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

SignalWANIMA

WANIMA “Signal” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

WANIMA is a three-piece rock band from Kumamoto Prefecture that captivates many fans with their energetic live performances and uplifting lyrics.

This song, written specifically for NHK’s large-scale youth music program “18 Fes,” was included on their major-label first full album, Everybody!!, released in January 2018.

It was also featured as the song for Lotte’s “SOU” commercial, drawing attention alongside footage starring Suzu Hirose.

While acknowledging everyday anxieties and doubts, its message encourages listeners to take a step forward—even if they’re not perfect—which is sure to gently support students on the verge of graduation.

With its exhilarating rock sound and call-and-response chorus that lifts the spirit, it’s a youthful anthem perfect for new beginnings.

Promise of SunflowersHata Motohiro

Motohiro Hata – “Himawari no Yakusoku” Music Video

A singer-songwriter with a voice of “steel and glass” that resonates in the heart, Motohiro Hata delivers a moving ballad.

Its lyrics, which depict the warmth of those who stay by your side and the unchanging bonds that endure even when you’re apart, gently accompany the season of farewells.

Released as a single in August 2014, this song was created as the theme for the film STAND BY ME Doraemon.

Its messages, which overlap with the film’s story, struck a chord with many people, and by 2015 it had become such a massive hit that it dominated the karaoke charts.

No matter if the paths we walk diverge in the future, our hearts will always remain connected—this is a song that inspires that kind of hope.

Sing it arm-in-arm with friends at graduations or farewell parties as they set off on new journeys, and it will surely become a memory that lasts a lifetime!

Sky chord ~To You Who Are Becoming an Adult~Tsuji Shion

Tsuji Shion / Shion Tsuji “Sky Chord ~To You Becoming an Adult~”

This is Shion Tsuji’s second single, released in February 2009, and it was used as an ending theme for the TV anime BLEACH.

The lyrics delicately portray the emotions of wavering between not wanting to become an adult and the reality that you can’t stay a child forever, making it a song that resonates with the complex feelings of those standing at the milestone of graduation.

It’s said to reflect Tsuji’s own resolve after dropping out of high school to pursue music, and the down-to-earth words carried by the melody leave a deep impression on listeners.

The single peaked at No.

44 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart and was later included on the album Catch!.

This mid-tempo pop number, blending poignancy with optimism, is perfect for anyone stepping into a new environment, such as further education or starting a job.

It’s a song that accompanies springtime send-offs, evoking both the end and the beginning of youth at the same time.

If I Could Become a StarMr.Children

If I Could Become a Star by Mr.Children

Let me introduce a classic song that perfectly fits graduation season, beautifully capturing both the resolve to set off for a new place in pursuit of dreams and the bittersweetness of parting.

This early representative work by Mr.Children is included on the album “Kind of Love,” released in December 1992.

It’s also known as an insert song in the 1994 drama “Wakamono no Subete,” and although it wasn’t released as a single, it remains a fan favorite.

Composed in collaboration with Yohito Teraoka, the hopeful lyrics penned by Kazutoshi Sakurai and the catchy melody strike straight to the heart.

It gently encourages those who want to change their present situation and reach greater heights.

Be sure to give it a listen as a motivational anthem for your new life starting this spring!

Unforgettable School DaysGurēto Chikin Pawāzu

[Unforgettable School Days] Great Chicken Powers (Gurechiki) Second Single

While performing as a comedy duo, Great Chicken Powers gained idol-like popularity thanks to their handsome looks.

Their second single, “Wasurenai School Days,” released in 1995, is a moving graduation song that stands in contrast to the comedic side they show in their sketches.

Written and composed by the members themselves, the song portrays in down-to-earth words the loneliness that follows the graduation ceremony and the anxiety of being separated from someone you like.

It was a hit at the time of release, and many people still remember it as a seasonal classic.

It’s a perfect ballad for that sentimental time when familiar scenery looks just a little different.

Let its melody, filled with the brilliance and bittersweetness of youth, lead you to look back on memories with your dear friends.

Come, spring.Matsutōya Yumi

Yumi Matsutoya – Come, Spring

It’s a ballad whose striking piano melody and Japan-inspired, nostalgic atmosphere feel purifying to the soul.

Released in October 1994 as Yumi Matsutoya’s 26th single, it has long been beloved as the theme song for the NHK morning drama of the same name.

During the show’s broadcast, this melody played every morning and blended into many people’s daily lives; its lyrics were later highly praised for their literary quality, even being included in Japanese language textbooks.

Also featured on the album THE DANCING SUN, the song became a million seller.

While carrying the sorrow of parting, its message of moving forward with the arrival of spring is truly stirring.

It’s a timeless classic cherished across generations, and a staple for graduation ceremonies and choral competitions.

Even after graduating, even after saying goodbye, even from afarMariko Nagai

Mariko Nagai – Even If We Graduate, Even If We Say Goodbye, Even From Afar

Starting with what seems like a bright anecdote—being the only one grinning widely in a graduation group photo—this song is actually a bittersweet number about a love that was never confessed.

With lyrics penned by Mariko Nagai, it vividly portrays a powerful feeling that doesn’t fade even after graduation and goodbyes, and every listen brings back the sights of those days in sharp detail.

Released in February 1993 as the B-side of a single and later included on the March 1993 album “OPEN ZOO,” it’s a hidden gem.

Why not listen to it when you’re anxious about walking separate paths and possibly never meeting again, yet still want to believe in an unchanging bond? Alongside the sweet-and-sour memories of youth, it will gently warm your heart as you set out on a new journey.