[For junior high students] Choral songs you’ll want to sing at your middle school graduation ceremony. Songs that touch the heart.

On the Day of Departure

Chorus 'On the Day of Departure' Entire (All) - with full lyrics - for part practice Covered by Singer micah

“Tabidachi no Hi ni,” a song passed down and sung at graduation ceremonies in many schools across Japan, is a masterpiece created by the principal and the music teacher of Kagemori Junior High School in Chichibu City.

Its seamless melody and forward-looking lyrics send encouragement to students stepping into a new future, cementing its status as a definitive graduation song.

Originally performed as a surprise from the faculty to the graduating class, the song soon became beloved by many.

As a piece that resonates at the moment of graduation, it will surely continue to be cherished and sung in every era.

proofflumpool

flumpool “Proof” Music Video (Full Chorus ver.)

A song by flumpool released in 2011 as the set piece for the Junior High School Division of the 78th NHK All-Japan School Music Competition.

While it is a choral piece, it incorporates plenty of pop elements, making it a recommended song that junior high school students can enjoy singing.

The first pressing was a deluxe version that included sheet music for mixed three-part chorus.

The lyrics depict the sensitive, formative years of youth, so students will surely be able to sing it with a sense of personal connection.

The choral version is set in a higher key than the original, giving it a clear, transparent finish.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Let’s soar into tomorrowLyricist: Takao Matsui ・ Composer: Takao Matsui

Fly toward tomorrow — with lyrics

A choral piece filled with warm messages, lovingly dedicated to graduation scenes.

We always knew this day would come—the day of parting.

But rather than sorrow, it carries the courage to spread our wings toward a new future.

Composed by Takao Matsui and released in 1992, this song continues to be sung at many graduation ceremonies even after more than 30 years.

Its gentle yet powerful melody and hope-filled lyrics are perfect for the day of departure—and will surely give you the courage to take that first new step.

Sakura Clear SkiesYuuri

Sakura Clear Skies

Prompted by an email from a fan who was graduating without being able to make enough memories during the pandemic, this is Yuuri’s first graduation song, written specifically in response.

It was released in February 2021 and was included on the following year’s album “Ichi.” Built on an arrangement centered around piano and strings, the song layers a wistful yet emotional vocal to create a deeply moving ballad.

The lyrics carefully express gratitude to father, mother, and friends, and they hold both the anxiety and lingering attachment of the season of departure alongside a sense of brightness and hope.

Everyday scenes—like the smell of home or the window by the sill—serve as devices of memory, naturally stirring listeners’ own recollections.

It’s the perfect song for a graduation ceremony, a way to say “thank you” to the people you met during your middle school years.

globeYonezu Kenshi

Globe – Kenshi Yonezu [Mixed Choir Arrangement]

Released in July 2023 as the theme song for Hayao Miyazaki’s film The Boy and the Heron, this single is also included on the album LOST CORNER.

Kenshi Yonezu created the track as an expression of his long-held admiration for the director.

Framing life as a long journey, the lyrics portray the strength to keep moving forward on one’s own feet, even through farewells and hardships—offering gentle support to children facing the significant milestone of graduation.

Beginning with a quiet piano and gradually building into a powerful, expansive sound, it delivers a moving experience well-suited to a graduation ceremony, where hope and uncertainty meet as new doors open.

It’s a song filled with a warm message that inspires the courage to take a step toward the future.

Somewhere on this EarthSakushi Miura Keiko • Sakkyoku Wakamatsu Kan

Somewhere on this Earth

Sung from the perspective of third-year students about to graduate, “Somewhere on This Earth” is a classic choral piece with lyrics by Keiko Miura and music by Kan Wakamatsu.

It conveys the message that even after graduation, as we each go our own way, we remain connected under the same sky.

As graduation approaches, you might feel unbearably sad thinking that the time spent with your classmates will never come again.

But when you sing this song, you’ll surely feel that even when you’re apart, your hearts remain connected.

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Yoimachi Jēn

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Season of BeginningsMakihara Noriyuki × Hanaregumi

Season of Beginnings

This is the piece I want you to hear in that season when you slip into a new uniform and your heart is a mix of anticipation and nerves.

It’s the first collaborative work by Noriyuki Makihara and Hanaregumi, released in April 2025, which began streaming after an exclusive one-month airplay on FM COCOLO.

Sparked by their appearance together on a radio program, the song weaves in sounds of folk instruments like the charango to evoke spring’s curious sense of uplift.

Its appeal lies in how it gently stays close not only to celebration and brightness, but also to the unease and inner restlessness that come with changes in our surroundings.

As you embark on your new junior high school life, if you ever feel lost or find yourself about to pause, their harmonies will surely offer a quiet hand at your back.