Heisei-era graduation songs roundup: iconic youth anthems from the ’90s to the 2010s

Farewell, YouthChatto Monchī

Chatmonchy – Farewell, Youth – Zepp Osaka 2008

It’s a graduation song by Chatmonchy.

The lyrics, packed with bittersweet memories of youth, really resonate.

From the perspective of a protagonist on the verge of graduation, it captures the moments when they realize that each ordinary scene from daily life was an irreplaceable memory.

It was included on the mini-album “chatmonchy has come,” released in November 2005.

The song has touched many hearts, even being featured in JR West’s web videos.

It’s a track you’ll want to listen to not only during graduation season but also at life’s turning points—highly recommended for adults who feel nostalgic about their youth.

GraduationWatanabe Misato

Graduation

This is a classic song by Misato Watanabe that portrays graduation, a symbol of farewells and new beginnings.

Released in April 1991 and featured in a Meiji Life Insurance commercial, the track was created in collaboration with Tetsuya Komuro.

It delicately expresses the complex emotions that come with the milestone of graduation, singing of the sorrow of parting and the courage to take a new step forward.

It’s a song you’ll want to listen to with the arrival of spring, and it has long been cherished for the way it resonates with those facing graduation season or life’s turning points.

Thank youFUNKY MONKEY BABYS

FUNKY MONKEY BABYS “Thank You”

This is a song by FUNKY MONKEY BΛBY’S that speaks directly, in straightforward words, to feelings of gratitude toward someone important.

The gentle atmosphere of the sound conveys an image of slowly turning toward one’s own memories and emotions.

It also carries a message of drawing strength from the memories we’ve built up and the bonds that have grown stronger, so we can move forward into our respective futures.

It’s a warm, heartfelt song that makes you feel that expressing gratitude at a moment of departure is important for stepping into the future.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kappamaki

Report a problem

10-year cherry blossomsAKB48

[MV full] 10nen Zakura / AKB48 [Official]

A song themed around graduation, parting, and reunion has arrived from AKB48 with the coming of spring.

Centered by Atsuko Maeda and Jurina Matsui, it weaves a story of farewells and reunions with fresh, vivid expression.

Set to an upbeat rhythm, its wishes for the future offer a reassuring message that resonates with the graduation scenes everyone experiences.

Released in March 2009, the single reached No.

3 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

It’s a track you’ll want to listen to during this season when partings and encounters intersect, as you reflect on memories with someone special.

Photo of three peopleKiroro

Photo of three people

Kiroro is a two-person music unit that captivates a wide range of listeners with gentle vocals and piano-centered songs.

Their track “Three of Us in a Photo,” included as the B-side to their major debut single “Nagaimo,” opens with a distinctive, airy slide guitar intro.

The lyrics, which seem to reaffirm a relationship that won’t change even after graduation, evoke the feeling of a fresh start.

With its light, lively ensemble and warm melody that resonates deeply, it’s a heartfelt graduation song.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Hoshino Takashi

Report a problem

Youth PhotographLittle Glee Monster

[Little Glee Monster] Youth Photograph [Litoguri]

As the title suggests, this song—hugely popular as a graduation anthem—is a track that instantly takes you back to your student days in the thick of youth.

The lyrics depict the very day of the graduation ceremony, and listening to it makes you feel as if you’ve time-traveled back to that moment.

Lines like “Even after we graduate, we’ll always be friends” can hit hard and move listeners to tears, even as adults.

With Little Glee Monster’s beautiful harmonies, the song—released in March 2015—was also used as the ending theme for MBS’s ‘Hayashi-sensei ga Odoroku Hatsumimigaku!’ While it mourns the parting from friends, it also carries a hopeful outlook on new beginnings, making it a perfect pick for graduation season.

Hello, Again ~A Place That’s Been Around Since Long Ago~My Little Lover

Hello,Again

Released in 1995, this song by My Little Lover is a heartwarming ballad themed around the pains and hopes of youth.

Its lyrics, which sing of the courage to take a new step forward while remembering a distant hometown and loved ones, resonate with many people.

Chosen as the opening theme for the drama “Owaranai Natsu,” it became a major hit, reaching No.

1 on the Oricon singles chart.

It’s a song you’ll want to listen to during graduation or farewell seasons, cherished as an anthem that brings both nostalgia and the courage to look ahead.

Highly recommended for those who want to reminisce about their youth or are on the brink of a new beginning.