[2026] A Collection of Youthful Songs to Play at Graduation Ceremonies [J-POP]

The season of farewellSHISHAMO

SHISHAMO “Season of Goodbyes”

As graduation approaches, do you ever feel a bittersweet flutter deep in your chest? This song, which closes SHISHAMO’s album “SHISHAMO 2” released in March 2015, gently captures exactly those feelings.

An unreturned crush on a senior who’s graduating first, time that ends before you can put anything into words, the frustration of only being able to watch from afar—these emotions are written in plain, unadorned language that tightens your chest every time you listen.

Upon release, it drew significant attention, including being selected as SPACE SHOWER TV’s “POWER PUSH!” for March 2015.

The music video, also themed around graduation, vividly visualizes the world of the lyrics.

It’s a青春ソング—a youth anthem—that I especially want people who have once seen someone off with unrequited feelings, or who are facing a farewell with someone important, to hear.

Orangeakai kouen

Red Park “Orange” Music Video

It’s a masterpiece that delivers, straight to the heart, the feeling of moving forward while holding both sorrow and hope at once.

The title track of Akai Ko-en’s double A-side single “Orange / pray,” released in November 2020, was used as the opening theme for the Fuji TV FOD original drama “A Band Across Time.” Its lyrics, which portray the pain and beauty of taking that first step without looking back, will surely resonate deeply with anyone who has experienced parting with someone dear.

Vocalist Riko Ishino’s direct, unadorned voice and the band’s cohesive sound carefully give shape to emotions that shift like a sunrise or sunset.

It’s a song I especially recommend to those who are setting out for a new place with resolve in their hearts, yet still feel a lingering pull to the past.

Full of memoriesadachi mitsuru

Adachi Mitsuru’s “Miyuki” × H2O “Omoide ga Ippai” Collaboration MV

This is H2O’s signature song, which became widely known in March 1983 as the ending theme of the anime Miyuki.

Perfectly matching the world of the original manga by Mitsuru Adachi, the track features lyrics by Yoko Aki and music by Kisaburo Suzuki.

It peaked at No.

6 on the Oricon chart and stayed ranked for 34 weeks, becoming a long-running hit.

The lyrics portray the bittersweet passage of time and the feelings of taking a step toward adulthood, and many listeners say it instantly brings back scenes from their school days.

Rather than dwelling in sorrow, its appeal lies in how it wraps youth in a clear, gentle nostalgia.

Listen, and you’ll understand why it has been sung for many years at graduation ceremonies and choral competitions.

It’s a song recommended not only for those setting out on a new path, but for anyone who wants to reflect on irreplaceable days.

Uniform and the SunKeyakizaka46

Uniform and the Sun

Keyakizaka46 is a female idol group that continued to captivate many by expressing the period of youth in a serious and powerful way.

This song, included as a B-side to their third single “Futari Saison,” released in November 2016, is a fresh pop-rock number that contrasts the everyday life in school uniforms with a yearning for freedom symbolized by the sun.

Its lyrics portray young people who carry a light deep in their hearts even amid the constraints of daily life, delivering a universal message perfect for the graduation season.

The refreshing guitar sound and liberating melody vividly color the conflicts and hopes of youth.

Performed again at their final concert in 2020, it has been etched in memory as one of the group’s signature songs.

It’s a track you’ll want to listen to at the moment you finish school and step into a new world—one that gently gives you a push forward.

While shining…Tokunaga Hideaki

Hideaki Tokunaga – While Shining...

A single released in 1987 that became a major hit after being used in a Fujifilm commercial, this is one of Hideaki Tokunaga’s signature songs.

Set to a comfortable sound that fuses kayōkyoku and AOR, it delicately portrays the wavering heart of youth and the transition into adulthood.

It peaked at No.

4 on the Oricon chart and sold about 280,000 copies.

Originally a single cut from the album “BIRDS,” it has remained beloved over the years, also appearing on his 2003 self-cover best album “Self‑Cover Best ~Kagayakinagara~.” With a nostalgic yet refreshing melody, it’s perfect for graduation day—when you take a new step forward while holding your memories close.

This is a ballad we especially recommend to those who are ready to move toward the future with the bittersweet recollections of their youth.

OrangeSPYAIR

SPYAIR “Orange” Music Video (Theme Song for Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle: The Movie)

It’s a heartwarming number by SPYAIR that gives a push to people standing at a turning point in life.

Released in February 2024, the song drew attention as the theme for the film Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle.

It sings of overcoming the anxieties of parting and change, and having the courage to trust your own path and move forward.

The lyric “placing big dreams on small backs” resonates deeply with listeners.

It’s a perfect track for those about to take a new step—like graduation or retirement.

A song that reminds us of the importance of facing forward and moving on, it reaches across genres and stands by many listeners.

Even though it’s springKashiwabara Yoshie

Harunanoni

Released in January 1983, Yoshie Kashiwabara’s 14th single is a beloved classic that has long been cherished as a staple graduation song.

Written and composed by Miyuki Nakajima, it beautifully captures, through a restrained vocal delivery, the poignant feeling of the heart being left behind even as the season moves vibrantly toward spring.

Rather than relying on flashy crescendos, its structure touches the heart with the spaces between the words and the subtle shading of the melody.

It peaked at No.

6 on the Oricon Weekly Chart and won the Gold Prize at the 25th Japan Record Awards.

She also made her first appearance on that year’s NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

The album of the same name reached No.

4 on the Oricon charts, drawing an enormous response.

It’s a number we recommend not only to those approaching graduation, but to anyone whose heart stirs during the season of parting.

Its timeless, universal emotions will quietly stay by your side.