[Spring Songs] Recommended for people in their 20s! Masterpieces to listen to during cherry blossom season that color meetings and farewells

cherry blossom pinksaidāgāru

Cider Girl – Sakura-iro

How about a bittersweet rock tune that tightens your chest in the season when cherry blossoms dance? Cider Girl is a rock band that paints a refreshing sense of speed with a sparkling, soda-like sound.

This track is included on their third album, “SODA POP FANCLUB 3,” released in January 2020.

There’s a backstory that the band collected fan-submitted words themed around “sakura” through a streaming program and created the song based on them.

Rina Onuki, the fourth image girl, participates as a guest vocalist, and her clear, translucent voice layered over the band’s sound further accentuates the fleeting nature of spring.

In this time when meetings and farewells intersect, it’s sure to gently nudge those stepping into a new environment forward.

Don’t bloom.WHITE JAM

[This year's No.1 graduation song] [MV] Don't Bloom / WHITE JAM [Blackboard Art Ver.]

Every time the season of partings arrives, I find myself wanting to listen to WHITE JAM’s ballad.

The lyrics, packed with the desperate feeling of not wanting to be apart even while wishing happiness for the one setting out, tighten my chest.

Released as a single in February 2016, it spread on social media alongside a video featuring chalkboard art and drew broad empathy, even topping rankings on lyrics search sites.

Later included on the album “WHITE JAM BEST,” this song is a perfect classic to send as a message of thanks and encouragement to friends at graduation or embarking on a new chapter.

The Last SakuraSandaime Jē Sōru Burazāzu fromu Eguzairu Toraibu

The Last Sakura

An achingly sad R&B ballad that overlays the end of a romance onto falling petals, moving enough to bring tears.

Performed by Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS from EXILE TRIBE, this is a hidden gem that highlights the vocalists’ rich expressiveness.

It was included as the B-side to the single “Go my way,” released in March 2012, and can also be heard on the 2013 album “MIRACLE.” With lyrics by Masato Odake, the song portrays a piercing emotional state that, while sensing an impending farewell, quietly tries to accept the moment.

It’s a number you’ll want to listen to softly after the splendor of a celebration, gazing up at the night cherry blossoms.

Sakura AleAdachi Kana

Kana Adachi “Sakura Yell”

A heartwarming number that overlays the bittersweetness of parting and the resolve to set out on a new journey with the blooming of cherry blossoms.

Released in February 2018, just before Kana Adachi’s high school graduation, it was her third single and features down-to-earth words that reflect her own feelings.

The lyrics are memorable for linking the sadness of an approaching farewell with hope for the future to cherry blossoms before they reach full bloom.

It was also used as the CM song for the cram school “Kobetsu Shidō Gakuin Free Step” and as a cheer song for the 34th Konami Open Swimming Tournament.

This work affirms an imperfect self and gives you the courage to take a step toward your dreams.

It’s a song we want everyone challenging a new environment—be it further education or employment—to hear.

Lost in springSHISHAMO

SHISHAMO "Lost in Spring"

A wistful medium-tempo ballad by SHISHAMO that portrays emotional stagnation at odds with the warmth of spring.

Its delicate sound—featuring piano and strings—leaves a strong impression, and the sense of loneliness, as if left behind in a festive season, presses on the chest.

Released digitally in March 2022 and later included on the album SHISHAMO 8, this track skillfully captures, through Asako Miyazaki’s lyrics, the uniquely springlike blend of cruelty and beauty: the season moves forward on its own while your feelings alone can’t keep up.

It may resonate deeply with those unsettled by changing circumstances or still haunted by a love that has ended.

A song that makes you want to immerse yourself in its lyrical world during this cherry blossom season.

spring brazierUMEILO

[MV] UMEILO – Spring Hibachi

Based in Sapporo and acclaimed for a novel-like worldview, UMEILO is a guitar rock band, and this is one of their signature songs.

Alongside the seasonal shift from the long northern winter into spring, it delicately weaves together youthful restlessness and warm memories.

It is included on the single of the same title released in December 2019, and is also known for its unique packaging—a special edition that combined a CD with a newly written short story by vocalist Junsuke Ito.

Their distinctive approach, fusing music and literature, truly shines, inviting you to feel as if you’re turning the pages of a story with every listen.

It’s a perfect track for those who want to savor each word during spring, a season when encounters and farewells intersect.

With oolong highballs and in springosage

osage “With Oolong High and Spring” MV

A rock band drawing attention for their emotive lyrics and distinctive musicality, osage delivers a quintessential spring anthem.

Vivid depictions—like train station ticket gates and strong, sweeping winds—evoke the bittersweet scenes unique to the season.

While it portrays the loneliness of parting, it also carries a warmth that promises reunion and a bond that will remain unchanged for decades, gently embracing the listener’s heart.

Originally included on a self-produced release, the song has long been cherished by fans; it was re-released as a newly recorded version in September 2020 and later featured on the mini-album “root(s).” It’s the perfect track for moments when you want to believe in friendships and ties that endure despite changing circumstances.

It’s sure to stir sentimental yet forward-looking feelings, as memories of conversations shared over drinks with close friends come rushing back.