At my elementary school (小学校) in Texas, we didn't have a graduation ceremony. We did have a party in the school cafeteria. One of the mothers made a cake. Another mother brought a record player. We students performed a square dance, and the mothers--who had made our costumes for us--watched. (Square dance is a kind of folk dance.) But there was no ceremony and no speeches. In fact, I don't remember the school principal (校長先生) attending at all. (Maybe she did, and I just forgot.)
So when it was time for my first child to graduate from elementary school in Japan, I didn't think very deeply about it. I thought that spring vacation was a good time to visit my family in Texas. I thought that when my daughter started junior high (中学校) she would become busier and busier, and it might become more difficult to visit my family in Texas as often as before.
I planned a long trip home with my 3 children. I decided to let my daughter miss the last 2 weeks of elementary school so we could have a long visit with my parents. I heard that the last 2 weeks of 6th grade in Japan were spent mostly preparing for the graduation ceremony, so she wouldn't be missing much study time. When I talked to my daughter's teacher, she agreed that it was good timing for my daughter to miss school and visit her American grandpa and grandma.
So, without thinking anything more about it, my daughter missed the last 2 weeks of 6th grade, and I took all 3 of my children back to Texas for a long visit with my parents.
We had a surprise when we came back to Japan. We had only been back at our house for a few hours when the phone rang. It was my daughter's 6th grade teacher. She asked if we could come to the school immediately.
I thought, "Now?!" I had just arrived home after a 24 hour trip from Texas to Kyushu with 3 children. I was so tired, and I had so much to do. But my daughter's teacher really wanted us to come to the school right away. She wouldn't tell me the reason.
So my daughter and I walked quickly to the school. The teacher met us at the entrance, and she asked us to go with her to the gym (体育館). When we got there...what a surprise!
The stage was decorated for a graduation ceremony. The teacher put a paper flower corsage (コサージュ) on my daughter's shirt. The principal was standing on the stage. He called my daughter's name, and she went up on the stage. He gave her the graduation certificate. She and I were so tired and jet-lagged (時差ボケてる） that we were in a daze (ぼーっとしていた）.
They told my daughter, "We made this graduation cermony for only you! This is your 一人用卒業式! Congratulations!"
I couldn't believe how kind the teacher was to go to this trouble! It made me realize (気付く）how important elementary school graduation is in Japan.
As I expected, my daughter became more and more busy with school in junior high (中学校) and high school (高校). I was only able to visit Texas with her one more time after that, during the winter vacation of her first year of high school. So I'm glad I could visit my parents with her at the end of elementary school (小学校).
In all (全部で), I have attended 24 entrance ceremonies and graduations with my 3 children. Honestly, I don't enjoy them very much. Too many speeches!
But, this particular 一人用 graduation for my daughter holds a special place in my heart. Her teacher's love and kindness was so warm, and I appreciate (感謝する) the trouble she went to (like わざわざ何かをする) in organizing this special ceremony for my daughter.
Thank you, S-sensei! 
Do you have some special graduation memories