[Heartfelt] A Collection of Japanese Graduation Songs to Sing and Play on Guitar [2026]
Graduation is a special season, and there’s a warmth in singing a graduation song with just a guitar that seeps right into the heart.
Unlike karaoke, it’s the sound and voice spun from your own fingertips.
That resonance reaches the listener’s heart quietly, yet unmistakably.
Many of you may feel, “I want to express my gratitude through my own performance,” or “I want to create a special moment for a farewell with someone important.” In this article, we’ve gathered standout graduation songs by Japanese artists that you’ll want to perform with just a guitar and your voice.
From songs with relatively simple chords to those worth the challenge, we’ll introduce a wide range.
Find the one song that carries your feelings.
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[Heartfelt] A Collection of Japanese Graduation Songs to Sing and Play on Guitar [2026] (61–70)
one’s true feelingssumika
Sumika’s “Honne” was written as the official support song for the 99th All Japan High School Soccer Tournament.
Released as a single in 2021, it reached No.
6 on the Oricon charts.
The lyrics, which portray struggles common to all sports and the bonds between teammates, really hit you when you listen.
Anyone who did club activities and hears it at graduation will probably be moved to tears.
The song is in C major and should be relatively easy to play, so definitely give it a try in practice!
Youth and a momentmakaroni enpitsu
Youth passes in the blink of an eye.
It’s something that’s hard to grasp when you’re living through it in real time.
“Seishun to Isshun” (Youth and a Moment), which sings about those glittering, once-in-a-lifetime moments of youth, is a 2019 single by the four-piece rock band Macaroni Empitsu.
Its lyrics seem to say that the dull routines and tedious days, when you look back, are actually fleeting and precious—so cherish the time you’re living right now.
The fresh, straightforward melody resonates with listeners’ hearts.
It’s also perfect to sing during graduation season, backed by acoustic instruments like the guitar.
Precious thingsroodo obu mejyaa
This is the debut single and signature song of Road of Major, who were active from 2002 to 2007.
It sings about a friendship that never changes, even when you’re far apart.
One of the sad things about graduation is having to part from the friends you spent so much time with, isn’t it? But it’s not a farewell forever, so listen to this song and keep moving forward, looking forward to the day you’ll meet again in each of your futures!
I won’t forget the days with you.Te ga kuriimu pan
A perfect song for graduation ceremonies, ‘Kimi to no Hibi wo Wasurenai’ by Tega Cream Pan-san.
Released in March 2022, this piece sings of a strong promise to always cherish the friends with whom you shared your school days.
It has a bright, upbeat feel, so if you don’t want the parting to be sorrowful, give this song a try.
It might help you set off on your next journey with a smile.
Don’t bloom.WHITE JAM
WHITE JAM is a music group that made its major-label debut in 2014 and has been drawing attention for its highly original performances.
Their fourth single, “Sakanaide,” which was submitted to the Cannes Lions, one of the world’s largest advertising festivals, also became the theme song for the film “The Wedding of the Tearful Clown,” generating significant buzz.
While the song features chords with complex fingerings such as C#m7-5 and Esdd9, the chord changes are quite relaxed, making it easier to play if you steadily learn and practice the fingerings.
It’s a sentimental number where the loneliness and wistfulness of graduation overlap.
Sakura: To You Who Couldn’t GraduateHanzaki Yoshiko
Yoshiko Hanzaki is a singer-songwriter who, for about 17 years, did not belong to any agency and sold her own merchandise while performing live shows on her own.
This song is famous as one of her signature pieces and is said to be based on a true story.
Her moving vocals and performance heighten the bittersweet feelings of the graduation season.
GraduationTakahashi Yuu
This is the sixth single by Yu Takahashi, known as a “real-time singer-songwriter” and the son of a folk singer.
It served as the opening theme for the music program CDTV and as the campaign song for JR East’s “Let’s Wave at the SL!! — Along-the-Line Smile Project.” With lyrics expressing gratitude to friends at the graduation ceremony, it’s a moving number.
The original features an arrangement centered on piano and strings, but because the melody is catchy, singing it with just an acoustic guitar accompaniment still gets the feeling across.
However, since it uses many barre chords, if you’re not used to the guitar, be sure to practice until you can press them cleanly before presenting it.