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

Dear Sir or Madam, on this day when cherry blossoms fluttermafumafu

[MV] Dear Sir/Madam, On This Day When Cherry Blossoms Flutter Down / Mafumafu [Shonen Janmaga Gakuen]

It’s a bittersweet yet powerful song by Mafumafu that delicately portrays farewells and new encounters arriving with the breath of spring.

Memories and regrets from school days, along with hopes for the future, are spun through a clear, transparent voice, seeping into the heart alongside scenes of falling cherry blossoms.

Included on the album “Kagurairo Artifact,” the track was released in October 2019 and was also used as the theme song for the website “Shonen Janmaga Gakuen.” Its emotional melody and driving rhythm leave a strong impression, gently encouraging those taking a new step in spring.

It resonates even more deeply when listened to at the start of a new chapter or during graduation season.

Gazing up, the sky is blueHata Motohiro

Motohiro Hata / Aogeba Aozora Music Video

A graduation song by Motohiro Hata, “Aogeba Aozora,” released digitally in 2019.

When it comes to graduation songs—and especially Motohiro Hata’s music—you can bet it’ll make you cry; it’s bound to be a moving song! His gentle, sweet voice and the lyrics that build in poignancy will make your chest tighten.

Many listeners will likely find the inner conflict—the anxiety and loneliness of graduating and parting from friends—so real that it brings them to tears.

It’s a refreshing track that still has plenty of tear-jerking moments.

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Sky-blue DaysSHISHAMO

SHISHAMO “Sky-Blue Days”

SHISHAMO’s “Mizuiro no Hibi” is the kind of song that would absolutely make you cry if you listened to it on graduation day.

It focuses on the emotional turmoil and confusion of reaching graduation without really feeling like you’re graduating or that you’re about to be separated from your friends.

I think a lot of people can relate to this in real life.

It’s a song that pierces you with all those feelings you’re too shy to express face-to-face, the days that slipped by while you zoned out, and the youthful scenery captured in the title “Sky-Blue Days”—the everyday moments that cut right to the heart.

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cherry blossomKobukuro

Kobukuro “Sakura”

Kobukuro’s 12th single “Sakura,” released in 2005.

It’s one of those songs you feel like everyone has heard at least once, a long-running hit known for its moving lyrics—and when you listen while really reading the words, it makes perfect sense.

Cherry blossoms are stunningly beautiful and exhilaratingly festive, yet at the same time they’re fleeting and fall so quickly.

The song draws you in by likening the cherry tree—beautiful yet ephemeral, enduring through many seasons—to life itself, making it a track that grips the heart and can move you to tears.

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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.