This is the definitive BGM for the graduation ceremony! A moving collection of songs you can use for everything from the entrance march to the thank-you party.

HappinessShenelu

Che’Nelle – Happiness ft. Nao Matsushita

A graduation ceremony is a place where the joy of new beginnings mingles with the bittersweet ache of parting.

In moments like these, Che’Nelle’s “Happiness” gently stays by your side.

Released in 2014 as the theme song for Fuji TV’s Thursday drama Dear Sister, the piece is a warm, piano-centered ballad.

Its lyrics—wishing for someone’s happiness while carrying both joy and frustration, and finding your own salvation in the process—perfectly align with the moment of setting out on a new journey.

Che’Nelle’s voice blends transparency with inner strength, and as the melody swells in the chorus, you can’t help but sit up a little straighter.

It’s an excellent choice for scenes sending off graduates, or as a recessional that leaves a quiet afterglow.

With gratitude for someone dear and hope for the future in your heart, why not take your next step forward with this song?

Bouquet of the Windsakushi: nakata arihiro / sakkyoku: nakagawa hirotaka

Kindergarten Chorus “Bouquet of Wind” « Life Presentation Day « Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University Affiliated Kindergarten

A graduation song brimming with dreams, where winds blowing from all corners of the world arrive as colorful bouquets.

The lyrics are by Arihiro Nakata and the music by Hirotaka Nakagawa, and it was included on the April 2003 album “Kimitachi Kyou kara Tomodachi da: Nakagawa Hirotaka Asobi/Taisou Song Collection.” It begins with a child waking up first thing in the morning, and tells of winds coming from faraway places—deserts, grasslands, the sea, and Antarctica—bringing messages of hope.

Filled with warmth that makes you want to share your excitement and your anticipation for each new day, it’s perfect for the milestone of preschool graduation.

It’s also beloved in covers by Keropons and by Nono-chan (Nonoka Murakata), and continues to be sung across generations.

It works wonderfully not only as entrance or exit BGM, but also as a soundtrack for a slideshow.

Teacher, don’t cry.sakushi/sakkyoku: watanabe satomi

Teacher, Please Don’t Cry (Lyrics and Music: Satomi Watanabe – Preschool Graduation Song / Thank-You Party Song)

A song I highly recommend as a graduation gift from children to their teacher is by Satomi Watanabe.

Released in February 2014, this work was carefully crafted over more than three years.

Written straight from the perspective of the children, it conveys their heartfelt gratitude to their teacher and expresses a wish for everyone to keep smiling even at the moment of parting.

The gentle, piano-based melody is set in a range and rhythm that even very young children can sing comfortably—another welcome point.

There are both a kindergarten version and a nursery school version, so you can choose the one that fits what your school is called.

Seeing the children sing it at the graduation ceremony will surely bring tears to the eyes of teachers and parents alike.

It’s the perfect song for anyone who wants to express their appreciation on such an important day of new beginnings.

cherry blossomberii guddoman

Very Good Man – “Sakura” Music Video (Everyone’s Graduation Album Ver.)

A graduation song by Berry Goodman that you’ll want to listen to in the season when cherry blossoms scatter.

Included on the March 2017 album “Spring Spring Spring,” this track conveys a message of sending someone off with a smile rather than tears, even as it portrays the sadness of parting.

Scenes from school life—like the playing field and the hallways—are woven into the lyrics, cleverly overlapping with each listener’s own memories.

It was also chosen as the ending theme for MBS’s program “ENT” in March, adding color to the season of farewells.

The arrangement by HiDEX offers an appealing sound that isn’t overly mellow and gives you the strength to move forward.

It’s perfect not only for graduation ceremonies—processional and recessional alike—but also for moments like retiring from a club or transferring to a new workplace, and other milestones in life.

It’s the ideal song for when you want to convey the feeling of ending not with tears, but with a smile.

OrangeSPYAIR

SPYAIR “Orange” Music Video (Theme Song for Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle: The Movie)

A SPYAIR track produced as the theme song for the anime film Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle, released in February 2024.

It’s a song that captures the resolve to move forward—trusting in a future reunion even while carrying the sadness of parting—set against the scene of a sunset sky.

Sweat, voices, the feeling of teammates patting each other on the shoulder—these irreplaceable memories of youth are sung as a bittersweet light.

The band has collaborated with the Haikyu!! series for many years, and this piece can be considered the culmination of that partnership.

It has surpassed 100 million streams and ranked high on the Billboard JAPAN Year-End Hot 100, winning the hearts of many listeners.

If played for a graduation processional or recessional, it will encourage you to look back on days with your friends and take a brave first step forward.

It’s a perfect song for a bright new beginning.

Sakuraayaka

Ayaka / “Sakura” (from the LIVE DVD & Blu-ray “Acoustic Live Tour 2017–2018 ~3-STAR RAW~”)

First unveiled as an unreleased track during Ayaka’s nationwide tour in the fall of 2017, this became her first graduation song, evolving with each live performance.

Although there were initially no plans to release an official recording, venue-only CDs surpassed 10,000 in sales, and in response to fans’ voices, the song was widely released to listeners in February 2018.

Polished in an acoustic arrangement, the ballad delivers the emotion of its melody and lyrics directly, without relying on flashy production.

It portrays not only the graduation where students bid farewell to friends and mentors, but also the graduation felt by parents sending off their children—an appeal that resonates across generations.

In the short-film-style music video starring Rina Kawaei, the journey from loss to a fresh start is depicted, further deepening the song’s universality.

It was later included on the album “30 y/o.” Choir arrangements are also available, making it perfect not only as a processional or recessional piece for ceremonies, but also as a send-off song for everyone to sing together.

Album of MemoriesSakushi: Masuko Toshi / Sakkyoku: Honda Tetsumaro

Album of Memories

There is a classic song that has been sung for many years as a staple of kindergarten graduation ceremonies.

The lyricist, Toshi Masuko, was an early childhood educator who studied at a Christian teacher-training school, while the composer, Tetsumaro Honda, was the principal of a kindergarten attached to a Buddhist temple—two people with different religious backgrounds who collaborated to create the piece.

The lyrics gently recount memories of time spent at the kindergarten in each of the four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—from a child’s perspective.

It first appeared in a book on childcare practice in 1961, and in 1981 a version performed by the vocal group Dark Ducks was broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta,” bringing it nationwide recognition.

In 2006, it was selected for the “100 Best Japanese Songs.” Its calm 6/8 melody is easy for young children to sing, and the call-and-response style between teachers and children is also enjoyable.

It’s a perfect piece for the climax of a graduation ceremony or as background music for a slideshow of memories.