[2026] Spring songs sung by idols: A roundup of cherry blossom and graduation songs

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.

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.

GIVE ME FIVE !AKB48

[MV full] GIVE ME FIVE! / AKB48 [Official]

AKB48, who built an era as “idols you can go to meet” and hold numerous glittering records.

Released in February 2012, this song drew major attention for featuring the members taking on instrumental performance as the band “Baby Blossom.” Although the title doesn’t include the word “sakura,” it centers on springtime farewells and new departures, delivering an uplifting message that resonates: wipe your tears and share a high-five with a smile.

Its 34-minute, drama-style music video and use in various advertising campaigns also became hot topics.

Graduation season can feel somber, but this is a go-to cheer song that gives a push toward a new world—perfect for getting everyone fired up with friends at a reunion karaoke session.

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.

A Lonely Graduation CeremonyAsaka Yui

Hitoribocchi No Sotsugyoshiki (2015 Remaster)

On the morning of graduation, feelings that end without ever being spoken—here’s a song that Yui Asaka renders with delicate nuance.

Included on the album “Star Lights,” released in February 1987, the record marked a major leap in her career, peaking at No.

8 on the Oricon charts.

This track is a gently paced ballad that carefully sketches scenes of school life—classroom seats, yearbook messages—while quietly tracing the emotions of someone who couldn’t confess their love.

Though not showy, its structure beautifully conveys the spring atmosphere and the subtle flutter in one’s chest.

It’s a number that gently stands beside anyone facing graduation, and anyone carrying feelings they couldn’t put into words.

Goodbye, Secret Baseshiritsu ebisu chūgaku

Goodbye, Secret Base

A song that uses a childhood hideout as its motif to portray parting and the preservation of memories.

It’s included on Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku’s seventh full-length album, “Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku,” released in March 2022.

Kenta Aloha handled the lyrics, composition, and arrangement, imbuing the song with a distinctive feel in the density of its words and the flow of its melody.

The lyrics are sprinkled with expressions tied to physical sensations—like embracing and checking answers—that convey the urgency of time that can’t be reclaimed, while also holding a determination to move forward.

It’s been performed live and has grown into a song that fosters a strong sense of unity in the venue.

A gently resonant number that’s perfect for graduation season, as you look back on days with friends and take your next step forward.

Graduationkyandīzu

Graduation – Candies Treasure

Introducing a classic song about youthful farewells by the legendary 1970s idol group Candies.

Included on the album “Toshishita no Otokonoko,” released in April 1975, this track gently weaves the bittersweet feelings of two people who will be separated after graduation.

Unspoken emotions and memories of walking home in school uniforms evoke the aching stirrings of an unfinished love at the end of youth.

Ran Ito serves as the main vocalist, delivering the song with a slightly mature tone that leaves a strong impression.

Used as the theme song for the youth drama segment within the TV show “Migoro! Tabegoro! Waraigoro!,” it etched itself into the hearts of many viewers together with the visuals.

It’s a number we especially recommend to those who have experienced a love that ended as just friends or carry feelings they were never able to express.