Graduation Songs for Those in Their 30s: Nostalgic Classics That Rekindle Emotions & Timeless Favorites Still Popular Today

Just a little longer until graduationGLAY

Just a little longer until graduation

A mid-tempo ballad from GLAY, the four-piece rock band from Hakodate, Hokkaido, that gently seeps into the heart.

Based on TAKURO’s own experiences, the lyrics delicately capture the bittersweet everyday atmosphere that precedes parting—distinct from the exhilaration of a graduation ceremony.

Originally released to the world in February 2002 as the B-side to the single “Way of Difference,” the song was later included on the album “UNITY ROOTS & FAMILY, AWAY.” While the title track became a major hit as the theme song for Fuji TV’s Ainori, this song has also enjoyed enduring popularity among fans.

If you know the unique loneliness that settles in the season before graduation, it’s sure to move you.

Why not revisit it slowly, letting it wash over you as you dwell on memories from that time?

Hope ~Yell~NEWS

NEWS – Hope ~Yell~ [Official Music Video]

This is a rousing anthem that sends a powerful cheer to those setting off for a new stage in life.

Released as a single in May 2004, it was used as the image song for the Athens Olympic Volleyball World Final Qualifiers on both TBS and Fuji TV.

Its positive message, singing of hope for the future, is perfect for the major milestone of graduation.

In this season when excitement and anxiety about a new life mix together, give it a listen when you want to spur yourself on.

Cherry blossom seasonFujifaburikku

Fujifabric – Sakura Season

It’s a bittersweet yet warm number that conjures up images of spring scenery.

This work, released in April 2004 as the major-label debut single by Fujifabric—a band lauded for their lyrical sound—captures the melancholy of partings as cherry blossoms fall and the forlorn feelings when setting off for a faraway town.

The transparent piano tone is striking, giving the sense of gently filling the empty spaces in the listener’s memory.

As the first installment of a four-season series, this piece was also included on the album “Fujifabric.” It has been passed down over the years, even appearing in a high school music textbook in 2022.

It’s recommended for those moments when you pause at a turning point in life and want to sink into a sentimental mood.

TOMORROWMayo Okamoto

TOMORROW

With its uplifting lyrics and buoyant piano melody, this is a pep song that gives courage to listeners.

Singer-songwriter Mayo Okamoto’s debut single “TOMORROW,” released in May 1995, was chosen as the theme song for the TV drama “Second Chance” and became a massive hit, achieving Double Platinum status.

Its message—that strength lies beyond the tears—will surely give a powerful push to graduates embarking on a new world.

Beloved enough to be selected as the entrance march for the National High School Baseball Tournament in March 1996, this song is widely cherished.

Sing it with friends at a reunion, and your memories of youth are sure to come vividly rushing back.

Come, spring.Matsutoya Yumi

Yumi Matsutoya – Come, Spring

A ballad that has long been cherished as a classic befitting graduation and season-of-departure moments.

Sung by Yumi Matsutoya, this song stirs the heart the instant the piano introduction begins to flow.

Its beautiful Japanese lyrics, imbued with a sense of “wa” (Japanese harmony), vividly capture the earnest longing for spring.

Released as a single in October 1994, it became widely known as the theme song for the NHK morning drama of the same name.

It was included on the subsequent album THE DANCING SUN and even appeared on the following year’s year-end charts, cementing its status as a cross-generational standard.

Interweaving the sorrow of parting with hope for the future, it’s perfect for occasions when you want to reminisce—like karaoke at a reunion after a long time apart.

The Door to TomorrowI WiSH

I WiSH “Door to Tomorrow” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

This is I WiSH’s debut single, released in February 2003.

Chosen as the theme song for Fuji TV’s dating reality show “Ainori,” it was a massive hit—topping the Oricon weekly chart for two consecutive weeks and ranking 6th on the year-end chart.

It’s a classic J-pop number featuring a simple, piano-centered band sound over which vocalist ai’s clear, radiant voice soars.

The lyrics, which depict the courage to step from today into tomorrow and a tender budding love, gently encourage not only students facing graduation but anyone about to take a new step.

Warm like spring sunshine yet tinged with a certain wistfulness, the melody alone will bring back memories of those days.

It’s a perfect song to sing together at karaoke with friends of the same generation, letting you share the atmosphere of your youth.

Have the plums bloomed? Are the cherry blossoms not yet?Metis

Have the plum blossoms bloomed? Are the cherry blossoms not yet, I wonder? Metis Top songs audio

This is singer-songwriter Metis’s major-label debut single, “Has the Plum Blossomed? Is the Cherry Not Yet?” Released in January 2007, it was used as the opening theme for programs including Toyama Television’s “bbt music selection.” The song stands out for its title inspired by an Edo-period short lyric song (端唄, hauta) and its sound that incorporates traditional Japanese elements.

Its lyrics, which long for the arrival of spring, resonate with the feelings of standing at life’s milestones such as entrance exams and graduation.

It’s an uplifting anthem recommended for anyone seeking courage.