Legendary enka songs that fire up the crowd. A song catalog of enka picks you won’t go wrong with at karaoke.
For those who think, “When I go to karaoke, I want to hype up the room with enka, but I don’t know what to sing,” and for anyone who wants to surprise their coworkers, friends, or family by singing something different than usual—this is a must-read! In this article, we’ll introduce a lineup of classic enka songs that are guaranteed to get the crowd going.
We’ve picked not only upbeat tracks and songs that are fun for call-and-response, but also well-known enka standards.
Use this as a guide when choosing your next karaoke setlist.
- Classic enka songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: recommended popular tracks
- [Recommended for people in their 70s] Songs that get everyone excited. Songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke.
- [For Women] A roundup of enka songs that can score high in karaoke
- Easy-to-sing enka: A roundup of recommended enka songs for karaoke
- [2025] Easy-to-Sing Enka: From Classic Masterpieces to Recent Hits [Female Singers Edition]
- [2025] Easy-to-Sing Enka — From Timeless Classics to Recent Hits [Male Singers Edition]
- Karaoke songs you’ll want to sing for men in their 70s: Enka and nostalgic Showa-era pop
- [2025] A Collection of Classic Enka and Kayōkyoku Duets (Male-Male)
- [2025] A Collection of Classic Enka and Kayōkyoku Duets by Women
- [Treasure of Powerful Enka] Takashi Hosokawa’s Easy-to-Sing Songs
- A roundup of male enka singers in their 80s: veterans who left their mark on the enka world
- Compilation of enka duet songs. Introducing popular kayōkyoku hits as well!
- Enka’s recent hit songs in 2025: Must-watch popular kayō tracks
Classic enka songs that fire up the crowd. A catalog of enka picks you won’t fail with at karaoke (21–30)
I'm going to Tokyo.Ikuzo Yoshi
Enka singer Ichi Ikuzō, known for his wide-ranging musicality from comic songs to songs in a female voice and heart-wrenching ballads.
Unusual for an enka singer, he also has the side of a singer-songwriter, and his original songs, for which he writes both lyrics and music, are full of creativity and have remained beloved across generations.
Speaking of Ikuzō Yoshii’s masterpieces, it has to be “Ora Tokyo sa Iguda,” doesn’t it? While it has elements typical of enka, it features many spoken-style parts, so the overall difficulty is on the lower side.
As a comic song, it really gets the crowd going, so be sure to add it to your repertoire.
Your path of gloryYoshimi Tendo
Yoshimi Tendo, a songstress who represents Osaka.
Discovered by Takajin Yashiki, she rose to public prominence.
Her vocal ability and expressive power are truly top-class, yet she has an approachable personality that has long endeared her to many enka fans.
Her hit number “Anta no Hanamichi” is a prime example.
Among her works, it’s one of the brightest, so it’s sure to get the crowd going.
This song features the distinctive twisting kobushi (melismatic ornamentation) characteristic of the Kawachi Ondo style, but since most of the ornamentation involves shifts of only two or three notes, you won’t encounter the complex kobushi heard in Tsugaru folk songs.
Instead, it calls for the powerful delivery typical of Kawachi Ondo.
As long as you can keep your pitch in check, it’s by no means a high-difficulty piece, so consider adding it to your repertoire.
Festival MamboHibari Misora
Hibari Misora’s classic “Omatsuri Mambo.” While this song falls under the enka category, it shares many elements with J-pop, and among Misora’s works, it’s one of the easiest to sing.
Its vocal range is somewhat broad at mid1 C to hi C, but the pitch movement isn’t very drastic, so overall it’s arranged to be easy to sing.
However, the tempo is relatively fast at BPM 120, so you’ll need decent articulation.
Even so, there are no highly demanding enka-style embellishments like complex kobushi, so it’s fair to say the song still firmly maintains its singability.
It’s a very lively, feel-good number that really gets the crowd going, so consider adding it to your repertoire.
Osaka ShigureHarumi Miyako
Harumi Miyako is an enka singer known for her powerful vocals, often referred to as the “Harumi-bushi,” which leave a strong impression.
If you’re familiar with enka, you’ve surely heard of her.
While her songs are generally considered to be quite challenging, there are also some catchy ones among them.
One I especially recommend is Osaka Shigure.
Compared to her typical style, which features growling, shout-like vibrato, this song uses more high-pitched kobushi (ornamental turns), so it doesn’t demand as much sheer power.
At the same time, the melody itself is bright, making it both easy to sing and a crowd-pleaser.
That girl is dotchicchi.Masashi Etani
This was Masashi Eya’s major-label debut.
With lyrics by Reiji Mizuki and music by Hideo Mizumori, it tells a poignant love story about searching everywhere for someone you love who has disappeared.
The catchy melody contrasted with the seeping sorrow is irresistibly moving.
The frustration conveyed in his vocals makes your chest tighten without you even realizing it.
Evoking the atmosphere of a Showa-era coming-of-age drama, this world is perfect for anyone who wants to remember what it feels like to be in love.
I'm falling in love with you againFuyumi Sakamoto
This is a famous song by Fuyumi Sakamoto that portrays how love for a longtime partner deepens over time and blooms anew.
Even the scars born of youthful folly turn into cherished memories as the two share their days together.
Those warm feelings soak into the heart, carried by a gentle melody.
The song was released in January 2009 as the B-side to the single “Asia no Kaizoku,” and was later included on the acclaimed album “Love Songs ~ Mata Kimi ni Koishiteru ~.” It also gained widespread recognition as the theme song for Sanwa Shurui’s barley shochu “iichiko,” and in 2010 it reached No.
3 on the Oricon weekly chart.
Why not listen when you want to reflect anew on the preciousness of the days you spend with someone dear?
IzakayaHiroshi Itsuki, Nana Kinomi
The duet song Izakaya by Hiroshi Itsuki and Nana Kinomi was released on October 25, 1982.
The song depicts a one-night encounter between a man and a woman who happen to sit next to each other at an izakaya.
They neither ask each other’s names nor share personal stories, yet it portrays a stylish scene of the two spending time together at the izakaya until the next morning.
Even after all these years since its release, it remains a highly popular duet choice for karaoke, so be sure to try singing it as a male-female pair.