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

Good-bye School Dayshaifaisetto

Good-bye school days

Hi-Fi Set is a chorus group formed by former members of Akai Tori, which disbanded in 1974.

The closing track of their 12th album, “PASADENA PARK,” titled “Good-bye School Days,” leaves a lingering impression with its spacious, floating ensemble.

The lyrics, which portray the heartache of drifting apart and changing even as memories grow more beautiful, resonate with the feelings we so often experience at graduation, no matter the era.

It’s a sentimental number whose rich choral work heightens the emotion.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Graduationsaitou yuki

Graduation Yuki Saito

Yuki Saito’s “Sotsugyo” is a song released in 1985 that symbolizes a page of youthful days.

It captures the fleeting emotions at the end of school life and the start of something new, leaving a strong impression on many people.

Saito’s pure, soothing voice carries a refrain that evokes farewells at graduation ceremonies, rekindling the emotions of that moment for listeners.

This song, which colored an era, still feels fresh today, and it conveys the precious “Showa emo” blend of transience and hope.

Graduation -GRADUATION-Kikuchi Momoko

Graduation -GRADUATION-

Released in 1985, Momoko Kikuchi’s “Sotsugyo – GRADUATION -” remains beloved by many as a classic song for graduation ceremonies.

The lyrics by Yasushi Akimoto portray the bittersweet feelings of a young woman at the milestone of graduation, resonating with a wide audience.

With its gentle, easy-to-sing melody, the song is cherished as a springtime tune and is recommended for performances at thank-you parties during the graduation season.

Combined with Kikuchi’s pure image, it will continue to be remembered as a famous song that brightened the Showa era.

Amy’s GraduationKaoru Sudo

Amy's Graduation

Kaoru Sudō’s “Amy’s Graduation.” While incorporating elements of city pop that color a moment of youth, this song sings of the bittersweetness of graduation as a turning point and the hope of taking a new step, and it must have resonated with many graduates.

Sudō’s delicate expressiveness and distinctive melodic lines convey the emotion of the graduation moment even today.

No matter how many years pass since its release, this timeless classic will surely give strength to students who are about to leave their schools.

Its universal message will continue to be loved by many people in the future.

Graduationkyandīzu

Graduation – Candies Treasure

Candies’ “Sotsugyo” (Graduation) was released back when the term “graduation song” didn’t even exist.

Its portrayal of a relationship that never quite became love because they were friends for too long feels very Showa-era and deeply bittersweet.

The lyrics can also be read as “graduating from you,” which reportedly left fans of the time feeling anxious and torn.

Released in 1975, it’s a recommended track that’s enjoyable even if you’re not into Showa retro vibes.

Please give me wingsakai tori

Red Bird “Please Give Me Wings” 1971

A refreshing song that evokes a page of youth right before your eyes—blue skies, a gentle spring breeze, and a shimmering sun.

With freedom and hope as its themes, it portrays the delicate hearts of young people.

Released by Akaitori in February 1971, this piece has been featured in educational settings and has long been beloved by many.

Parting from friends with whom you can speak openly about anything is deeply sorrowful, but beyond painful farewells, wonderful encounters that will color your life surely await.

As you listen to this piece, why not etch the best memories with your best friends deep in your heart and take a step toward the next stage?

Spring sceneryMinamino Yoko

Harugeishiki by Yoko Minamino

This gem of a love song by Yoko Minamino portrays the bittersweet feelings of a young woman entering university and her boyfriend who has become a ronin student after failing his entrance exams, set in the spring of graduation.

Initially included on the April 1986 album “Gelato” and later featured as the B-side of “Kanashimi Monument” in July of the same year, the song delicately captures the subtleties of youth against the backdrop of Kobe.

Amid warm sunlight and fluttering cherry blossoms, the couple’s confusion about their changing circumstances resonates with a nostalgic melody.

Celebrated as a classic idol song, it continues to be loved as a piece that stays close to the heart at life’s milestones—love, parting, and setting out on new journeys.