Memories Come Flooding Back: Tearjerker Graduation Songs. Moving, Tear-Inducing Ballads [2026]

Kitearashi

ARASHI – Kite [Official Music Video]

A song that resonates as a graduation anthem full of dreams and hope.

Embraced as the NHK 2020 theme song, it drew major attention when first performed on the Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

Created by Kenshi Yonezu, it is also known as a work released before Arashi’s hiatus.

As hope for the future intersects with gratitude for the past, its message powerfully supports graduates taking their next step.

The moving harmony of Arashi’s five members suits the milestone of graduation day and gives courage to embark on a new world.

Released in July 2020, the single topped the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart and ranked third for the year.

Graduation Elegy3B LAB.☆S

Graduation Elegy / 3B LAB.

“Sotsugyo Aika,” included as the B-side to the debut single “Ichigo Ichie” released in 2003.

Since it’s performed by the rock band 3B LAB.☆, it has a different vibe from the usual wistful graduation songs.

While most graduation songs tend to be ballads, this track is upbeat and catchy, yet it still feels like a proper graduation song, folding in reflections on memories and relatable episodes that anyone can connect with.

It’s a track I recommend to those who want a graduation song that isn’t a ballad.

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GraduationKobukuro

Kobukuro “Graduation”

With a straightforward, quintessential graduation-song title, “Sotsugyo” is Kobukuro’s 31st single, released in 2020.

Some people may feel that graduating doesn’t quite feel real yet, but when you listen to this song, the reality hits home—you can truly feel it, can’t you? Your school life and memories since enrollment will likely flash before your eyes like a revolving lantern.

When you realize that the ordinary days were actually irreplaceable, you’ll surely be moved to tears—maybe even cry your eyes out.

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Tomoë GakuenFukuyama Masaharu

Masaharu Fukuyama – Tomoe Gakuen (Full ver.)

This song, with its captivating title “Tomoegakuen,” takes its name from a real school that once existed in Tokyo, though it has since been closed.

It was the alma mater of Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, and the song was created as the theme for Totto-chan, the drama depicting half of Kuroyanagi’s life.

True to Masaharu Fukuyama’s style, it’s a piece that draws in listeners of any generation, making it a graduation song that resonates not only with current graduates but also with those who finished school long ago.

It’s a track we hope both children about to graduate and their parents will listen to together.

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Until graduationBoku ga mitakatta aozora

The Blue Sky I Wanted to See / “Until Graduation” Music Video

A heartwarming song that portrays the bittersweet first love of a girl on the brink of graduation.

Released in January 2024 as the second single from Boku ga Mitakatta Aozora, it features the voices of 12 selected members, expressing delicate emotions like budding cherry blossoms.

The music video, set in a fishing port, beautifully captures the poignancy of youth.

The pain of unrequited love, the anxiety before graduation, and the feelings for someone special resonate deeply.

It’s a must-listen not only for students nearing graduation but also for anyone nostalgic for their youthful days.

Listening to this piece will surely bring back memories of the first love we all once experienced.

Sakura AleAdachi Kana

Kana Adachi “Sakura Yell”

Even if graduating doesn’t quite feel real yet, the feeling that “it’s hard to be apart from my friends” grows stronger day by day as the ceremony approaches, doesn’t it? Kana Adachi’s song Sakura Yell is a graduation song about the memories with those beloved friends and a message to them.

When you listen to this song, all your memories with your friends will surely come rushing back, and even the moments you thought were nothing special will become precious.

It’s a graduation song you’ll want to share with your dear friends.

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Song of DepartureMr.Children

Mr.Children “Tabidachi no Uta” MUSIC VIDEO

It’s a song that truly resonates with the heart.

The gentle, enveloping vocals and warm melody beautifully capture both the loneliness of parting and the hope of a new beginning.

Released in October 2007, it gained attention as the theme song for the film “Sky of Love.” It was also included on the album “SUPERMARKET FANTASY,” winning over many fans.

The lyrics, which stay close to you on nights filled with anxiety or loneliness and give you the courage to look forward, are especially memorable.

It’s a track you’ll want to listen to at graduations and other turning points in life.

Mr.Children’s soul-stirring vocals are sure to bring tears to your eyes.

It’s a song I highly recommend to anyone feeling uneasy about stepping into a new environment.