[October 2025] Latest Enka and Kayōkyoku roundup. Check out the buzzworthy new songs!

Mother is a cradle.NEW!Kiyomi Hōjō

Mother is a cradle.

Kiyomi Hojo, an enka singer from Tsukuba City in Ibaraki Prefecture, has transferred from King Records to Nippon Crown.

In October 2025, she released her first single in her new home, “Mother Is a Cradle.” This work weaves together gratitude to her mother and memories from childhood: the days she walked home hand in hand singing, the warmth of being held close through rain and wind, and the words of thanks she can finally express now.

Many listeners will likely find themselves overlaying the song onto their own lives.

Go with the flowNEW!Junpei Oda

Go with the flow

Junpei Oda is a singer-songwriter who infuses the soul of folk and blues into enka.

His single “Nagare ru Mama ni,” released in October 2025, is a newly recorded version of a song that has long been popular at his live shows.

It’s a ballad marked by the warm resonance of acoustic guitar, piano, and strings, carefully portraying the wavering feelings for a loved one.

The heartfelt wish to share happiness and sincerity, and the protagonist’s emotions as they hold the memories of love like a treasure, truly sink in.

Give it a listen when you find yourself thinking back on someone who was once dear to you.

Love in Kyoto is a passing showerNEW!Seiji Takamiyagi

Seiji Takamiyagi “Kyoto Love Is a Passing Shower” MV (included on the single ‘Kyoto Love Is a Passing Shower,’ releasing October 1, 2025)

Seiji Takamiyagi, an enka singer from Kumamoto with the unique background of debuting at age 69, released his sixth single in October 2025—a nostalgic kayōkyoku set against the scenery of Sagano and Arashiyama in Kyoto.

The song depicts a fleeting romance amid the ancient capital’s landscape glistening in a passing shower.

Its gentle melody pairs exquisitely with Takamiyagi’s warm vocals, making for a beautifully crafted track.

If you’re in the mood for travel-inspired sentiment, be sure to give it a listen.

And then, the Twilight CinemaNEW!Asami Chiyuki

Asami Chiyuki “The Twilight Cinema Thereafter” Music Video

Chiyuki Asami, affectionately known as the songstress of Inokashira Park.

“Sorekara no Tasogare Cinema” is positioned as a sequel to “Tasogare Cinema,” which was included on the 2005 album “Asami no Uta II” and later released as a single in 2010.

It delicately portrays the feelings of a protagonist who, as time has passed since memories at the movie theater, has come to know the margins and losses of life.

It’s a work filled with depth that resonates precisely because we’ve grown older.

When you feel like looking back on the film called life, this is a song to listen to quietly.

Cape of Tearful Homesick WindsNEW!Shinobu Okada

Shinobu Okada “Namida Bōkyō Kaze Misaki” Music Video

Shinobu Okada is an enka singer from Gunma Prefecture.

She has undergone full-fledged training since the age of seven and is a proven talent who has won numerous karaoke competitions.

Her single “Namida Bōkyō Kaze Misaki,” released in October 2025, tells the story of a protagonist who left their hometown, carrying the sorrow of parting while growing ever more nostalgic for home.

The emotion-centered melody intertwines with Okada’s richly expressive vocals to create a world that can move you to tears as you listen.

Many will find themselves empathizing with the feelings for one’s hometown and the pain of farewell.

Woman in a Late Autumn DrizzleNEW!Rumi Nakayama

Rumi Nakayama “Woman Sayo-Shigure” Music Video

This is a song by Rumi Nakayama, a female enka singer from Osaka.

The third release since her move to Teichiku Records, it’s a bona fide enka piece that portrays a woman’s feelings as she sheds tears over an unattainable love.

The lyrics are by Koyomi Asa and the music by Hiroshi Tokuhisa, a powerhouse duo.

Like a gentle, lingering drizzle, the bittersweet emotions seep into your heart.

Nakayama’s deeply expressive vocals embody the futility of love, and listening will make you empathize with the pain of that romance.

The Sea of Japan where love weepsNEW!Takeshi Matsubara

Takefumi Matsubara “Ai ga Naku Nihonkai” Music Video

This is the second single released to commemorate Takeyuki Matsubara’s 20th anniversary debut.

It’s a lyrical song that portrays a heartrending love set against the Sea of Japan.

Makoto Takubo’s poetically rich lyrics intertwine with Tetsuya Gen’s melody tinged with melancholy, vividly conjuring up seashore scenery.

The dramatic composition is surely part of the reason as well.

It’s a track I especially recommend to those who carry thoughts of their hometown or loved ones close to their heart.