[Song for a Departure] A send-off song for you. A classic masterpiece among departure songs.
Starting a new chapter—whether it’s pursuing further education, changing jobs, or chasing your dreams in a new place—there are many kinds of departures in life.
Leaving the familiar and stepping into a new environment is never easy, and you may face many tough moments along the way.
Here, we’ll introduce uplifting songs to cheer you on—songs for setting out, graduation songs that give you the courage to keep going in a new place.
We’ve carefully selected powerful anthems that will push you forward as you take your next step, and that are also perfect for sending to the dear friends and companions who are about to embark on their own journeys.
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[Song of Departure] A send-off song for you. Classic graduation/leave-taking songs (1–10)
cherry blossomKALMA
This is a warm, spring-tinged track by KALMA, a three-piece rock band from Hokkaido.
It conveys, with refreshing directness, the many emotions tied to graduation, departures, and new beginnings—images evoked by the title’s cherry blossoms.
While it captures the sadness of parting from friends, it’s moving in its forward-looking resolve to turn those memories into the strength to step into a new place.
The simplicity of the sound lets the emotions woven into the song come through all the more clearly.
Youth DiaryRyukku to soine gohan
This song by the band Ryukku to Soineru Gohan, formed when the members were first-year high school students, is the title track of their debut mini-album.
The lyrics are striking in how they capture the ever-changing everyday life of student days, the importance of those ordinary moments, and a future in flux.
Even with few words, the message of spending one’s youth while believing in one’s own potential comes through clearly.
It’s a track that seems to give strength through both its sound and lyrics, conveying an attitude of embracing change and finding joy in it.
Sakura (2019)Moriyama Naotaro
Since its release in 2003 (Heisei 15), this song has enjoyed enduring popularity as a quintessential graduation song of the Heisei era.
With arrangement versions and re-recordings, it seems clear that Naotaro Moriyama has a strong attachment to this piece.
I’ve heard it was originally written for a friend’s wedding.
The fact that it gradually became a staple graduation song… it must be the ultimate satisfaction for a creator to see a work grow after it leaves their hands! It’s too good just to listen to! There’s not only a solo version but also a choral arrangement, so I absolutely want people to sing it when they see off beloved teachers and upperclassmen.
[Song of Departure] A farewell song dedicated to you. Classic departure songs (11–20)
Sakura MelodyMakihara Noriyuki
It’s a song that looks back on the memories built up to this point and reaffirms the bonds between us as we stand on the verge of parting on a new journey.
It’s Makihara Noriyuki’s self-cover of a song he originally provided to the unit formed by Miliyah Kato and Shota Shimizu.
The grand, emotionally resonant sound—like the scenery unfolding before your eyes—amplifies a positive feeling toward the future.
It evokes cheers for friends setting off to their respective places, while also capturing the bittersweet ache of being separated.
When it shinesHitsuji Bungaku
This song was used as the opening theme for the TV anime The Heike Story.
Moeka Shiotsuka’s clear, transparent vocals balance beautifully with the distorted guitar, creating a powerful resonance.
While it has the alternative rock sound characteristic of Hitsujibungaku, it also evokes the sparkle of life and the beauty and kindness of the world.
There are always farewells and endings in life.
Precisely because of that, this is a number that makes you want to seize the brilliance by taking on challenges that can only be done in this very moment and live to the fullest.
Before the departureWANIMA
This is a powerful song by WANIMA that blows away the anxiety of moving forward.
It was written as the theme song for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks’ “Fight! Kyushu” project to energize Kyushu.
While gently acknowledging the anxiety of entering a new phase of life and the moments when your spirit feels like it might break, it offers an encouraging message to hold on and keep going.
It’s a song that can give you courage not only at times of departure, but also in various difficult moments.
Days I can truly call the best right nowNORTH
Setting off for a new place is a situation that makes anyone feel anxious.
This is a song by NORTH that gently stays by your uneasy heart and gives you the courage to move forward step by step.
Centered on the sound of the piano while emphasizing the rhythm, it evokes the image of charging ahead.
It expresses a positive cheer: that the experiences you’ve built up and the bonds you’ve forged with companions become the strength to move forward.