[2026] Recommended love songs for graduation season: Love songs you’ll want to hear at the graduation ceremony

I miss youAdo

I Miss You by Ado

A refreshing love song that portrays the parting of youth.

Many listeners will relate to the lyrics that sing of missed connections and the heartache of long-distance love.

Ado’s overwhelming vocal power brilliantly expresses the complex emotions of being in love.

Released digitally in August 2021, it also drew attention as an insert song in the film “Kaguya-sama: Love Is War.” It’s a recommended track for those deciding to confess before graduation or facing a farewell with someone important.

Why not listen to this song and find the courage to share your feelings? It’s sure to become a wonderful memory.

March of the PetalsAimer

Aimer “March of the Petals” Starring: Mirei Sasaki (Hinatazaka46) (5th albums “Sun Dance” and “Penny Rain” released on 2019/04/10)

Spring, the season of graduation, brings all kinds of changes one after another, and sometimes they can feel almost cruel, can’t they? In the midst of those changes, it can feel as though a faint crush gets lost and fades away…

Aimer’s “Hanabira-tachi no March” is a heartrending song about feelings of love that were never confessed.

With the double punch of spring and graduation, those emotions scatter like petals, disappearing without anything ever happening.

Even when it’s painful and lonely, time only moves forward.

In moments like that, perhaps the best we can do—like in this song—is to wish happiness for the one we care about.

Even if you can’t express your feelings, by wishing them well, you too will be able to face forward and keep moving on.

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SAKI

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If I Fall in LoveCrystal Kay

Crystal Kay - If I Fall in Love (PV)

This song by Crystal Kay warmly portrays, in tender words, the fresh sensations of a new world that begin the moment you fall in love.

It conveys a longing for deep understanding and empathy with the other person, as well as a resolute desire to protect their smiles and tears forever—expressed through a voice that resonates with the heart.

Released in May 2005, the track was chosen as the theme song for a Fuji TV drama and became a major hit.

Holding an important place in Crystal Kay’s musical career, it continues to be cherished by many fans.

It’s a song we especially recommend to students approaching graduation or to anyone experiencing a farewell with someone dear.

It will surely give you the courage to look forward.

Lovers AgainEXILE

EXILE / Lovers Again (Short Ver.)

Set in a winter town at the season’s first snowfall, this EXILE song poignantly expresses the heartache of longing for a former lover.

The moment where the narrator briefly mistakes a figure in a sky-blue scarf for their ex captures their lingering attachment.

Regret over choosing to say “goodbye” and the wish to turn back time are emotions anyone who’s suffered a breakup can relate to.

Released in January 2007 as EXILE’s 22nd single, the track was also used in an au “LISMO” commercial.

It’s a perfect song for love that ended as one-sided, or for those deciding to confess around graduation—a recommended support anthem to help you move forward.

Senpai.HoneyWorks meets TrySail

Senpai. / HoneyWorks meets TrySail

If the senior you love is about to graduate, why not try sharing your feelings by listening to “Senpai” by HoneyWorks meets TrySail? Released in 2016 as the theme song for the animated film “The Moment You Fall in Love ~Kokuhaku Jikkō Iinkai~,” it reached No.

8 on the Oricon Singles Chart.

The lyrics, which tell of a secret crush on an older childhood friend, make your heart flutter when you listen.

Although the feelings for the senior go unspoken at the end of “Senpai,” I hope you’ll take the chance to confess yours!

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Hamada Takuya

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DearMs. OOJA

Dear – Ms.OOJA (with lyrics)

If you want to express your gratitude to a partner you want to stay with even after graduation, I recommend “Dear,” sung by Ms.OOJA.

It’s included on her major debut album “VOICE,” released in 2011.

It’s an R&B-style ballad showcasing Ms.OOJA’s assured vocal prowess and is one of the most popular songs among her fans.

The lyrics fit any recipient—friends, lovers, or family—so it’s perfect for conveying heartfelt thanks that might feel a bit embarrassing to say out loud.

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Hamada Takuya

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FlowerORANGE RANGE

ORANGE RANGE – Flowers

One of ORANGE RANGE’s signature songs, “Hana.” While ORANGE RANGE is known for many bright, poppy tracks, this one is gentle and tender—a ballad that grips your heart and feels poignantly moving to anyone who listens.

Released in 2004 as their eighth single, it also served as the theme song for the film “Be With You.” Though it’s a heart-stirring ballad, it isn’t simply sad; it’s a song filled with emotion and a bright hope that carries into the future.

It’s a number you’ll want to dedicate to someone you love.

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utatane

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