Japanese Graduation Song Rankings [2026]

Sakura SongKANA-BOON71rank/position

KANA-BOON “Sakura no Uta” Music Video

“Sakura no Uta” is a track included on KANA-BOON’s first mini-album, “Boku ga CD wo Dashitara,” released in 2013.

It’s a driving rock tune with bittersweet lyrics that reminisce about memories with you during cherry blossom season, which also coincides with graduation time.

An acoustic version with a slightly slower tempo is included on the 2018 compilation album “KBB vol.1,” and this arrangement might be better suited for guitar-and-vocal performances.

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Hamada Takuya

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Farewell, YouthChatto Monchī72rank/position

Chatmonchy – Farewell, Youth – Zepp Osaka 2008

This song, which closes Chatmonchy’s major-label debut mini-album “chatmonchy has come,” released in November 2005, was also used as the CM song for Recruit Holdings’ “Sotsu-ome Project 2007.” The lyrics, which make the everyday commute to school and days spent in the classroom suddenly shine as graduation approaches, carry a heart-wrenching poignancy.

The sound, blending the loneliness of parting with anxiety about the future, is sure to resonate deeply not only with students about to set off on their next journey, but also with adults who feel nostalgic for their youth.

It’s a track that lets you rediscover the preciousness of ordinary days.

Gazing up, the sky is blueHata Motohiro73rank/position

Motohiro Hata / Aogeba Aozora Music Video

This heartwarming medium-tempo ballad sung by Motohiro Hata reminds us that parting isn’t an end, but the beginning of new days.

The gentle tones of the acoustic guitar and his clear, “voice of steel and glass” tenderly soothe hearts weighed down by anxiety or loneliness.

One of the song’s greatest charms is how it portrays a strong bond that remains even when people are apart—without ever using the word “goodbye.” It drew attention when it aired from March 2019 as the theme song for SoftBank’s “Graduation” TV commercial, and it was later included on the album Copernicus.

It’s the perfect song to give to a dear friend you’ve spent so much time with, conveying gratitude for the past and a heartfelt “let’s keep walking together” for the future.

Cherry blossom seasonEXILE ATSUSHI74rank/position

EXILE ATSUSHI / “Cherry Blossom Season” MV

This is a heartwarming ballad that accompanies the milestone of graduation, resonating deeply in the heart.

EXILE ATSUSHI’s warm vocals evoke the image of spring with cherry blossoms dancing in the air.

Released in 2014, the song was written as the set piece for the Junior High School Division of the NHK All-Japan School Music Competition.

Over a gentle melody woven by piano and strings, ATSUSHI sings about memories from his junior high school days.

On the graduation day, when anxiety and hope intersect, it will give you the courage to take a new step forward.

In October 2014, he performed it with about 500 junior high school students at NHK Hall, filling the venue with emotion.

It’s a perfect choice as background music for graduation ceremonies or for creating lasting memories.

The season of farewellSHISHAMO75rank/position

SHISHAMO “Season of Goodbyes”

This song vividly portrays the bittersweet feeling of a one-sided crush, where all you can do is follow the senior you admire with your eyes at the graduation ceremony.

Performed by SHISHAMO, it appears as the final track on their album “SHISHAMO 2,” released in March 2015.

It tells the story of a love where the person you like is in a different class, and all you can do is watch from afar.

After graduation, you won’t be able to see them anymore, but you still hope they won’t forget you—that wish is deeply moving.

It’s a recommended track for those who grew into adulthood carrying words they never managed to say, or for times when you want to bask in sweet, bittersweet memories.

Someday, these tearsLittle Glee Monster76rank/position

“Someday These Tears Will” – Little Glee Monster

This is a song filled with a hopeful wish that the tears shed from frustration and pain will one day turn into strength that supports you.

It was released in December 2017 by Little Glee Monster, a music group known for their powerful vocals and beautiful harmonies, and was selected as the support song for the 96th All Japan High School Soccer Tournament.

It was later included on the album “juice,” released in January 2018.

The song carries a message that the days spent with someone precious can lead to hope for the future.

Why not gather everyone together and deliver a warm chorus?

Words of FarewellKaientai77rank/position

Okuru Kotoba

A classic of the graduation season, this is a famous song by Kaientai that just about everyone in Japan has hummed at least once.

It carries not only the sadness of parting, but also a profound message that knowing sorrow can make us kinder—one that warms the heart every time you listen.

Released as a single in November 1979, it was used as the theme song for the first season of the drama “Mr.

Kinpachi in Class 3B,” starring Tetsuya Takeda, and it became a runaway hit, reaching No.

1 on the Oricon charts.

It was also included on the album “Wajin-den,” and has been loved for many years.

Though it’s actually a song about heartbreak, its bittersweet yet gentle words offer courage to anyone setting out on a new journey.

It’s truly a Japanese standard, a song passed down across generations.