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

Bridge of Gloryyuzu

Eikou no Kakehashi – Yuzu (Full)

Yuzu’s “Eikou no Kakehashi” (Bridge of Glory) is a song that has been loved for many years, and it’s performed almost every time Yuzu appears on TV music programs.

They also often sing Olympic image songs and the like, so many of their songs are very familiar to listeners.

KanadeSukima Suichi

Sukima Switch – “Kanade” Music Video : SUKIMASWITCH / KANADE Music Video

Sukima Switch’s “Kanade” is always among the top songs in karaoke rankings.

Recently, it was also chosen as a movie theme song, and it has become a track loved by people for a long time.

The lyrics and the melody—everything is perfect.

Sukima Switch also performs the song that became the theme song for a Doraemon movie.

Blue in the classroomHoshimachi Suisei

[MV] A Classroom in Blue / Suisei Hoshimachi (hololive × HoneyWorks) [#HoloHani Original]

It’s a refreshing youth anthem that resonates with the sparkle of adolescence and the warmth of friendship.

Suisei Hoshimachi’s clear, transparent vocals gently wrap around memories of high school days and the bonds with friends.

Included on the Hololive × HoneyWorks collaboration album “Horohani-gaoka High School,” released in February 2024, the song features striking lyrics that weave together the lingering glow of the school festival with the bittersweet mix of sadness and hope before graduation.

Parting with friends with whom you could share anything is a deep sorrow, but beyond that painful goodbye, wonderful new encounters are sure to color your life.

As you listen to this song, why not etch the best memories with your best friends deep in your heart and take a step toward the next stage?

BOW AND ARROWYonezu Kenshi

Kenshi Yonezu – BOW AND ARROW

This is a cheer song written by Kenshi Yonezu as the opening theme for the anime “Medalist,” set in the world of figure skating.

Using imagery of a bow and arrow, it powerfully depicts young people who keep moving toward their dreams while overcoming setbacks.

It’s a perfect fit as a theme song or BGM for cultural festivals and school festivals.

It’s sure to resonate as encouragement for friends who keep taking on challenges, and as motivation for yourself.

The exhilarating melody and lyrics filled with determination to chase dreams will deepen the bonds with the companions striving alongside you.

Take off the uniform and say goodbye…Nogizaka 46

Nogizaka46 Taking Off the Uniform to Say Goodbye…

A Nogizaka46 song that portrays the feelings of a girl saying goodbye to the special time called “uniform” and taking her first step into adulthood.

Sung by Asuka Saito and Minami Hoshino, who were both in high school at the time, their true-to-life voices further enhance the song’s fresh, innocent charm.

Listening to this track—which conveys not only hope for the future but also a tinge of sadness at leaving a familiar place—may bring back nostalgic memories of your own youth.

It’s included on the single Taiyo Knock, released in July 2015.

A refreshing, hope-filled anthem that gently supports hearts swaying with expectation and anxiety at the major milestone of graduation.

Sakura RabbitKawasaki Takaya

Takanori Kawasaki - Sakura Usagi [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

It’s a heart-wrenchingly bittersweet graduation song that makes you see your timid self in a “rabbit.” After three years of pent-up feelings, all you can manage to say in the end is “thank you.” Doesn’t it make you overlay your own image onto that sweet-and-bitter page of youth? Takaya Kawasaki’s husky yet warm voice gently wraps around the protagonist’s frustrating, unrequited feelings.

Released in January 2021, this song is also included on the album Nukumori (Warmth).

For those who couldn’t say that single word, “I like you,” its message tenderly embraces those painful memories—and if you’ve ever had a one-sided crush, it will surely warm your heart.

A Clockwork DreamKeyakizaka46

Keyakizaka46 “Clockwork Dream” Short Ver.

It’s a song that vividly brings back a page of youth that everyone experiences—the farewell to a friend seen off on the station platform.

Sung by Keyakizaka46’s popular unit “Yui-chans,” this track was included on the single Glass wo Ware!, released in March 2018.

The gentle tones of the acoustic guitar delicately portray the distance between the city and one’s hometown, as well as a sense of loss for one’s dreams, as if a spring had suddenly unwound.

When you’re separated from your best friend and feel just a little lonely, this bittersweet yet warm melody may resonate in your heart.

It’s a work that softly stays by your side, as if to remind you that precious memories never fade, no matter how far apart you are.