[2025] A Collection of Graduation Songs That 40-Somethings Remember [Japanese Music]

March 9Remioromen

Remioromen – March 9

Remioromen’s warm vocals, which gently accompany life’s milestones, continue to move countless hearts.

Released in March 2004, this song was originally written for a friend’s wedding, but it has also become widely loved as a graduation song.

It’s a band-style ballad that gradually builds from a quiet beginning, with lyrics expressing hopeful feelings about farewells and new beginnings.

The track was featured in various commercials and TV dramas and enjoyed a long-running hit on the Oricon charts, staying ranked for 62 weeks.

Covered by many artists, it remains beloved across generations.

As spring approaches, it’s the kind of nostalgic song you’ll find yourself humming—why not try singing it at karaoke?

Snow in MarchNoriyuki Makihara

3gatunoyuki

This is a gemlike ballad that beautifully portrays the protagonist’s feelings as they spend their final moments with friends, twenty days after the graduation ceremony.

Included on Noriyuki Makihara’s September 1991 album “Kimi wa Dare to Shiawase na Akubi o Shimasu ka,” the song was never released as a single, yet it has continued to be cherished by many fans.

Using out-of-season snow as a motif, it delicately expresses both the transience of parting and the anticipation of a new life.

Makihara’s signature gentle melody and soft vocals resonate deeply.

For those in their forties, it may conjure scenes that overlap with memories from their school days.

It’s a song that makes you want to listen as spring arrives, filling you with a warm sense of nostalgia.

Graduation Elegy3B LAB.☆S

Graduation Elegy (UB ver.)

As a song that resonates deeply during graduation season, this work by 3B LAB.

☆ has captured the hearts of many.

Released in February 2003 as the B-side to the single “Ichigo Ichie,” it stands out for Kenji Okahira’s delicate lyrics and emotive melody.

It skillfully portrays scenes from graduation ceremonies, words from teachers, and the mix of excitement and anxiety that comes with a new departure, striking a deep chord with listeners.

Included on the band’s best-of album “Upper BEST,” it remains a fan favorite.

It’s a recommended track not only for graduation season, but also for life’s turning points or whenever you want to bask in nostalgic memories.

GraduationZONE

ZONE “Graduation” Music Video

Released in February 2004, ZONE’s song is a heartwarming track themed around the milestone of graduation.

It expresses the memories overflowing from a once-cramped classroom, as well as hopes and anxieties for the future, skillfully portraying the emotions of a new beginning.

Issued as ZONE’s 12th major single, it debuted at No.

5 on the Oricon charts, marking a remarkable achievement of ten consecutive top-10 entries.

The song is also included on the album “N” and the best-of collection “E ~Complete A side Singles~.” This is a track you’ll want to listen to during graduation season, and it will resonate at reunions or whenever you look back on old memories.

Along with ZONE’s refreshing vocals, it might be nice to reminisce about those days.

KYOTOJUDY AND MARY

KYOTO

A song that depicts a journey into a new season that begins with the arrival of spring.

It opens with the scene of taking a train to go meet someone, then gently sings about memories from the time when flowers bloom and the warmth of holding hands.

Included on JUDY AND MARY’s album “MIRACLE DIVING,” released in December 1995, this track became so popular that, despite not being a single, it was selected for the best-of album “FRESH.” Delicately portraying the changing seasons and the imagery of travel, the song resonates deeply with listeners.

Played during graduation season, it may bring back nostalgic memories.

It’s also a perfect choice for karaoke when gathering with people of the same generation.

That paper airplane splits the cloudy sky19

That paper airplane splits the cloudy sky

One song that instantly brings my student days vividly back to life when I hear it in spring is “Ano Kami Hikōki Kumorizora Wotte.” Released in 1999, this track captured many hearts with 19’s emotionally resonant melody and lyrics that evoke the purity of youthful days.

The song even appeared on the stage of the Kōhaku Uta Gassen, and, influenced by 326—who served as visual producer and lyricist—it remains unforgettable for many teens and twenty-somethings of that era.

Listening to this song, which recalls the bittersweetness of school life, makes you feel as if you’ve gone back to those days.

And above all, what truly moves the heart is the gently tender, comforting intro of acoustic guitar and blues harp.

Words of FarewellKaientai

Kaientai - Okuru Kotoba (Words of Farewell)

Kaientai’s “Okuru Kotoba” goes beyond being just a graduation song and has continued to be loved by many.

Since its 1979 release, it has also been known as the theme song for the TV drama “Mr.

Kinpachi in Class 3B,” starring Tetsuya Takeda, and it has the power to evoke scenes from the show.

Originally written as a heartbreak song, it’s also perfect for the moment of a new departure that graduation represents.

Its clear, translucent melody and warm lyrics resonate in the heart, making it a song that will be passed down along with unfading memories.

It’s a timeless masterpiece whose value seems to grow with age.