Moving songs recommended for high school students: classic and popular Japanese hits

Beautiful DaysHirai Dai

Dai Hirai / Beautiful Days (Lyric Video)

A gentle anthem that accompanies the making of precious adolescent memories.

Dai Hirai’s acoustic melodies and warm vocals give a push to young people taking their first steps toward the future.

Riding on a calm yet powerful sound, it sings of hope in the darkness, the value of seemingly uneventful days, and the anticipation of a new departure.

Since its release in March 2025, the piece has drawn attention with a confirmed tie-in to an animated production.

The album “Life is Beautiful,” which also features a collaboration with Taro Hakase, reached No.

1 overall on iTunes.

It’s a song that supports students preparing and practicing for their school festivals, resonating with their hearts and helping them reaffirm the bonds with their cherished friends.

We areONE OK ROCK

ONE OK ROCK: We Are [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

An empowering anthem that stands by the anxieties and struggles of young people, powerfully singing the importance of living true to yourself! Taka from ONE OK ROCK delivers an emotionally rich vocal performance, and the fusion with the emotive melody creates a soul-stirring sound that leaves a lasting impression.

Featured on the album “Ambitions” and released in January 2017, this track was chosen as NHK’s soccer theme song and deeply moved many viewers.

It’s a warm song that supports and encourages not only students in the midst of their youth, but also those who feel unable to face societal pressures and surrounding prejudice, and those on the verge of losing their sense of self.

futureKobukuro

Kobukuro “Mirai” film “orange” version

A heartwarming ballad dedicated to those who live life with all their might.

This gem of a song layers gentle compassion for others with wishes for the future.

Released in December 2015, it was written as the theme song for the film “orange” and was later used as a tie-in track for the anime series as well.

With Kobukuro’s signature powerful harmonies and a melody line that resonates deeply, this piece leaves a lasting impression.

Performed on a school festival stage, it will tenderly color the bonds with dear friends and the memories of student days.

A Gentle BallAimer

Aimer “Gentle Ball” Lyrics/English/Indonesian | NHK “Minna no Uta” | 25th single “SCOPE”

Set at a starlit nighttime ball, this enchanting work spins a fantastical tale.

Aimer’s husky voice blends exquisitely with the classical waltz motif, vividly portraying mysterious scenes unfolding in the stillness of the night.

Beautiful like a fairy tale yet tinged with a certain wistfulness, its world seems to mirror the feelings of a girl wavering on the boundary between dreams and reality.

Included on the single “SCOPE,” released in February 2025, and broadcast around the same time on NHK’s Minna no Uta, this piece is made all the more magical by arrangements from Ryota Nakano and Yusuke Tanaka.

It’s a song that will stay close to your heart—whether you’re spending time with friends after school in an empty classroom or lost in thought while gazing up at the night sky.

A Song for a FriendSonar Pocket

Sonar Pocket 'A Song for a Friend' [MV Short]

This pop tune by Sonar Pocket vividly sings about memories from a youth spent with cherished friends.

Nostalgic scenes from student life are depicted with rich emotion, and the unshakable bond with friends who have gone their separate ways is strikingly portrayed.

Released in February 2009, the song is also included on the album “Sonapokeism ①: The Shape of Happiness,” and is often performed at graduation ceremonies and farewell parties.

It’s a heartwarming piece meant to be listened to while thinking of friends who now live far away.

contrailArai Yumi

Yumi Matsutoya – Vapor Trail (Yumi Arai The Concert with Old Friends)

The story of a boy drawn on a white slope reflects Yumi Arai’s inner landscape from her youth.

With a clear, crystalline voice and beautiful piano lines, she gently sings of a longing for the heavens and a parting from the earthly world.

Inspired by feelings for a classmate from her elementary school days, the piece takes flight on a fragile yet refreshing melody, brimming with the radiance of life and hope for liberation.

Released in November 1973 as the title track of the album “Hikōki Gumo,” it drew renewed attention in 2013 as the theme song for Studio Ghibli’s “The Wind Rises.” It is a gem of a song that tenderly supports those who have experienced the loss of someone dear, as well as young people standing at a crossroads in life.

About meMrs. GREEN APPLE

Mrs. GREEN APPLE – About Me

A masterful song by Mrs.

GREEN APPLE that captivates with its grand rock ballad sound and heartfelt lyrics.

It gently asks what it means to live true to yourself, and how your own existence becomes visible through differences with others.

Its warm perspective resonates deeply, standing by those who, despite anxiety and loneliness, strive to move forward step by step.

Released in January 2019, it stirred the hearts of many as the support song for the 97th All Japan High School Soccer Tournament.

From November 2022, an orchestral arrangement was also featured in Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s CalorieMate “Support for Exam Takers” commercial series, showcasing a new charm.

It’s a song you’ll want to listen to when you stand at a crossroads in life, when you feel you might lose your way, or when you want to encourage someone dear to you.