| Sakura no Shiori | |
| Cover: | AKB_sakuratypeA.jpg |
| Caption: | Type A cover, featuring Atsuko Maeda. |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | AKB48 |
| Album: | Kamikyokutachi |
| Genre: | J-pop, choir |
| Length: | 3:58 |
| Label: | You, Be Cool! / King |
| Producer: | Kenichi Mitsuda |
| Prev Title: | River |
| Prev Year: | 2009 |
| Next Title: | Ponytail to Shushu |
| Next Year: | 2010 |
is the 15th single by Japanese idol girl group AKB48; it was released on February 17, 2010.[1] The title track is a school graduation song. The song was used as the theme song to the AKB48-related drama Majisuka Gakuen, which stars Atsuko Maeda and many members from AKB48 and its sister groups.
In its first week, the song sold 318,000 copies - the biggest opening sales for a female group single since Morning Musume's "Mr. Moonlight (Ai no Big Band)" in July 2001. The song has been certified platinum for physical sales by the RIAJ.[2]
The song is composed by Hiroshi Uesugi and written by Yasushi Akimoto.[3] It is sung with AKB48 members singing together in a school choir.[4] The song is a graduation song, with a theme of cherry blossoms.[4]
"Sakura no Shiori" was used not only as the theme song for the drama Majisuka Gakuen, but also in commercials for Aoki and Recochoku.[5] The B-side "Majisuka Rock 'n Roll" was used as the opening theme song for the same drama.[5]
"Sakura no Shiori" was performed by the following members:
The center for the track was Atsuko Maeda.[6]
The song centred on Atsuko Maeda.
The unit of girls who sung this song performed under the name "Team Play-Boy." The song centred on Yuki Kashiwagi.
The unit of girls who sung this song performed under the name "Team Young Jump." The song centred on Rie Kitahara.
| Chart | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay[7] | 13 | |
| Billboard Japan Hot 100[8] | 1 | |
| Billboard yearly Japan Hot 100[9] | 43 | |
| Oricon weekly singles | 1 | |
| Oricon yearly singles[10] | 12 | |
| RIAJ Digital Track Chart weekly top 100[11] | 15 | |
| RIAJ Digital Track Chart yearly top 100[12] | 96 |