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

Sakura Clear SkiesYuuri

“Sakuharu” Piano Ver. Yuuri × tuki.

A song where Yuuri’s warm yet heartrending vocals resonate with the heart.

It delicately depicts the complex emotions of those facing graduation.

From everyday, ordinary scenes swell feelings of gratitude toward family and friends, evoking a tightening, moving sensation in the chest.

Released in February 2021 as a digital-only single, the piece was reportedly created in response to an email from a fan.

Recommended for anyone who wants to solidify their resolve to take a new step forward while embraced by the gentle spring air.

Also perfect as background music for graduation ceremonies and farewell parties.

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.

springorisaka yuta

Yuta Orisaka – Spring (Official Music Video) / Yuta Orisaka – Spring Comes

With its folk-inspired melody and distinctive vocals, this song vividly expresses Yuta Orisaka’s unique world.

It sings of the feelings that sense spring’s ambiguous arrival, becoming a profound work interwoven with both anticipation and anxiety about change.

Released digitally in November 2020, it was created as the theme song for the film “Any Crybabies Around?” It was later re-recorded for the album “Shinri,” featuring a new arrangement with a full band.

This piece offers comfort to those experiencing the uncertainty that accompanies life’s turning points.

It was also used over the film’s end credits and received high acclaim, including a strong recommendation from lead actor Taiga Nakano.

It’s a song you can listen to calmly, while feeling the universal springtime scenes and shifts of the heart.

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.

YaeNisshoku Natsuko

Natsuko Nisshoku – “Yae” Official Music Video

“Yae” is the song you’ll want to listen to on a slightly chilly spring day.

It’s the lead track from singer-songwriter and pianist Natsuko Nisshoku’s sixth mini-album, “Hanayodo.” The lyrics feel fresh, as if told from the perspective of the cherry blossoms themselves.

Natsuko’s gently wavering falsetto vocals let the fragility of spring quietly seep in, resonating with a tender, sentimental warmth.

Listening to this track might make you want to tune in to the everyday sounds of nature you usually let pass by.

You’ll be drawn in by the delicate, beautiful lyricism and the tones that lovingly cradle it.

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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.