[Moving] Heartfelt Japanese Songs Recommended for Graduation Season [2026]

To the futureKiroro

Kiroro “To the Future” Official Music Video

When it comes to graduation songs released in the ’90s, this one has to be it.

It’s a track by the female duo Kiroro, released in 1998 as their second single.

The song’s simplicity gives it a profound depth, perfectly complemented by Chiharu Tamashiro’s gentle vocals—truly a classic.

The lyrics, filled with gratitude toward a mother, are moving enough to bring tears just by reading them.

Even after all this time since its release, it hasn’t lost its luster and remains a timeless masterpiece that we hope will be sung for generations to come.

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Araki Jakkan

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Good Bye,Good LuckTOTALFAT

TOTALFAT　『Good Bye, Good Luck』（Short ver.）

TOTALFAT’s song is a graduation anthem that portrays moments of farewell and new beginnings.

It sings of overcoming loneliness and solitude, and of hope for the future.

Released in January 2012, it was selected as the opening theme for the TV Tokyo anime Naruto (the childhood arc).

Featuring Japanese lyrics, it’s characterized by a catchy yet bittersweet tone.

It’s a track you’ll want to hear on graduation day—one that gives you the courage to take a new step while looking back on past memories.

It’s a song you’d want to dedicate with gratitude to friends, teachers, and family.

proofflumpool

flumpool “Proof” Music Video (Full Chorus ver.)

Released in 2011, flumpool’s Akashi was written as the set piece for that year’s NHK All-Japan School Choir Competition.

It’s a bittersweet yet deeply moving graduation song that portrays friendship, bonds, and the pursuit of dreams.

The song conveys the feeling of setting out from a familiar place, along with a powerful resolve to keep doing your best in the journey ahead.

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utatane

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Heralding springyama

yama – Harbinger of Spring (Official Video)

Released as a digital single, this track drew attention as yama’s debut song.

Born from a collaboration with Kujira and completed entirely through online exchanges, that production process also became a talking point.

Since its release in April 2020, it has performed well on various charts, including reaching No.

1 on Spotify’s Viral Top 50 (Japan) and peaking at No.

7 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100.

The husky, emotionally rich vocals and lyrics that depict the changing seasons are memorable, making it a perfect song for graduation season.

It’s recommended for those stepping into a new environment or looking back on cherished memories.

Prologue.Yuika

Prologue. / “Yuika” [MV]

A moving song celebrating graduation and the start of a new life has been born.

Woven together by Yuika’s translucent voice and lyrics that resonate with the heart, this piece heralds the arrival of spring to all who listen.

Released in March 2023 to coincide with Yuika’s own high school graduation, the song’s lyrics brim with friendship, memories, and hope for the future, offering comfort to everyone facing graduation.

Perfect for ceremonies and farewells alike, it will bring a touch of warmth both to those setting out on a new path and to those seeing them off.

Petals, heralding the beginningsakura shimeji

Sakurashimeji “Petals, Announcing the Beginning” Lyric Video

Sakurashimeji, born as the first folk duo selected from EBiDAN39 & KiDS and praised for their soothing, gentle musical style, has won wide popularity.

Their digital-only single “Hanabira, Hajimari o Tsugēte,” released on February 17, 2023, features a delicate ensemble of piano and guitar woven over a comfortable shuffle-beat rhythm.

The lyrics convey a resolve to move forward even while wishing the fun times could last a bit longer—feelings that many share at the milestone of a graduation ceremony.

It’s a sentimental graduation song whose rich, expansive strings sound tenderly envelops the heart with a touch of melancholy.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Goodbye, thank you.chanyu i

Goodbye, thank you / Chanyu-i

A heartwarming song that gently accompanies the graduation season.

Chanyu-i’s clear, translucent vocals tenderly convey the bittersweet feelings of graduation and parting, the bonds with friends, and the journey into the future.

With an arrangement highlighted by a memorable piano tone, the piece resonates deeply with listeners.

Released in February 2022, it garnered significant attention—especially on TikTok—and struck a chord with many people.

Chanyu-i also serves as the “LOVE SAIJO Support Singer” for Saijo City in Ehime Prefecture, and is highly regarded locally as well.

It’s a song you’ll want to listen to with someone special during graduation ceremonies and the season of farewells.