Classic enka songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: recommended popular tracks
Enka, the genre of music that helped energize Japan up through around the 1980s.
Countless masterpieces were born in this field of enka.
This time, we’re featuring the crème de la crème—timeless enka hits that defined their eras and are perfect for singing at karaoke.
From well-known classics to hidden gems known only to aficionados, we’ve selected songs across a wide range of years and styles, so be sure to find the one that suits you.
We’re introducing quite a number of tracks, making this a great pick for anyone who wants to reminisce alongside enka.
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Enka classics you’ll want to sing at karaoke: recommended popular songs (21–30)
You don't have to go back.Aya Shimazu
This song was released in 2004 as Aya Shimazu’s 36th single.
The title “Kairanchayoka” means “You don’t have to come home” in the Kumamoto dialect, and the lyrics are written entirely in that dialect.
It originated as a song called “Ikitarayoka,” written and composed in 1995 by folk singer Hideki Sekijima, inspired by his own parents.
Battan Arakawa later recorded it under the changed title “Kairanchayoka.” There is an anecdote that Aya Shimazu liked the song so much that she asked for permission to sing it.
Wajima Morning MarketKaori Mizumori
Released in 2008 as Kaori Mizumori’s 16th single.
It reached No.
5 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart, extending her streak of consecutive Top 10 debuts to five releases.
This local-themed song is inspired by the morning market in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture.
It won the Excellent Work Award at the 50th Japan Record Awards and was performed at the 59th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
Harbor Town No. 13Hibari Misora
This is a song released by Hibari Misora in 1957.
It is one of the ‘madros’ songs that she loved to sing during her lifetime, set in her hometown of Yokohama and the neighboring city of Kawasaki.
The song was used in episode 17 of the NHK morning drama Teruteru Kazoku, which aired in the second half of 2003, and it has a bright, lively feel that evokes the scenery of a port town.
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.
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.
Our town was green indeed.Masao Sen
Masao Sen’s classic “Waga Machi wa Midori Nariki” is notable for its gentle melody.
While it is nominally classified as enka, the vocal line strongly reflects the essence of Showa-era kayōkyoku, and the characteristic enka vocal melisma (kobushi) is scarcely present.
The few instances of kobushi are mostly limited to a single scale step up or down, so even those not adept at enka-style phrasing should be able to sing it without difficulty.
If you enjoy songs with a nostalgic, old-fashioned mood, consider adding this one to your repertoire.
Scorpio womanKenichi Mikawa
It was released in 1972 as Kenichi Mikawa’s 25th single.
The song is well known because performers like Korokke often use it when impersonating Kenichi Mikawa.
As one of Mikawa’s signature songs, it has been performed many times on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen, where the lavish costumes also drew attention and added to the excitement.