Japanese Graduation Song Rankings [2026]

Goodbyekariyushi 5843rank/position

Kariyushi58 “Sayonara”

A bittersweet classic perfect for the season of farewells.

It stirs deep gratitude for days gone by and aching feelings for someone precious you’ll never meet again.

Released as a single by Kariyushi58 in February 2009, it was selected as the theme song for NTV’s Saturday drama “Zeni Geba,” earning the band their first Top 10 entry on the Oricon weekly chart.

Vocalist Shingo Maekawa’s warm voice and the distinctly Okinawan rhythm leave a strong impression.

This is a song that gently supports those who have experienced parting or lost someone dear.

Try listening while looking up at the sky—surely, your feelings will reach that special someone.

Thank youSUPER BEAVER44rank/position

SUPER BEAVER “Arigatou” MV (Band ver.)

SUPER BEAVER is a rock band that keeps moving the hearts of many listeners with a straightforward rock sound that goes straight to the core of the words.

Featured on the album “361°,” this song is more than a simple message of gratitude—it’s a powerful rock number that affirms encounters, farewells, and the very feeling of being alive.

Released in February 2014, it isn’t tied to any TV show or film, yet it’s known as a classic that spread by word of mouth along with the heat of live house performances.

There’s hardly a more fitting song for expressing your feelings to friends at a farewell gathering.

If you let the band’s unvarnished intensity carry the words of thanks that are usually too embarrassing to say, the whole venue is sure to be wrapped in warm emotion.

Full-Power BoySukima Suichi45rank/position

Sukima Switch – “Zenryoku Shonen” Music Video : SUKIMASWITCH / Zenryoku Shonen Music Video

With its buoyant piano intro and exhilarating, fast-paced sound, this signature Skima Switch number has continued to spur many people onward.

Released in April 2005 as their fifth single, it’s also included on their second album, “Kūsō Clip.” Long beloved, it was featured as an insert song in the film “Rough” and, in 2020, chosen as the Japanese end theme for the Disney/Pixar film “Onward.” Its message of breaking through the status quo and opening up a new world makes it perfect as a cheer for those heading into a new stage—like a transfer or a job change.

If you play it to wrap up a farewell party with smiles, or to send off friends with energy, it’s sure to fill the entire venue with a positive vibe.

Sakura (2019)Moriyama Naotaro46rank/position

Naotaro Moriyama – “Sakura (2019)” Music Video

Since the start of the Reiwa era, many new graduation songs that leave a lasting impression have emerged, but one that stands out in particular is Naotaro Moriyama’s “Sakura (2019).” Surpassing its 2002 hit, this newly arranged version was also chosen as the theme song for a drama starring Mitsuki Takahata.

With a melody as radiant as cherry blossoms in bloom and tinged with the pathos of petals falling, it symbolizes both parting and the beginning of a new life.

Its moving vocals leave a deep impression on listeners.

It’s a perfect choice for the graduation season of the Reiwa era, a song that will color many memories.

Thank youikimonogakari47rank/position

Ikimonogakari 'Arigatou' Music Video

Feelings of gratitude that are too embarrassing to express on ordinary days might be easier to convey honestly at graduation.

This song, which portrays the warmth of holding someone’s hand, the happiness of everyday life, and the resolve to walk toward the future, is truly a classic befitting a new beginning.

Ikimono-gakari’s single “Arigatou,” released in May 2010, was widely loved as the theme song for the NHK morning drama Gegege no Nyōbō.

Thanks to its universal appeal, it was also selected as the entrance march for the 2011 National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament.

The words woven by Yoshiki Mizuno and the vocals of Kiyoe Yoshioka gently resonate with listeners’ hearts.

Why not listen to this perfect piece for expressing gratitude to parents and teachers at graduation and find the courage to take your next step?

Song of a FriendBUMP OF CHICKEN48rank/position

BUMP OF CHICKEN “Friend’s Song”

The song I want to listen to while reflecting on a friend I’m parting ways with is BUMP OF CHICKEN’s “Tomodachi no Uta” (“Song of Friends”).

The lyrics, written by Motoo Fujiwara as he thought of characters from works he loved since childhood, convey a clumsy yet warm sense of friendship, and the grand sound incorporating trumpet is sure to resonate deeply with men as well.

Released in February 2011 as their 19th single, this track moved many as the theme song for the film “Doraemon: Nobita and the New Steel Troops—Angel Wings.” It’s a song that wraps up the anxieties of a new departure and gently nudges you forward.

Even if you end up walking separate paths, it makes you believe the time you shared won’t disappear—a masterpiece filled with kindness.

BELIEVESugimoto Ryuichi49rank/position

[Choral Song] Believe / With Lyrics [9/200]

This song was created in 1998 as the ending theme for NHK’s “Ikimono Chikyū Kikō” (A Journey of Life on Earth).

Its beautiful piano melody and hope-filled lyrics have long been cherished at graduation ceremonies and school events.

Celebrating the importance of friendship and mutual support, it gives people the strength to face forward, believing they can overcome any hardship.

Many of you may have actually sung it at your graduation.

In 2017, it was also featured in a commercial encouraging exam-takers, cementing its status as a classic beloved across generations.

It’s a wonderful song that gently supports not only those graduating, but everyone taking a new step forward.