[Graduation Songs] Graduation songs featuring captivating piano tones! Introducing Japanese songs perfect for piano-and-vocal performances
With graduation ceremonies approaching, many of you might be looking for music that leaves a lasting impression.
The delicate tones of the piano gently embrace both the sadness of parting and the excitement for a new beginning.
Among graduation songs, there are countless masterpieces where the piano takes center stage and amplifies the emotion many times over.
Whether you’re choosing BGM for a ceremony or want to perform something yourself to create lasting memories, piano pieces are a special option.
In this article, we’ll introduce Japanese songs brimming with the charm of the piano—perfect for this milestone called graduation.
We’ve gathered pieces that are approachable even for those who want to try singing and playing the piano, so be sure to find your favorite one!
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[Graduation Songs] Graduation songs with captivating piano tones! Introducing recommended Japanese songs perfect for piano-and-vocal performances (21–30)
cherry blossom colorAnjura Aki
Created by Angela Aki, who draws on both Japanese and American cultures, this work is a positive ballad that reflects on her youth in her second hometown, Washington, D.C.
The delicate piano tones are striking, and the emotional chorus resonates deeply.
Released in March 2007, it was also featured in a commercial for Sony’s Cyber-shot T series.
It weaves a story of love, parting, and growth, offering the courage to look forward while reflecting on the past.
It’s a song we highly recommend to those facing graduation or a turning point in life.
Youth PhotographLittle Glee Monster
If you’re looking for gospel-flavored, funky piano, I recommend Little Glee Monster’s “Seishun Photograph.” Released as a single in 2015, it’s a graduation song packed with their charm, expressing the bittersweetness of graduation in a bright, upbeat way.
The rhythmic, crisp phrases and bluesy piano sound really hit home.
It’s a track that makes you want to start dancing, making it a perfect fit for graduation ceremonies that can otherwise feel a bit somber!
[Graduation Songs] Graduation songs featuring the charm of piano tones! Introducing recommended Japanese tracks perfect for singing with piano (31–40)
Friend ~Time of Departure~yuzu
Yuzu’s song “Tomo ~Tabidachi no Toki~” was featured on NHK’s Minna no Uta and selected as the required piece for the 80th NHK National School Music Competition.
The lyrics, which sing about friends who become separated at graduation, are heartrending.
It reached No.
5 on the Oricon singles chart.
It was originally written for the staff involved in their tour after the Great East Japan Earthquake.
The powerful piano accompaniment, which seems to support one’s resolve for the future, also really hits home.
GraduationKobukuro
Kobukuro, known for singing many graduation songs, released “Sotsugyo” in 2020, adding it to their repertoire of graduation tunes.
It reached No.
3 on the Oricon singles chart.
The music video incorporates numerous clips submitted by users through a TikTok campaign.
Its simple melody, featuring long tones and repeated notes, paired with the duo’s beautiful harmonies, makes it perfect for choral singing.
The piano that supports the track is also powerfully melodic, much like an accompaniment for a choir.
cherry blossomKobukuro
Created by Kentaro Kobuchi and Shunsuke Kuroda of Kobukuro, this work is a gem whose exquisite two-part harmonies resonate deep in the heart.
Through the motif of cherry blossoms, it portrays changes and growth in life and emotion, with blossoms that bloom and fall in spring symbolizing lost love and unfulfilled feelings.
The piano intro, reminiscent of petals scattering, is especially striking.
Released as a single in November 2005, it was later chosen as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “Ns’ Aoi” in February of the following year.
It’s recommended not only for those who have experienced heartbreak or farewell, but also for anyone standing at a turning point in life.
Lend an ear to the piano’s timbre and give it a listen.
spring melancholyMrs. GREEN APPLE
Mrs.
GREEN APPLE’s “Shunshuu” (Spring Melancholy) is a song that vocalist Motoki Omori created the day after his high school graduation ceremony.
It was recorded and released as audio on the 2018 single “Love me, Love you.” The staccato-played piano, with its short, clipped notes, is striking and has become a defining image of the song.
There’s also a choral version performed by the Waseda Jitsugyo School Music Club Choir, accompanied only by piano, which offers a different kind of charm from the original band version.
road; way; path; street; route; Tao (in philosophy)EXILE
When it comes to EXILE’s ballads themed around graduation and setting off on a new journey, “Michi (Road)” comes to mind.
Released as a single in 2007, it reached No.
1 on the Oricon Singles Chart.
It was also featured as the theme for the second night of Fuji TV’s four-night drama series “Sotsu Uta” in 2010.
The lyrics, which sing about lovers being separated by graduation, are truly heartrending.
The piano accompaniment in the A melody, built on an arpeggiated pattern using the most standard eighth notes, firmly supports ATSUSHI’s vocals.