the sun will always come out after rain and storms, gently encourage students going through a sensitive time.

Why not sing it at the milestone of graduation, filling it with hope for the future?

The happiest treasuresutopuri

[MV] The Most Wonderful Treasure / Strawberry Prince

Supported by many young people, Strawberry Prince’s 27th single “Saikou no Takaramono” (“The Most Wonderful Treasure”) is a gem packed with cherished memories you’ll never forget.

Its refreshing melody will lift the hearts of those embarking on the new beginning that is graduation.

Perfect as a graduation ceremony chorus, this song will beautifully color moments of friendship and memories when sung together.

Its moving lyrics suit the graduation ceremony, bringing tears while also encouraging a positive step toward the future.

Live in the present.Saucy Dog

Saucy Dog “Live in the present.” Music Video

A perfect song for a new beginning like graduation is Saucy Dog’s “I Live in the Present.” With its energetic sound and moving lyrics, it gives you the strength to look forward while reflecting on the past.

In particular, Shinya Ishihara’s deeply emotional vocals are sure to touch the listener’s heart.

Evoking memories of days devoted to club activities and the bonds of friendship, this song would be ideal for a graduation ceremony chorus.

Why not add a splash of color to your precious memories with your friends?

Gazing up, the sky is blueHata Motohiro

Motohiro Hata / Aogeba Aozora Music Video

One song I’d like to add to the graduation ceremony BGM playlist is Motohiro Hata’s “Aogeba Aozora.” His emotionally rich vocals and lyrics—bittersweet yet forward-looking—will add a special touch to the farewell that is graduation.

Released as a digital single in 2019, its moving melody is perfect for singing at a graduation ceremony.

It’s a message song that etches your school days into your heart and cheers you on toward new hopes.

Be sure to sing it with all your heart!

cherry blossomMoriyama Naotaro

Sakura

This song, a massive hit in 2003, is a masterpiece that depicts parting and reunion through the beauty and transience of cherry blossoms.

Naotaro Moriyama’s clear vocals and the simple, piano-centered arrangement resonate deeply with listeners.

The lyrics, which liken cherry blossoms scattering at the very moment they are in full bloom to the turning points of life, evoke both the poignancy of a departure and a forward-looking hope.

Chosen as the ending theme for the MBS/TBS program “Sekai Ururun Taizai-ki,” it sold over one million copies.

In 2019, it was revived with a new arrangement as the theme song for the drama “同期のサクラ” (Synchrony’s Sakura), and it continues to be loved across generations.

Sung at a graduation ceremony—one of life’s important milestones—it will etch memories with friends and a resolve for the future even more deeply.

Best FriendKiroro

Kiroro ｢Best Friend｣ Official Music Video

This is the 10th single by Kiroro, a female duo from Okinawa, released in June 2001.

Chosen as the theme song for the NHK morning drama series Churasan and performed at the 52nd NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen, it has been loved across generations.

Written by vocalist Chiharu Tamashiro as a thank-you to pianist Ayano Kinjo, the song resonates with heartfelt emotions born from the two sharing joys and hardships since their high school days.

In 2016, it was also used as the ending theme for the Japanese-dubbed version of the film The Good Dinosaur.

With lyrics expressing gratitude to a friend who stays by your side, it’s perfect for graduation season.

Singing it at a graduation ceremony while reflecting on days spent with cherished friends is sure to stir emotions tied to those memories.

Petals, heralding the beginningsakura shimeji

Sakurashimeji “Petals, Announcing the Beginning” Lyric Video

Sakurashimeji’s “Hanabira, Hajimari o Tsugete” is a perfect fit for that moment when you open the door to a new beginning called graduation.

The melody woven by strings and acoustic guitar has a soothing tone that blends into the quietly moving atmosphere of a graduation ceremony.

While it carries a touch of sentimentality, its lyrics sing of hope for the future, giving voice to the complex emotions graduates feel, and the gentle, unhurried rhythm softly embraces those feelings.

As you bid farewell to your place of learning, this song will surely resonate in many hearts.