Emotional songs to listen to in spring: a collection of masterpieces that suit the season of meetings and farewells.

GraduationOzaki Yutaka

Yutaka Ozaki – Graduation (Official Music Video)

Yutaka Ozaki delivers a work that captures the clumsy emotions of youth in their entirety with his powerful singing voice.

Frankly portraying the feelings of young people—such as the sense of suffocation in school life and distrust toward adults—this piece carries a universal message about the thirst for freedom felt within the school days that everyone experiences.

Released in January 1985 and peaking at No.

20 on the Oricon charts, it was issued as the lead single from the album Kaikisen (Tropic of Cancer).

Later, in 2016, it was also featured as the commercial song for a web-exclusive short film by a casual clothing chain, continuing to resonate with many people across generations.

It’s a track you’ll want to listen to when you’re wavering between ideals and reality or questioning the norms of society.

cherry blossomKawamoto Makoto

[MV] Makoto Kawamoto “Sakura”

Makoto Kawamoto gently sings this classic, whose tender spring light and calm melody seep into the heart.

At the life milestone of graduation, it delicately portrays a schoolgirl’s complex feelings as she faces parting with friends, along with her uncertainty and hope for the future.

Accompanied by a melodious piano, it beautifully captures the fresh emotions of youth.

Released in April 1998, the song reached No.

2 on the Oricon weekly chart and sold over 200,000 copies, despite having no tie-in at the time.

It’s a perfect track for a drive with the windows down in the soft spring sunshine.

Listen to it as you cruise through rows of cherry blossoms, and anyone will find it overlapping with their own memories.

Only the graduation photo knowsHinatazaka46

The Only One Who Knows Is the Graduation Photo by Hinatazaka46

A fresh, springlike song from Hinatazaka46! Centered on the theme of graduation, it gently sings of feelings for days gone by.

It delicately portrays the bittersweetness of cherry blossom season and unspoken first love.

Released in January 2025 with Nao Kosaka as center, the music video unfolds a fantastical world inspired by a “parade that heralds spring.” It’s a perfect track for graduation season—recommended not only for students but also for anyone who wants to look back on fond memories.

Its heartfelt lyrics and clear, luminous vocals are sure to move you.

Tomorrow, when spring comesMatsu Takako

Takako Matsu – When Spring Comes Tomorrow

A gem of a melody played as if to celebrate the arrival of a new season, carried by the refreshing spring breeze.

Takako Matsu’s clear voice gently wraps nostalgic memories and the hope of reunion.

Feelings for someone devoted to baseball, cherished places shared with a loved one—vivid snapshots of youth are drawn and resonate deeply with listeners.

Released in March 1997 as her debut, it was featured in an NTT commercial and reached No.

8 on the Oricon charts.

Lyrics by Yuji Sakamoto, music and arrangement by Daisuke Hinata, the song is polished and refined.

It’s perfect for a drive under gentle spring sunshine—highly recommended for those starting a new chapter or wishing to look back on precious memories.

When the warm weather lifts your spirits, this song will be there, close to your heart.

Cherry blossomMatsuda Seiko

"Cherry Blossom 2021" from Seiko Matsuda Concert Tour 2023 “Parade”

It is a classic song with a refreshing melody that evokes the arrival of spring and heartwarming lyrics portraying the beginning of a new romance.

Seiko Matsuda’s poised vocals beautifully express the feelings of a protagonist taking a brave first step.

The sense of anticipation for the future beneath a blue sky, and the joy of being in love, resonate deeply alongside her clear, transparent voice.

Released in January 1981, this piece was born from producer Muneo Wakamatsu’s challenge to explore new music.

It reached No.

1 on the Oricon Weekly Chart and was also included on the album “Silhouette.” Loved for many years by countless listeners as a song to enjoy in spring—especially during cherry blossom season—it’s a lively, hopeful track that cheers on the start of a new chapter, and is highly recommended when you want to make a fresh start.

Sakura (Solo)Moriyama Naotaro

Naotaro Moriyama – Sakura (Solo)

This song, themed around cherry blossoms that brighten the spring graduation season, gently sings of farewells, reunions, and the treasured memories that remain in our hearts.

Naotaro Moriyama’s clear, pure vocals and the majestic arrangement of piano and strings resonate deeply.

The beautiful story, intertwining life’s important moments with the fleeting nature of cherry blossoms, leaves a lasting impression on listeners.

Released in March 2003, the track was chosen as the ending theme for the MBS/TBS program “Sekai Ururun Taizaiki,” and was later included on the album “In Search of New Spices.” Embraced as a song that accompanies life’s milestones such as graduation and school entrance ceremonies, it has also become a gentle, comforting piece for elementary school children.

Snow in MarchMakihara Noriyuki

Snow in March (Live)

This is a coming-of-age ballad capturing a spring scene twenty days after graduation.

With a gentle melody and tender vocals, it expresses young people’s anxieties and hopes about change, as well as the fleeting time spent with dear friends.

Amid an unseasonal snowfall, the image of walking shoulder to shoulder with friends is portrayed in a way that resonates deeply.

Included on Noriyuki Makihara’s album “Kimi wa Dare to Shiawase na Akubi o Shimasu ka.” released in September 1991, this piece is captivating for its calm, warm poetic worldview.

It is a classic you’ll want to listen to with the arrival of spring, a song that offers solace to those facing life’s turning points and harboring feelings about the changing days.