[Showa-Era Graduation Songs] Nostalgic? Emotive? A curated selection of timeless classics loved across generations

12th graderFunaki Kazuo

Kazuo Funaki / High School Senior

It’s a classic packed with memories of high school life, such as the school building bathed in the red setting sun and scenes of students dancing the folk dance.

Released in June 1963, it became a huge hit, selling over one million copies within a year.

It was also Kazuo Funaki’s debut single, and with this song he made his first appearance at the 14th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen that same year.

It was adapted into a film of the same name, with Funaki himself in the leading role.

The lyrics portray the complex feelings of a high school senior on the verge of graduation; while they regret parting, they also feel the anticipation of a new beginning—making it a perfect song for high school students living fully in the present.

Journey of the Heartchūrippu

TULIP “Kokoro no Tabi” (Lyric Video)

This is a classic by Tulip, woven from a heart‑stirring melody and poignant lyrics.

Centered on themes of departure and farewell, it portrays the last night with a loved one.

Released in April 1973, it reached No.

1 on the Oricon chart that September.

Its lively rhythm evokes the romance of train travel, perfectly balancing a subtly wistful mood.

An ideal song for those facing goodbyes or taking a new step forward, it’s an indispensable, timeless favorite for graduation season.

Graduationsawada shouko

Seiko Sawada – Graduation 1982

“Graduation,” a song by singer-songwriter Shoko Sawada that expresses the bittersweet feelings of leaving school behind.

Released in 1983, it became Sawada’s most successful single.

While her vocal delivery is calm and matter-of-fact, not overtly tinged with the sadness of graduation, a close listen to the lyrics reveals an inner conflict about graduating and a heartfelt wish for that day never to arrive.

Her voice may sound composed, even a bit defiant, but you can sense that she’s actually very lonely and unsettled by something she can’t change.

For those who are also hiding their loneliness as they face graduation, this song will likely resonate deeply.

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GraduationMatsuyama Chiharu

Graduation / Chiharu Matsuyama

This is a song included on the B-side of “Mado,” released in 1979.

Even for those who aren’t fans, it’s a masterpiece that many would pick as the best among countless graduation songs.

The lyrics say, “Graduation is sad, and it’s lonely that we won’t be able to see each other, but I still have a future,” reflecting the pure, unpretentious feelings of youth.

Perhaps it’s precisely that purity that makes it so relatable.

It’s a gem of a track that also conveys the sense of the “vast land” that runs at the core of Chiharu Matsuyama’s music.

era; age; time; periodNakajima Miyuki

Era – Miyuki Nakajima (Full)

It was Miyuki Nakajima’s second single and became a hit, selling 200,000 copies.

Although the song was released in 1975, it remained popular into the 1980s, with Hiroko Yakushimaru covering it as a single in 1988.

Since then, it has continued to be loved as a national favorite, even appearing in music textbooks.

It has also become a standard for graduation ceremonies and the finale of music shows, and you can hear it in a variety of settings.