A farewell song for a dear friend—an uplifting graduation song that conveys heartfelt gratitude.
Graduation season is exciting as you set off for a new environment, but it also leaves you feeling a bit sentimental about parting with friends.
Even though you know in your head that graduation doesn’t mean saying goodbye forever, it’s natural to feel lonely or anxious.
In this article, we introduce songs that capture the many feelings you have for the friends you’ve always shared fun times with.
We’ve gathered plenty of heartfelt graduation friendship songs that are perfect for telling your friends, “We’ll always be friends even if we’re apart,” and for expressing your gratitude for everything up to now.
Be sure to find your favorite track and send it to your friends.
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A farewell song for a dear friend. A graduation song that conveys our gratitude (91–100)
Ode to YouthMomoiro Kurōbā Zetto
A song by the idol group Momoiro Clover Z, affectionately known as Momoclo, which was chosen as the theme song for the film “Maku ga Agaru” (The Curtain Rises).
With genuine feelings for friends and memories from youth in their hearts, it conveys a message about stepping into a new world—and it’s a number where Momoclo, usually bursting with energy, deliver a gently sung, heartfelt performance.
GIVE ME FIVE!AKB48
If you want to make graduation more than just tears, choose this song! It’s a hit by the popular idol group AKB48, released in 2012 as their 25th single.
Many people have probably heard it, since it was used in docomo commercials and more.
Its appeal lies in the exhilarating sound that blends band instrumentation with brass.
It has the power to blow away the haze that’s been lingering in your heart.
The message that “graduation isn’t an end, but a beginning” really hits home, too.
A farewell song for a dear friend: a graduation song that conveys gratitude (101–110)
I won’t forget the days with you.Te ga kuriimu pan
Written by Tega Cream Pan on the train on graduation day, this piece is a moving song filled with friendship, parting, and hope for the future.
Through everyday scenes like catching a train at the last minute and overflowing photos, it portrays bonds with friends that deeply resonate with listeners.
Released in March 2022, it was also selected as the opening theme for TBS’s Drama Stream series “Papa to Musume no Nanokakan” (Seven Days of a Dad and His Daughter).
It’s a perfect song to listen to at graduations, farewell parties, and other moments of parting with loved ones—and it’s also recommended when you want to look back on memories with friends or a significant other.
Graduation PhotoArai Yumi
A masterpiece woven from a gentle singing voice that stays close to the heart and lyrics that gracefully portray nostalgia for days gone by.
Featured on the album “COBALT HOUR,” released by Yumi Arai in June 1975, this song delicately expresses life and change after graduation.
It lyrically spins memories of a cherished person who lives on forever within the warmth of reminiscence.
It was also selected as the theme song for Fuji TV’s drama “Sotsu Uta” and the film “Watch with Me.” A heartwarming encouragement song to listen to in times of sorrow or at life’s crossroads.
Friend ShipHoshino Gen
This is a gentle song that tenderly embraces the warm feelings of parting from and reuniting with someone important, and the hope of meeting again.
Gen Hoshino’s heartfelt vocals and the warm melody evoke the beauty of precious memories and bonds with friends.
Included on the album “YELLOW DANCER,” the track was written as the theme song for the film “Moriyamachu Driving School” and was also used in NTT Docomo’s “Docomo no Long Gakuwari” commercial.
During the “Continues” tour in September 2017, it was performed with passion at Saitama Super Arena.
It’s a heartwarming piece to listen to when you’re thinking of a dear friend you’ve been separated from, or when you’ve made plans to see each other again after a long time.
Only the graduation photo knowsHinatazaka46
A song by Hinatazaka46 themed around graduation.
It gently sings of the bittersweet feelings of the cherry blossom season and the love that went unspoken.
Memories and regrets sealed in graduation photos resonate deeply, intertwined with clear, transparent vocals.
Set for release on January 29, 2025, the track features Nao Kosaka as center and will be available in five editions: limited first-press versions and a regular edition.
It was premiered at their Tokyo Dome concert on December 26, 2024.
It’s a recommended listen not only for students entering graduation season, but also for anyone who wants to reflect on past loves.
GarnetOku Hanako
In July 2006, Hanako Oku released a work whose gentle, warm emotions resonate alongside its melody.
Written as the theme song for the feature-length animated film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, it was her fourth single.
The lyrics delicately portray scenes on the school grounds and the after-school atmosphere, wrapping cherished memories of school life—and the precious moments everyone wants to hold onto—gently and tenderly.
Created at the request of the film’s production team by reading the story from the storyboard and script, the song was completed to align closely with the protagonist’s feelings.
It spent 19 weeks on the Oricon charts and won the Heisei Anisong Grand Prize for Best Film Theme Song.
It’s a track I can wholeheartedly recommend for moments when you want to share memories with friends or dedicate a song to someone dear.