Enka Karaoke Popularity Rankings [2025]

I want to see you againAki Yashiro50rank/position

Aki Yashiro 'I Want to See You Once More'

Although Aki Yashiro is known for many poignant and bluesy songs, she has also released some orthodox, warmly toned enka.

Among them, the one I especially recommend is “Mou Ichido Aitai” (“I Want to See You Once More”).

Compared to her usual work, this piece is a bit more powerful and includes sections that demand a certain amount of vocal projection.

Because of that, it sacrifices some of the subtlety of kobushi (melismatic ornamentation), so overall the difficulty level can be considered relatively low.

While it is a powerful song, rather than focusing on singing with sheer force, it tends to sound better if you lower the key and solidly support the lower notes—please keep that in mind.

Fragments of Men and WomenKiyoshi Maekawa51rank/position

Kiyoshi Maekawa “Fragments of a Man and a Woman” (Lyric Video)

A standout hit from the early Heisei era with a strong Showa kayō vibe, this song showcases lyricist Toyohisa Araki’s flair—having the title read as “kakera” instead of “hahen.” ‘Otoko to Onna no Kakera’ was released in 1991 as a single by Kiyoshi Maekawa and is one of his signature songs, beloved in karaoke.

As mentioned, it leans more toward classic Showa pop than straight enka.

While techniques like kobushi appear, the overall difficulty is relatively modest, making it approachable even for beginners to enka.

Don’t be shy—channel Maekawa himself and try expressing your own take on this “cool, grown-up song”!

Rose music boxKiyoshi Maekawa52rank/position

Rose music box

One of Kiyoshi Maekawa’s signature solo songs, also performed at the 1997 NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen, is “Bara no Orugōru” (The Rose Music Box).

With its moody guitar phrases, an instantly catchy chorus, and Maekawa’s irresistibly masculine delivery that poignantly conveys a woman’s heartache, it’s the kind of classic that makes you want to sing it at karaoke.

The production straddles enka and mood kayō, and the overall melody line is easy to sing, so even beginners who struggle with straight enka should find it approachable.

That said, clearly projecting the low notes and adding vibrato like Maekawa does is surprisingly difficult, making this a great practice piece for those who aren’t confident with their lower register.

Mount TsurugiTakeshi Kitayama53rank/position

Takeshi Kitayama / Ken-zan

It was released in 2009 as Takeshi Kitayama’s eighth single.

Composed by Saburō Kitajima, the song is powerfully crafted, overlaying a man’s life with Mount Tsurugi, a famous peak that offers a distant view of the Seto Inland Sea.

It was performed at the 60th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen and reached No.

16 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

Northern fishing groundsSaburō Kitajima54rank/position

Saburo Kitajima 'Northern Fishing Grounds' (Official Audio)

Kitano Ryojo is a striking piece with a bold intro that incorporates the sound of strong winds.

It falls into the category of “manly songs,” which are Saburo Kitajima’s specialty.

Manly songs typically feature a rough singing style with shouts, and this piece includes those elements as well.

However, since the shouts only appear in the chorus, it’s one of the more approachable manly songs among his works.

The chorus is expansive, yet surprisingly light on long sustained notes, making it quite singable even without strong foundational technique.

The kobushi (melodic ornamentation) is also relatively restrained for a Kitajima song, making this an ideal piece for practice.

Flowers of TsugaruYuri Harada55rank/position

Yuri Harada - Flower of Tsugaru_low.mp4

Released in 1999 as Yuri Harada’s 17th single.

Although it peaked at No.

42 on the Oricon chart, it became a long-running hit and ultimately sold over 160,000 copies.

The song won the Excellent Work Award at the 41st Japan Record Awards, and with this song she made her first appearance at the 50th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

DreamIkuzo Yoshi56rank/position

Ikuzo Yoshi “Dream” New Japan House commercial song

The classic song “Dream,” which gained nationwide popularity as the commercial jingle for Shin Nihon House, isn’t enka but primarily pop.

It features a breezy, surfer-music-like feel with a smooth, flowing vocal line.

Since it’s pop, there’s no kobushi-style ornamentation.

Additionally, the vocal range is quite narrow, so even those with a limited range or who struggle with enka should be able to sing it without trouble.

Its name recognition is tremendous, making it a big hit at karaoke.

Be sure to add it to your repertoire.