Classic enka songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: recommended popular tracks

Kawachi Otoko-bushiMitsuko Nakamura

Mitsuko Nakamura’s Enka Exercise – Kawachi Otoko Bushi

This is a single released by Mitsuko Nakamura in 1989—an enka song that incorporates a Kawachi Ondo-style rhythm.

In the Kansai region, it’s often used for Bon Odori, and its sales tend to rise in the summer.

It has been performed eight times on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen, which is a very high number for performances of the same song by a single singer.

It’s catchy, making it an enka tune everyone can sing and dance to.

A Man's Love StoryFuyumi Sakamoto

I sang Fuyumi Sakamoto’s “Otoko no Jouwa.”

It was released in 1989 as Fuyumi Sakamoto’s fourth single.

This song became her first to enter the weekly top ten on the Oricon charts and won the 15th Japan Enka Grand Prize.

A version with spoken lines was released as her fifth single, and that version also became a hit.

wintering swallowMasako Mori

Overwintering Swallow by Masako Mori

Masako Mori’s “Ettō Tsubame” is a classic enka masterpiece that poignantly sings of a woman’s bittersweet heart.

The composer of the song is Yoshihiko Shinohara.

The name might not conjure any particular image, but in fact, that is the real name of Hiroshi Madoka.

Surprisingly, this wonderful masterpiece, “Ettō Tsubame,” was written by Hiroshi Madoka.

Osaka sparrowMiyuki Nagai

Osaka Sparrow Miyuki Nagai × Miyuki Nagai

This debut song, written by lyricist Taka Takashi for his beloved protégé Miyuki Nagai from Osaka, was released in 1992.

It won the Excellent Broadcast Music Newcomer Award at the 23rd Japan Kayō Awards, and the Best New Artist Award in the Kayō/Enka category at the 34th Japan Record Awards.

Its performance, with lyrics declaring that Tokyo is nothing to boast about, resonated with people from Kansai and made it a hit.

ComradeIchiro Toba

Comrade

This is a work that passionately sings of bonds between men.

Released in February 2025, it features the distinctive vocal ornamentation unique to enka throughout.

Toba’s singing powerfully conveys the feelings of men who have weathered life’s rough seas, which is particularly striking.

You can sense both a humble acceptance of one’s place and a proud appreciation of ties with friends.

It’s a song you’ll want to listen to in moments when you want to savor life together with your comrades.

perchSachiko Kobayashi

Sachiko Kobayashi – Perch

Sachiko Kobayashi’s “Tomarigi” (“Perch”) sings of lingering attachment to a man who is leaving her.

Released in 1980, this song was a hit that won the Grand Prize at the 13th Japan Cable Radio Awards.

Despite having been a comforting emotional haven for the man, the woman is abandoned by him with startling ease.

The lyrics paint this scene so vividly that one feels the woman’s pain, as if all the love she had poured into him has been wasted.

And yet, the lingering attachment and love she still holds for the man well up with a poignant sorrow.

cornflowerNatsuko Godai

Natsuko Godai “Cornflower (Yagurumaso)” Music Video (1 chorus)

Natsuko Godai continues to captivate many hearts with her delicately expressive vocals.

Among her songs, this heartbreak ballad is particularly moving.

In this piece, she sings of hidden feelings entrusted to purple flowers, painting a bittersweet love story.

Released in June 2015, it became her 27th single.

The song’s structure—starting quietly and gradually building in emotion—is also appealing, making it an easy choice for karaoke.

Highly recommended for those who want to feel both the ache of love and a sense of hope for the future.