[Showa-Era Graduation Songs] Nostalgic? Emotive? A curated selection of timeless classics loved across generations
Graduation songs are ones you start hearing everywhere from around February.
Every year, numerous tracks related to graduation are released.
And many people can vividly remember the songs that were hits when they graduated.
In this article, we’ve gathered graduation songs that were released during the Showa era and became hits.
Among these classics are songs that are still beloved decades after their release, as well as tracks experiencing revival hits on social media.
If you’re from the Showa generation, enjoy the nostalgia; if not, discover them with fresh ears and enjoy these Showa hit songs.
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[Showa-Era Graduation Songs] Nostalgic? Emo? Carefully Selected Timeless Classics Loved Across Generations (21–30)
Full of memoriesH₂O
Released in 1983, H2O’s “Omoide ga Ippai” is a graduation song that evokes the bittersweet memories of youth.
Beloved by many as the ending theme of the anime Miyuki, the track continues to be covered by numerous artists today.
Its beautiful twin-vocal harmonies and school-themed lyrics are a reassuring companion at the milestone of graduation.
Precisely in times when anxiety and hope intertwine, why not listen to “Omoide ga Ippai” and let it support your heart? Take a moment to hum this precious song, with gratitude for days gone by and anticipation for the life ahead.
Your GraduationNEW!1986OMEGATRIBE
Although it was a B-side on their debut single, this ballad by 1986 OMEGA TRIBE has maintained enduring popularity among fans.
Released in May 1986 as the B-side of the single, it stands in contrast to the sparkling summer song on the A-side, carefully portraying bittersweet scenes of graduation season and the wavering emotions that come with it.
In fact, this was the very first track Carlos Toshiki recorded in Japan as the lead vocalist, and his delicate, translucent voice strikingly enhances the worldview of the lyrics, which dwell on the sorrow of parting.
While it never had any major tie-ins, it has continued to be included without fail on remastered album editions and special box sets, a testament to its long-lasting affection.
It’s a deeply moving song that I especially recommend to those standing at the major threshold of graduation, carrying a mix of uncertainty and hope.
The last spring breakNEW!Itō Maiko
It’s a ballad that conjures the scene of stepping into a school building during spring break after graduation, when everyone’s gone, and being suddenly overcome with loneliness.
Written and composed by Yumi Matsutoya, this classic—performed by both Hi-Fi Set and Yuming herself—was covered by Maiko Ito.
It’s included on her album “Yume no Iriguchi,” released in June 1983, and her clear, translucent vocals from her idol days—she now works widely as an actor and researcher—really touch the heart.
In 1991, a story inspired by this song aired on the TBS drama “Rouge no Dengon,” testifying to its lasting popularity.
The slightly youthful vocals make the lyrics’ poignancy feel even more immediate, and it’s a track you’ll want to listen to alone, slowly, in the season of farewells.
Farewell, youthogura kei
It’s a classic that holds both a powerful resolve and a touch of melancholy—bidding farewell to the shimmering season of youth and choosing to move forward without calling out to the past.
Sung by Kei Ogura, a singer-songwriter who created numerous masterpieces while working as a bank clerk, the song was released in February 1971 as the B-side to his debut single Shiosai no Uta and later included on the album Seishun — Sabaku no Shōnen.
In 1993, a remade version was released as the theme for NTT’s “Telewise” commercial, showing how it has been loved across generations.
This piece, which sings of a clean break from days gone by, is one to hear especially during graduation season as you take a new step forward.
If you overlay it with your younger self, your heart is sure to be stirred.
GraduationTHE ALFEE
A song that conjures a poignant inner landscape, where the seasons quietly turn their pages and past loves and days of youth become buried beneath the snow.
It’s an early track by THE ALFEE, the rock band that has long led Japan’s music scene, included on their first album, “Seishun no Kioku” (“Memories of Youth”), released in July 1975.
This work is also known as the first song written and composed by Toshihiko Takamizawa.
Koji Makaino’s arrangement highlights the beautiful melodies and the introspective world of the lyrics.
More than just a farewell song, it holds both the radiance and the ache of days when young lives burned brightly—tightening the chest with its bittersweetness.
On a night when you want to quietly bask in memories, why not listen to it alone, taking it in deeply?
Our JourneyNakamura Masatoshi
This single was released in October 1975 as the theme song for the TV drama “Our Journey,” starring Masatoshi Nakamura, who enjoyed immense popularity from the very start of his acting career.
The lyrics and music were written by Kei Ogura, who likens the long life ahead to a journey, vividly portraying both the hopes of young people pursuing their dreams and the moments of sudden loneliness and melancholy.
Capturing the hearts of the youth of its time, it became a long-running hit, staying on the Oricon charts for 45 weeks.
Nakamura’s warm, enveloping voice seems to gently nudge you forward, even when you’re filled with uncertainty.
It’s an unfading classic that we hope those taking a new step at graduation—and those who wish to reminisce about their youthful days—will listen to.
Smiling Backkyandīzu
Candy’s effectively final single, released in February 1978.
With their breakup approaching, the trio poured into this song the sentiment of “giving back with a smile,” making it a culmination of farewell and gratitude.
Lyrics by Yoko Aki, composition and arrangement by Yuyo Oguchi.
The lyrics naturally weave in titles of their past hits, creating a structure that poignantly retraces the journey they walked with their fans.
Beginning with a moving scene of relocation, the everyday-life imagery heightens the poignancy while maintaining an unwaveringly forward-looking tone that never sinks into sorrow.
The single reached No.
1 on the Oricon Weekly Chart, becoming Candy’s only chart-topping single.
It also hit No.
1 on the TV program The Best Ten, becoming a phenomenon that encapsulated the fervor leading up to their breakup.
A timeless classic especially recommended for those facing graduation or a new departure, or anyone wishing to convey heartfelt thanks to someone special.