[2026] Modern graduation songs: Reiwa-era staples and new tracks you should know

On the day of departure…Kawashima Ai

Ai Kawashima / On the Day of Departure (Lyrics)

There’s a song that stays in our hearts for years, along with memories of graduation ceremonies.

Released in February 2006 as a double A-side single with “Dear,” this track by singer-songwriter Ai Kawashima reached No.

9 on the weekly Oricon chart and has become widely beloved as a classic graduation song.

It is the original version of “Ashita e no Tobira,” which Kawashima made a major hit as the vocalist of I WiSH.

While the melody is the same, this version carefully portrays the scenes from everyday student life leading up to the graduation ceremony.

The encounters with friends, the time spent together, and the bittersweetness of eventually walking separate paths—its lyrics, written in down-to-earth language, overlap with each listener’s own memories and gently resonate in the heart.

It’s a perfect song not only for those about to graduate, but also for anyone who wants to look back on their school days.

HarukaYOASOBI

YOASOBI 'Haruka' Official Music Video

A song that can deeply move you at the farewell moment of graduation is “Haruka” by YOASOBI.

Released in 2020, the track ranked high on Billboard’s download chart.

Perfect for the milestone of a graduation ceremony, its melody and lyrics evoke looking back on the past while taking a step toward a new future.

While many YOASOBI songs are full of driving energy, “Haruka” has a slightly calmer tone with an irresistible, sing-along charm.

Let this song color your graduation in the Reiwa era.

spring melancholyMrs. GREEN APPLE

Mrs. GREEN APPLE – Spring Melancholy

A masterpiece by Mrs.

[Green Apple] that beautifully captures the fleeting nature of youth.

Set to a soothing melody that seems to accompany the season of cherry blossoms, it expresses, in a true-to-life way, the complex emotions that sway between “I hate you” and “I love you.” As a spring anthem and choral piece from Mrs., who have risen to the top tier of artists, it has captured the hearts of many.

It’s perfect not only for students about to graduate, but for anyone taking a new step with the arrival of spring.

Why not surrender yourself to Omori’s delicate vocals and let them soothe your spring melancholy?

Us, againSG

Us, Again – SG (Official Lyric Video)

SG’s song is a perfect classic for graduation season.

Its heartfelt lyrics and warm melody gently embrace both farewells and the hope of meeting again.

The longing to reunite truly strikes a chord.

Released digitally in April 2021, it became a long-running hit through social media and streaming.

Embraced especially by younger listeners, it’s recognized as a quintessential Reiwa-era graduation song.

SG’s unique sensibility—shaped by working in both Japan and Korea—really shines here.

It’s a track that supports not only students approaching graduation, but anyone who has experienced a farewell with someone important.

It’s sure to be a source of comfort.

Listening to this piece will bring back fond memories and open up hope for the future.

spring sunlightKanapu × Kujira

[Suite] KAFU × Kujira #97 “Spring Sunlight” [Original MV]

KAF × Kujira brings together two figures who embody the internet-born music scene: a virtual singer and a creator who started as a Vocaloid producer.

In March 2022, this track was released as the sixth installment of “Suite,” a collaboration project commemorating the third anniversary of KAF’s activities.

Timed with KAF’s own high school graduation, Kujira wrote this song around the themes of “graduation,” “departure,” and “spring.” The lyrics avoid direct words like “goodbye,” instead carefully depicting the fleeting inner landscape just before parting and the fragments of memory that race through one’s mind right before they’re put into words.

A classroom bathed in spring sunlight, the sudden pang of a casual conversation recalled—its allure lies in the open space that lets each listener naturally overlay their own graduation experiences.

Shimmering synths and a light beat evoke the brightness of spring, blending wistfulness and radiance in equal measure.

It’s a song we hope reaches anyone standing at a new threshold.

Sakura RabbitKawasaki Takaya

Takanori Kawasaki - Sakura Usagi [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

Singer-songwriter Takaya Kawasaki rose to prominence when his song “Mahou no Juutan” (Magic Carpet) went viral on TikTok in 2020.

Released digitally in January 2021, the track is a bittersweet unrequited-love song set on the special day of a graduation ceremony.

It portrays the protagonist—who longs to confess feelings to someone they’ve admired for three years but can’t quite find the courage—as a “rabbit.” The frustration of being timid and the ache of only being able to watch from afar on a cherry-blossom-strewn schoolyard are conveyed with a warmth that resonates alongside the acoustic guitar.

The song was also included on the album Nukumori, released in June 2023.

It’s a track that will comfort those approaching graduation with unspoken feelings for someone, as well as anyone who remembers the words they couldn’t say back then.

Graduation (feat. Shuto)NEW!hannya

Hannya / Graduation (feat. Shuto) / Official Music Video

Partings and new departures that come at life’s turning points.

Hannya’s new song “Sotsugyo” (“Graduation”) takes on this universal theme.

Released for streaming in February 2026, the track features Hiito, an artist based in Okinawa.

Over a calm, piano-centered beat, Hannya recounts past memories with restraint yet palpable heat.

It’s a reality—far from mere platitudes—that only he could portray after building his career since the 2004 album “Ohayo Nippon” and even headlining a successful Budokan show; it really hits home.

With Hiito’s gentle vocals added, the song leaves a bittersweet yet forward-looking afterglow.

Carrying all of the past and still striving to move on to the next stage, it feels like a quiet push on the back for anyone on that path.