Enka Singers Most Popular at Karaoke [2025]

Kokoro KaleidoscopeKeisuke Yamauchi22rank/position

Keisuke Yamauchi “Kokoro Kaleidoscope” Music Video

It’s no exaggeration to call this a new signature song for Keisuke Yamauchi born in the Reiwa era! “Kokoro Mangekyo,” released in 2023, marked a new challenge for Yamauchi as it’s a song from the year he entered his forties.

It’s a dynamic kayōkyoku that skillfully fuses orchestral and Japanese flavors, and if you nail it, it will definitely liven up any karaoke session.

The spot where the melody shifts at the end of the final chorus while applying vibrato requires particular practice, but overall the key is on the lower side and it doesn’t rely much on traditional enka techniques, so it’s also recommended for beginners to enka.

matchMisaki Iwasa23rank/position

Misaki Iwasa “Match” Music Video [Special Appearance: Tamabaguro Kintaro] (Release date: August 28, 2024)

If you want to immerse yourself in the world of contemporary enka, how about this one song? It’s a track by Misaki Iwasa, an enka singer who got her start in AKB48.

It was released in August 2024 as her 11th single.

The lyrics are achingly bittersweet, likening a fading flame of love to the flicker of a match swaying in a nighttime snack bar.

If you fully inhabit the protagonist and sing with rich emotion, I think it will resonate deeply with listeners.

Anemone flaccida (nirinsō; literally “two-flowered anemone”)Miyuki Kawanaka24rank/position

【MV】Miyuki Kawanaka / Nirinso (Two Buttercups)

Among Miyuki Kawanaka’s songs, “Nirinsō” stands out as one of the most well-known, with sales reaching one million copies.

Kawanaka herself released an album titled “Shiawase Enka,” and it’s fitting that “Nirinsō” is the first track—its bright, upbeat tone is distinctive and seems to symbolize the “sunny” side of enka, which expresses the full spectrum of life’s emotions.

For enka fans, it needs no introduction, and it’s also immensely popular at karaoke, so there’s no need for excessive commentary.

For beginners, however, practicing this song can be a great way to learn fundamental enka techniques like vibrato and kobushi.

If the high notes are tough, adjust the key to suit your voice, study the wonderful lyrics, and sing with feeling.

hay feverYukino Ichikawa25rank/position

[Congratulations: 65th Japan Record Awards, Excellence Work Award Winner] Yukino Ichikawa “Hanawazurai” Music Video

Hanawazurai is a striking piece with a melody that exudes allure and passion.

While it carries the distinctive luster of enka, it also contains a generous dose of Showa-era pop essence.

In fact, elements typical of enka—such as the kobushi vocal ornament—rarely appear in the vocal line; the enka quality remains more of an atmospheric impression.

Because Showa pop forms the foundation, the vocal line is inherently less demanding, so if you sing with careful attention to dynamics and phrasing, it will sound professional.

draft (cold air seeping through gaps)Ryotaro Sugi26rank/position

Ryotaro Sugi – Sukimakaze

This song is the best-selling signature hit in Ryotaro Sugi’s career as a singer, who is also renowned as an actor.

Used as the theme song for the classic period drama “Toyama no Kin-san,” in which he himself starred, it achieved the astonishing feat of staying within the Oricon Top 100 for 147 weeks.

It’s also a popular karaoke choice, so you’ll want to sing it with plenty of mood and aim for a high score.

While the melody may sound steady overall, you’ll notice when you sing it that the pitch range is actually quite wide.

Since the piece’s rich appeal lies in its deep, resonant low notes, if you’re not confident with low tones, I recommend listening to the original repeatedly and focusing your practice on that area.

Come back.Kazuko Matsumura27rank/position

Come back.

Kazuko Matsumura is an enka singer from Hokkaido.

While she also performs orthodox enka, her essence arguably lies in rock-influenced enka.

Many people have surely been moved by her performances, where she holds a shamisen and sings as if she were a rock musician doing an acoustic set.

“Kaette Koi yo” is one of her signature songs; it maintains the fundamentals of enka yet stands out with a rock-tinged power.

The range is somewhat high, from mid2 A# to hi D#, but since the overall span is narrow, it shouldn’t be difficult to sing if you adjust to a suitable key.

It also features fewer kobushi (ornamental turns) than typical enka, making it a recommended choice.

Cape ErimoShinichi Mori28rank/position

Cape Erimo

Shinichi Mori’s classic “Erimo Misaki.” For anyone in their 50s or older, it’s no exaggeration to say there’s hardly a person who doesn’t know this song.

With its powerful vocals, it can seem difficult, but in fact it’s one of the easiest enka songs to sing.

The biggest reason it’s so singable is the minimal use of kobushi (melismatic ornamentation).

Since kobushi is the most challenging technique in enka, having less of it is a huge relief for us amateurs.

The pitch movement isn’t overly dramatic, either, so give it a try.