[Graduation Song] A tear-jerking track sung by an idol! A moving piece depicting friendship and gratitude [2026]

Even though it’s springKashiwabara Yoshie

Harunanoni

A bittersweet yet beautiful song about feelings for someone you’ll no longer be able to see after graduation.

Released in January 1983 as Yoshie Kashiwabara’s 14th single, it is one of her signature tracks, written and composed by Miyuki Nakajima.

It peaked at No.

6 on the Oricon Weekly Chart and won the Gold Award at the 25th Japan Record Awards.

The song also led to her first appearance on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

Its worldview—where the brightness of spring cruelly intersects with the pain of parting—strikes straight to the heart.

Rather than going for flashy drama, the piece is memorable for its steady progression, where the melody calmly unfolds and the emotional shadows gradually deepen.

Revisited every graduation season, it continues to be loved across generations.

It’s recommended for moments when, on the cusp of a new beginning, you want to pause and gather your thoughts.

Flower of youthKobushi Fakutorī

Kobushi Factory 'Seishun no Hana' (Magnolia Factory [The Flower of Youth]) (Promotion Edit)

Kobushi Factory, part of Hello! Project, was formed in 2015.

Comprising elite members who came up through the trainee program, they drew attention right from their debut, winning Best New Artist at the 57th Japan Record Awards that same year.

Featured on their final single released in March 2020, this song is a graduation anthem that simultaneously portrays the brilliance of youth and the poignancy of parting.

Interweaving the imagery of the flower that inspired the group’s name, it affirms the beauty of a fleeting farewell while singing of the resolve to move forward.

The arrangement, enriched with strings, heightens the emotion, and the harmonies honed by the five-member lineup resonate deeply.

It’s a must-listen not only for those graduating, but for anyone who has experienced a farewell with cherished friends.

365 Days’ Paper AirplaneAKB48

[MV full] 365 Nichi no Kamihikōki / AKB48 [Official]

This song, which portrays life through the theme of paper airplanes, is unusual for AKB48 in that it features a warm, acoustic guitar-centered sound.

The lyrics, which celebrate the importance of the journey, give listeners the courage to move toward their goals.

Released in December 2015, it was used as the theme song for the NHK morning drama “Asa ga Kita” and was loved by people across generations.

As a song that accompanies life’s milestones—such as graduation and weddings—it will continue to resonate in many hearts.

Graduation of Unrequited LoveAKB48

Unrequited Love Graduation (Team K Ver.)

Let me introduce an AKB48 number that marks the passage of time at graduation and portrays an unspoken one-sided love.

Released in March 2007 as part of Team K’s 3rd Stage “Nounai Paradise,” it’s a song that has been passed down in theater performances.

You can laugh within your circle of friends, yet say nothing in front of the person you like as graduation day draws near.

Those bittersweet feelings are carefully spun over a gentle, mid-tempo melody.

Rather than flashy production, the arrangement treasures the afterglow of the words, quietly seeping into the listener’s heart.

This work captures a moment of youth swaying between the fear that love might end unfulfilled and the desire to express your feelings anyway.

It’s a number we recommend not only to those about to graduate, but also to anyone who wants to remember who they were back then.

Lost and Found at the Graduation CeremonySKE48

“Lost and Found at the Graduation Ceremony” Music Video / SKE48 White Team [MV full / HD]

A graduation day, that special day, is something that slips by in the blink of an eye before you even notice.

This song, included as a coupling track to SKE48’s fifth single “Banzai Venus,” released in March 2011, delicately portrays the bittersweet emotions that well up at such turning points.

Set against scenes like a schoolyard with cherry blossoms dancing and the spring breeze, the lyrics touch the heart by using the metaphor of a “forgotten item” to express feelings that were close by yet went unnoticed.

With Jurina Matsui as center and the cross-team Shirogumi members singing, it becomes a universal piece that anyone can overlay with their own experiences.

It’s a song that those who know the hollow emptiness after a graduation ceremony will especially want to hear—one that accompanies your memories of spring.

See you.o nyanko kurabu

See you.

Released in February 1986, this is Onyanko Club’s third single.

It was produced as a send-off song for Miharu Nakajima, who served as the main vocalist and was graduating from the group, and it reached No.

1 on the Oricon weekly singles chart.

The lyrics were written by Yasushi Akimoto and the music composed by Ken Takahashi, with words that condense the lingering afterglow of farewell into a short title, delivering a powerful emotional impact.

The song has been featured on TV Asahi’s Kamen Rider Kiva and NHK’s morning drama Amachan, and it continues to be loved today as a symbol of the 1980s.

It’s recommended not only for those approaching graduation, but for anyone experiencing a parting with cherished friends.

The frustration of being unable to put “goodbye” into words—and the resolve to face forward and take the next step—are feelings this song will gently support.

GraduationHikaru GENJI

Hikaru GENJI Graduation (1988)

Let me introduce a classic by Hikaru GENJI, released in November 1987 as the B-side to the single “Garasu no Jūdai.” With lyrics by Ryo Asuka and music by CHAGE—a truly star-studded team—this work is a coming-of-age ballad that movingly captures the milestone of graduation.

The lyrics not only convey the sorrow of parting but also weave in the hope of taking a new step forward, leaving a deep impression on the heart.

On Music Station in September 1995, the group performed the song with a memorable staging in which the members removed their roller skates and placed them on the stage, bringing many fans to tears.

It’s a track that showcases the group’s delicate emotionality—another facet of their appeal beyond their dazzling performances.

A deeply moving song recommended not only for those facing graduation, but for anyone experiencing a farewell with cherished friends.