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

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.

Graduation -GRADUATION-Kikuchi Momoko

Graduation -GRADUATION-

Released in February 1985, Momoko Kikuchi’s fourth single remains beloved as a classic that colors the graduation season.

With lyrics by Yasushi Akimoto and composition/arrangement by Tetsuji Hayashi, this work is a slowed-down ballad whose delicate sound evokes the hazy spring sunlight.

The lyrics sensitively depict universal emotions—not only graduation as a school event, but also parting, the passage of time, and the feeling that there is no going back.

In addition to being featured in a Shiseido “Acne” commercial, it also drew attention as the theme song for a television drama of the same name starring Momoko Kikuchi herself.

It reached No.

1 on the Oricon weekly chart and is included on the album “TROPIC of CAPRICORN.” It’s a song you’ll want to play when you wish to express gratitude to irreplaceable friends and mentors with whom you’ve shared precious days.

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.

MemoriesNiziU

NiziU 「Memories」 Dance Performance Video (One Take ver.)

A NiziU song that resonates with the season of spring was released digitally in February 2024.

Chosen as the theme song for Universal Studios Japan’s spring campaign for students, “Uniharu 2024,” the track wraps the bittersweetness and hope of a season where meetings and farewells intersect in a bright, catchy sound.

Its charm lies in the way it captures how the ordinary days spent with friends become irreplaceable treasures at the milestone of graduation, expressed in friendly, conversational language.

The song is also set to be included on the mini-album “AWAKE,” scheduled for release in February 2025, and holds a special place as the group’s first spring-themed song.

It’s a perfect track not only for students approaching graduation, but for anyone taking a new step forward while holding dear their memories with close companions.

Spring SwallowHey! Say! JUMP

Hey! Say! JUMP – Spring Swallow [Official Music Video]

A heartwarming song that expresses the feelings of a refreshing new start through music has been delivered by Hey! Say! JUMP.

Created by members of sumika, the piece warmly encourages those striving in new environments, using the image of swallows returning in spring.

Also chosen as the opening theme for the TV anime Love All Play, it was included as one of the tracks on the triple A-side single released in May 2022.

It’s a song we hope will be heard by those feeling anxious about a new setting this spring, as well as by anyone who wants to cherish their bonds with friends.