A Collection of Tear-Jerking Spring Songs: Love and Friendship
When you think of spring songs, what kinds of tracks come to mind?
Chances are, many people think of cherry blossom songs or graduation songs!
Among those, there are also pieces that portray bittersweet romance or friendships bound by strong ties.
In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of spring songs that can bring you to tears as they resonate with your own emotions when you listen.
We hope you’ll find the perfect track for the exact situation you’re in—one that gently stays by your side.
There are so many wonderful songs that might move you to tears, you won’t want to look away until the very end.
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[Love and Friendship] A Collection of Tear-Jerking Spring Songs (11–20)
Sakura (Solo)Moriyama Naotaro
As a classic graduation song and an unmissable tear-jerking spring tune, Naotaro Moriyama’s “Sakura (Dokusho)” comes to mind.
Since its 2003 release, it has been lovingly passed down and sung by many artists.
Though it takes the simple form of a solo, if you close your eyes while listening, scenes of cherry blossoms in full bloom come vividly to mind.
The lyrics, which depict farewells with friends in beautiful Japanese, deepen in poignancy the more you revisit them.
Savor each and every word as you listen.
canaryYonezu Kenshi
I think many people find tears welling up when they listen to Kenshi Yonezu’s “Canary.” It’s a spring song from his 2020 album STRAY SHEEP that sings about invisible bonds.
Alongside lyrics with a movie-like narrative, Yonezu’s intimate, conversational singing style really sinks in.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, some students couldn’t have their graduation ceremonies as planned and spent their days anxious about the future and unable to feel at ease.
In times like that, “Canary” seems like a song that brings kindness—a feeling that, even when far apart, we’re still connected, letting us believe in that certainty and feel wrapped in reassurance.
Winter and Springback number
In January 2024, back number released a song that richly portrays the aching pain of heartbreak and the hope beyond it.
The sorrow of a love that ended unexpectedly, despite the belief that one would be chosen, is delicately woven together with scenes of snow and spring.
The protagonist’s feelings—once dreaming of a fairy-tale happy ending—shift with the changing seasons.
This breakup story, told from a unique perspective, gently embraces a wistfulness that everyone has felt at least once.
Produced by Masanori Shimada, who worked on “Suiheisen,” and featuring Iyori Shimizu’s first attempt at directing the music video, it’s a tear-jerking spring song that quietly stays close to those trying to move past the pain of heartbreak.
SolaninASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION
This is a song that portrays the loss and rebirth of youth in a way that resonates deeply.
Released by ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION in March 2010, it depicts the struggles and hopes of young people from a contemporary perspective.
The intertwining of anxiety and hope for the future is expressed through the band’s powerful melodies and emotive performance, resulting in a work that strikes a deep chord.
Written as the theme song for a film based on Inio Asano’s manga, it is also included on the album “Magic Disk” and the best-of compilation “BEST HIT AKG.” It’s a song you’ll want to hear in spring, a season of life’s turning points like graduation.
A heartwarming anthem of encouragement, it gives you the courage to face forward and take your first steps.
YELLikimonogakari
Ikimono-gakari’s 15th single, “YELL/Joyful,” was released in 2009.
The song “YELL” was created as the required piece for that year’s 76th NHK National School Music Competition.
It has since become a staple graduation song.
Spring is a season of meetings and farewells, and the lyrics evoke partings with people, offering comfort and courage.
The melody also carries a rising sense of poignancy that can move you to tears.
dogwood (flowering dogwood)Hitoto Yo
When you think of flowers that represent spring, cherry blossoms come to mind, and there are many songs associated with them too.
“Hanamizuki” is one of Yo Hitoto’s signature songs, a defining track of the Heisei era, and it’s also the name of a spring flower that blooms from April to May.
You can see how the flower’s indescribable presence and the song’s gentle, moving quality are captured in the title.
It’s a popular karaoke number that people across generations know and can sing, and it’s a masterpiece that will surely continue to be sung for years to come.
[Love and Friendship] A Collection of Tear-Jerking Spring Songs (21–30)
I want to see you.Hayashibe Satoshi
Hayashibe Satoshi is a singer-songwriter whose sweet, velvety voice captures listeners’ hearts and never lets go.
His debut single, “Aitai,” drew attention across generations upon its 2016 release as “the song that makes you cry the most right now.” In this work, his fragile, heartrending vocals move listeners to tears.
The lyrics portray someone immersing themselves in memories of two people that now belong only to them, which is deeply painful to hear.
If you faced a breakup this spring, listen and let it soothe your wounded heart.