Recommended entrance songs for high school students: moving masterpieces and popular hits.

Mashirosumika

sumika / Mashiro [Music Video] - Ending theme for the drama “Pocket ni Bōken wo Tsumekonde” (Packing Adventures in Your Pocket)

A great entrance song I recommend for high school students embarking on a new chapter is “Mashiro” by sumika.

Released on December 22, 2023, this track is the perfect cheer for a fresh start! It was also used as the ending theme for the drama “Pocket ni Bōken o Tsumekonde,” and features a refreshing, uplifting melody.

The lyrics convey that the new life about to begin holds limitless possibilities.

If your heart is pounding with nerves yet filled with hope at the start of this new journey, give it a listen to help you take that first step toward a bright future!

the 10 o’clock directionsumika

sumika / 10 o’clock Direction [Music Video]

sumika’s refreshing yet powerful songs, which blend pop and rock, are always there to comfort our hearts.

Featured on the album “Chime,” released in March 2019, this track is an uplifting anthem packed with both the anxiety and the hope that come with taking a new step forward.

Its lyrics convey the importance of moving in the direction you believe in—even if the path is slanted or curved—while the dynamic, string-accented melody gently embraces those moments when we find ourselves at life’s crossroads, something everyone experiences at least once.

It sensitively portrays the feelings of young people who, despite their fears about becoming independent, strive to follow the path they trust.

For those of you standing at the starting line of your high school life, it’s sure to give you a gentle push forward.

made-to-orderOmoinotake

Omoinotake | Made-to-Order [Lyric Video]

This is a warmhearted anthem born from “letters to myself 10 years from now” sent by young people in Shimane Prefecture.

Released in March 2023, Omoinotake’s song was produced to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the NHK Matsue Broadcasting Station.

Its lyrics gently convey that there isn’t only one right answer in life and that it’s important to follow your own path, paired with a catchy, soothing piano melody that leaves a strong impression.

The work is an ambitious creation by the members—who are themselves from Matsue City—made in deep empathy with the feelings of local youth.

A lyric video by Haruka Ibuki has also been released, further enriching the song’s worldview.

It’s a track I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone feeling anxious about a new environment or preparing to take a step toward the future.

StaRtMrs. GREEN APPLE

Mrs. GREEN APPLE – StaRt

Mrs.

GREEN APPLE’s “StaRt” is a pop-rock track with an easy-on-the-ears feel that has captured the hearts of many young listeners.

It’s included on the album Variety.

Composed by band member Motoki Omori, who has said he struggled with blending rock and pop, the song features playful wordplay, uplifting lyrics that help you look forward, and a sound that conveys the excitement of a new beginning.

It’s a song that lifts your spirits.

It might just turn the anxieties of starting a new chapter in life into a sense of excitement and fun.

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Blue Springback number

back number – Aoi Haru (full)

When it comes to back number, many people think of heart-wrenching love songs, but this track really hits home when you’re feeling anxious or down.

“Aoi Haru” is their seventh single, released in 2012, and it’s a title that draws you in right away.

High school often carries the strong image of youth just beginning—full of fun and things to look forward to.

But along the way—studying, club activities, working hard toward your dreams—there are times when you might feel like you’re about to break.

When those anxious feelings come up, let this song help you look forward with a positive mindset.

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utatane

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We areONE OK ROCK

ONE OK ROCK – We are -Japanese Ver.- [Official Music Video]

Even those who aren’t fond of English lyrics and don’t often listen to Western music still often listen to ONE OK ROCK.

This song, “We are,” also mixes English and Japanese lyrics.

It was created for NHK’s “18-sai-sai” (the 18 Festival), a program made together with 18-year-olds and their generation, and “We are” is the song ONE OK ROCK wrote for them.

The English parts of the lyrics feel like they stand by your anxieties and help ease them.

Try listening while reading the Japanese translation.

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utatane

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Tomorrow will surely be a good day.Takahashi Yuu

Yū Takahashi’s directorial debut MV “Tomorrow Will Surely Be a Good Day” — Omokuri Director Edit Version (Short Size)

This is a song by singer-songwriter Yu Takahashi whose gentle lyrics give you courage, telling you that even unpleasant things that happen in everyday life might not seem like a big deal if you change your perspective! It’s a waste to let yourself be tied down by that hazy, frustrating feeling and be unable to move forward.

If you shift your mindset like in the lyrics of “Ashita wa Kitto Ii Hi ni Naru” (“Tomorrow Will Surely Be a Good Day”), you might be able to say goodbye to the version of yourself who used to fret over little things! Why not take the start of high school as an opportunity to sweep away your old negative mindset?

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yuri

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