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

HarukaYOASOBI

YOASOBI 'Haruka' Official Music Video

YOASOBI is a two-person music unit that works under the concept of “turning novels into music” and has gained popularity both in Japan and abroad.

Their sixth digital-only single, Haruka, used as the commercial song for Takara Tomy’s new tactile LCD nurturing toy Punitto Ruzu (Punirunz), drew attention as a collaboration with television writer Osamu Suzuki.

The lyrics, which depict the meeting and parting with a dear friend, might leave you in tears when listened to at a graduation ceremony marking the end of your school days.

It’s a song you’ll want to savor line by line—its pop arrangement carries a gentle sense of melancholy, and the melody resonates with the heart.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Thank youFUNKY MONKEY BABYS

FUNKY MONKEY BABYS “Thank You”

FUNKY MONKEY BABYS sadly disbanded in 2013.

Their final single before the breakup was “Arigatou” (“Thank You”).

The group was known for CD covers featuring close-up photos of celebrities; for this song, Sanma Akashiya appears on the cover and also in the music video.

It’s a track where the simple, ordinary word “thank you” resonates deeply, and it makes you realize how moving those two words can be.

Whether said casually or with heartfelt sincerity, it’s still “thank you”—but when you hear “thank you” from a friend you’re parting ways with, those words stay with you forever.

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utatane

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MiracleGReeeeN

GReeeeN – Kiseki

When it comes to youth anthems, you just can’t leave this one out! Released in May 2008 as the theme song for the drama “ROOKIES,” GReeeeN’s signature track “Kiseki” is a pure love song that celebrates the joy of meeting the person you love and the resolve to walk into the future together.

True to its title, the lyrics call the couple’s meeting a “miracle” (kiseki) and describe the path they’ve walked as a “trace” or “trajectory” (also kiseki)—a wordplay that stirs the heart every time you listen.

In 2009, it was also chosen as the entrance march for the National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament, making it beloved across generations.

It’s a moving song you’ll want to play at graduations, thank-you parties, and those final moments with dear friends or a loved one, to express your gratitude.

Goodbye Memoriessupercell

sayonara memories – supercell

It’s a song that captures the bittersweet feeling of graduating while holding close the memories of familiar routes home and casual conversations.

Released in February 2010, it was written and composed by ryo, with vocals by nagi.

The driving sound woven from piano and strings beautifully conveys the unique restlessness of youth.

It’s also included on the classic album “Today Is A Beautiful Day,” and has long been loved as a spring staple.

In the climax of the lyrics, the protagonist musters their courage—a moment that’s sure to set your heart racing just by listening! If you have words you want to share with someone, this song will surely give you the courage to speak them.

KanadeSukima Suichi

Sukima Switch – “Kanade” Music Video : SUKIMASWITCH / KANADE Music Video

This is one of Sukima Switch’s signature ballads, the kind you want to listen to when the season of farewells arrives.

Released as a single in March 2004, it’s also well known as an insert song for the film “Rough” and as the ending theme on the final day of the 2006 “Nettō Kōshien.” The lyrics, set to a wistful melody, portray parting with someone important while holding on to hope for the future.

Many listeners are surely moved by its message of a strong bond that keeps people connected through song even when they’re apart.

Featured on the album “Natsugumo Noise,” it has remained beloved and has been covered by many artists.

It’s a song perfect for spring, when life changes—whether you’re taking a new step forward or looking back nostalgically on your youth.

Gray and Blue (+Masaki Suda)Yonezu Kenshi

Kenshi Yonezu – Gray and Blue (+Masaki Suda)

This is a track whose beautiful, fleeting sound and lyrics—portraying the aching feelings of two childhood companions who grow apart as they become adults—strike straight at the heart.

Included on singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu’s album BOOTLEG, released in October 2017, the song also drew major attention for featuring actor Masaki Suda as a guest vocalist.

It contrasts the past, when they laughed together without a care, with the present, as they each walk their own path.

Its message—suggesting a bond that remains deep inside no matter how much time passes—gently encourages men setting out for different places.

After graduation, when you feel anxious or lonely about a new life ahead, why not listen to it while reminiscing about an old friend?

My friend — from here on out, forever…Ketsumeishi

Ketsumeishi “My Friend ~ From Here On Forever…”

This song is widely known across generations, partly because it was used as the theme song for the national anime Crayon Shin-chan’s movie.

‘Tomo yo ~ Kono saki mo zutto…’ (Friend ~ From Here On Forever…) is a single released by Ketsumeishi in 2016, a friendship anthem.

True to Ketsumeishi’s style, it’s an upbeat, positive tune, yet when you listen while thinking about friends and graduation, something wells up inside—there’s something that really hits home.

Even if you feel overwhelmed by the pain of being separated from friends at graduation, listening to this song will surely turn the feeling of “We’ll always be together from here on” into certainty.

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utatane

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