Heartwarming songs recommended for high school students

Letter to TomorrowTeshima Aoi

Aoi Teshima “Letter to Tomorrow (Drama Version)”

It was also the theme song for the drama “Someday, When I Recall This Love, I Will Surely Cry.” It links with the drama’s story, and Aoi Teshima’s tender, heartrending yet somehow warm, conversational singing voice seeps into your heart.

CorrectRADWIMPS

RADWIMPS – The Answer [Official Music Video]

This is a moving song that portrays the confusion and growth of youth, as well as the shifting nature of friendship.

Released digitally in January 2024, it features a distinctive arrangement incorporating a student choir, making it a perfect track for graduation season.

First unveiled by RADWIMPS at the “18 Festival,” the song was born from a collaboration with the younger generation.

True to its title, the lyrics sing about the search for the “right answer” in life and the importance of finding your true self—messages that will resonate deeply with high school students approaching graduation.

It’s a song they’re sure to relate to and be moved by.

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.

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.

blue skyMarushii

Marcy – Blue Sky (Official Music Video)

An emotional rock ballad that portrays the hope that if you keep moving forward despite doubts and inner conflict, your heart will one day clear.

Created by Marcy, it was released in June 2025 as the theme song for the film “Youth Gestalt Collapse.” Vocalist-guitarist Ukyo Yoshida immersed himself in the script and drew on his own experiences during production, resulting in a piece that stands by the characters with complex emotions and resonates gently with listeners.

When you feel like you’re losing yourself, it’s sure to give you a gentle push forward.

to cry innocently; to weep with a childlike airAKASAKI

[AKASAKI] Adokenaku / Innocently Crying (Lyric Video)

This is a heartwarming song that delicately portrays the desire to protect someone precious.

The lyrics weave a world where love and longing for the other person intersect, resulting in a track that quietly seeps into the heart.

Crafted with AKASAKI’s naturally gentle vocals, the song has drawn significant attention, including being selected as Kiss FM KOBE’s recommended Japanese track for January 2025.

It marks the seventh single for AKASAKI, an 18-year-old singer-songwriter currently in high school.

This piece is one you’ll want to listen to when thinking of someone important who is far away, or someone who is no longer by your side.

Why not immerse yourself in its warm sonic world—like a tender whisper in your ear—while letting your feelings for a loved one grow deeper?

Song Not to Forgetmakaroni enpitsu

Macaroni Enpitsu 'Wasurena Uta' MV

This is a heartwarming song that sings of the bittersweetness and hope of youth.

Released in April 2024, it paints the image of young people running toward their dreams with a powerful, refreshing melody.

Macaroni Enpitsu created this piece as the ending theme for the anime “Oblivion Battery,” based on Eko Mikawa’s original work.

While accompanying the coming-of-age story of the anime’s protagonists, it also carries a message that anyone can relate to.

The lyrics carefully depict the strength to overcome setbacks and hardship, as well as the courage to keep looking forward, making it a perfect track for cultural festivals and class memories.

With its bright, uplifting melody and emotionally resonant lyrics, it’s sure to be a hit at karaoke and at school.