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

Song of LifeSakushi: Miyabi / Sakkyoku: Muramatsu Takatsugu

Song of Life (Lyrics by Miyabi / Music by Takatoki Muramatsu / Choral arrangement by Tatsuya Tanaka)

A heartwarming ballad themed around gratitude for being alive and the preciousness of life.

Miyabi—Mariya Takeuchi—penned gentle, conversational lyrics that touch our hearts, reminding us how precious those ordinary moments spent with family and friends truly are.

Released as a single by Mana Kana in February 2009, the song was composed by Takatsugu Muramatsu and became beloved as an insert song in the NHK morning drama “Dandan.” In January 2012, Takeuchi recorded a self-cover, which was also used as the theme song for the NHK docudrama “Pioneers.” Its message, carried by a beautiful melody, is perfect for graduation ceremonies to express gratitude to parents and teachers who raised us.

Through choral singing, it becomes a moving piece that helps children feel the value of their own lives.

Hymn to the EarthSakushi: Oki Atsuo / Sakkyoku: Sato Makoto

[Choral Piece] Hymn to the Earth / With Lyrics [2/200]

It’s a classic choral piece that’s often sung not only as a graduation song but also at choral competitions.

The lyricist, Atsuo Ōki, was a poet active from the Taishō through the Shōwa era, and the composer, Makoto Satō, completed the cantata “Song of the Earth” for mixed chorus and orchestra in 1962.

This work is positioned as its final movement.

With its grand theme praising and expressing gratitude to the earth that has nurtured life, its appeal lies in the moment when many voices merge into one.

It was included on the February 1987 album “Makoto Satō Works II (Song of the Earth / Young Chorus),” which helped it become widely known.

Its powerful resonance perfectly suits the solemn atmosphere of graduation ceremonies! How about singing it with gratitude to your parents who raised you, the teachers who taught you so much, and the friends with whom you spent your time?

On the day of departure…Kawashima Ai

Ai Kawashima / On the Day of Departure (Lyrics)

This is a moving ballad by Ai Kawashima that has been sung by many as a graduation song.

Included on the single “Dear/Tabidachi no Hi ni…” released in February 2006, this piece is the original version of I WiSH’s hit song “Ashita e no Tobira,” for which Kawashima served as the vocalist.

Although it shares the same melody, this work vividly portrays student life leading up to graduation.

The lyrics, which depict nostalgic scenes such as the view from the classroom window and casual conversations with friends, overlap with our own memories and can’t help but bring tears to our eyes.

It’s a timeless classic, perfect not only for those about to graduate but also for anyone wishing to look back on days spent with dear friends.

evening primroseNovelbright

Novelbright – Evening Primrose [Official Music Video]

A love ballad by Novelbright, released in 2020 and surpassing 300 million total streams.

Built on an emotive, piano-driven arrangement, it poignantly portrays days spent together and the pain of parting, striking a deep chord.

In addition to airing on Fuji TV’s Tokudane! weather segment, vocalist Yudai Takenaka delivered a simple strings-and-piano rendition on the YouTube channel THE FIRST TAKE, which drew considerable attention.

The song is also included on the album “Kaimaku Sengen” (Opening Declaration).

It’s a track we especially recommend to those facing graduation, grappling with farewells to classmates and anxieties about new environments.

Its dramatic melody and heartfelt lyrics will bring back memories of the precious times you shared with friends.

Last SongOfisharu Higedan Dism

Official HIGE DANDism – Last Song [Studio Live Session]

The melody is striking in the way it gently wraps both the sadness of parting and the hope that lies beyond.

This song by Official HIGE DANDism expresses the fleeting nature of time as it draws to a close and gratitude toward someone precious, resonating deeply with listeners.

While holding onto the loneliness of joyful days coming to an end, it carries a warm message that makes you want to say “see you again” with a smile at the last moment.

Included on the celebrated 2019 October release Traveler, the song was also featured as an insert track in the drama “Ato 3-kai, Kimi ni Aeru” (“I Can See You Three More Times”).

Sung on the special day of a graduation ceremony, as you look back on the irreplaceable time spent with friends and teachers, it will surely fill the venue with a moving atmosphere.

It will gently encourage the children as they set off on their separate paths.

Sakura, You, and Ituki.

tuki. 'Sakura Kimi Watashi' Official Music Video

Here’s a perfect song for students about to graduate.

Released by tuki.

in January 2024, it was featured as an insert song in ABEMA’s romance reality show “Kyo, Suki ni Narimashita.

Graduation Edition 2024.” Like cherry blossoms, it gently portrays the brief yet beautiful moments of youth and the bittersweet inevitability of parting.

A tender, acoustic guitar–driven melody layered with clear vocals softly embraces the listener’s heart.

The music video features animation by Posuka Demizu, the artist behind The Promised Neverland, making it a visual treat as well.

This song will resonate with those stepping onto a new path with memories of their classmates, or those facing a farewell to someone dear.

Sing it together at your graduation ceremony, and it will surely become an unforgettable moment.

Futabaaimyon

Aimyon – Futaba [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

This is a song whose lyrics, inspired by plants budding toward the future, resonate with a mix of bittersweetness and hope that accompanies growth.

Its message—marveling at how our hearts and bodies grow before we even notice, and affirming our parting with our past selves—makes it a perfect fit for the milestone of graduation.

Written by Aimyon in March 2022 as the theme song for NHK’s “Aimyon 18 Festival” and included on her album “Falling Into My Eyes Record,” the piece carries the story of being created together with 1,000 18-year-olds.

It’s sure to give you the courage to leap into the unknown.

Why not choose it as a song to dedicate to children graduating from elementary school and moving on to new environments, or as background music for a send-off?