[2025] Recommended Karaoke Songs for Women in Their 70s: From Enka to Showa-Era Kayōkyoku

Scat at DawnSaori Yuki

Yoake No Scat

It’s a quintessential masterpiece of the Showa era, with Saori Yuki’s voice—often called a “sobering tonic”—resonating deeply in the heart.

The beautiful humming at the beginning delicately evokes the stillness before dawn and a faint hope for the new day.

Rofu Yamagami’s richly poetic worldview also sinks deeply into the listener’s soul.

This piece marked Saori Yuki’s fresh new start in March 1969 and was loved as the theme for TBS Radio’s late-night program “Night Ballad.” Its status as a million seller with over 1.

5 million copies conveys the fervor of the time.

It’s the perfect song for when you want to relax into music or spend a gentle moment reminiscing about the past.

In conversations with people of the same generation, this beautiful melody is sure to bring a warm, easygoing atmosphere.

In the pouring rainAkiko Wada

Doshaburino Ameno Nakade

This is a song that powerfully moves listeners’ hearts, with young Akiko Wada passionately singing of the deep sorrow of heartbreak amid pouring rain.

The track candidly conveys a woman’s earnest feelings as she cries out her undying love—one she cannot sever—even while carrying the pain of parting from the one she loves.

Its dramatic development and powerful vocals are sure to evoke deep empathy in listeners.

Released in April 1969 as Akiko Wada’s second single, it reached No.

19 on the Oricon chart.

It’s a timeless classic that has been passed down across generations, notably covered by Sambomaster on their 2018 album “Akko ga Omakase.” Though a kayōkyoku number, it brims with the strong rhythms of R&B and soul, making it irresistible for fans of those genres.

It’s also a wonderful choice to try at karaoke when you want to sing with emotion or sink into a bittersweet mood.

Rainy MidosujiOuyang Feifei

Feifei Ouyang / Midosuji in the Rain (Stranger in Midosuji) (1971) Viewing No. 41

Since its release in 1971, “Ame no Midosuji,” a hit song by Taiwanese singer Fifi Ouyang, has been beloved by countless listeners.

With Haruo Hayashi’s heartrending lyrics, a melody by The Ventures, and Ouyang’s warm, expressive vocals, the song evokes memories of lost love set against the specific backdrop of Midosuji in Osaka.

Transcending time, it showcases the enduring charm of Showa-era kayōkyoku and is a masterpiece recommended not only for women in their 70s but for listeners across generations.

Be sure to add it to your repertoire at your next karaoke session!

Jindo MonogatariYoshimi Tendo

[MV] Yoshimi Tendo / Jindo Monogatari (full ver.)

Inspired by the mysterious phenomenon in Jindo, Korea—where the sea parts and a path appears—this masterpiece movingly conveys the earnest longing to reunite with a loved one far away.

No matter the hardship, the feelings for a beloved never cease, and the strong prayer that one day they will meet again deeply resonates with listeners.

Released as a single in February 1996, it became YOSHIMI TENDO’s first million seller.

It won the Best Vocal Performance at the 38th Japan Record Awards that same year and was performed at the 48th NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen in 1997, becoming a song cherished across generations.

Sung with heartfelt emotion at karaoke, it’s sure to spread warmth and inspiration to those who listen.

Love VacationThe Peanuts

The Peanuts – A Vacation of Love

The Peanuts’ “Koibito wa Santa Claus” is a hit song from 1963.

With lyrics by Tokiko Iwatani and music by Hiroshi Miyagawa, it captured the sense of a new era at the time and still radiates an enduring charm.

Its pleasant melody and refreshing harmonies are likely to evoke a page of youth for women in their seventies.

Sung at karaoke, its beautiful melody will surely move not only people of the same generation but also younger listeners.

It’s a highly recommended track for a relaxing time!

Ecstasy BluesMina Aoe

Ecstasy Blues

Mina Aoe, praised as the “Queen of the Blues” and known for her captivating husky voice.

This is her memorable major-debut single! Her sigh-laced singing, which sinks deeply into the listener’s heart, beautifully conveys the lingering aftertaste of a love that is sweet yet somehow tinged with melancholy in the night.

In the lyrics, emotions of rapture, akin to a dreamlike trance, and hazy, “oboro” scenes are painted in shades of blue, inviting listeners into a sensual world.

Released in June 1966, the song sold around 800,000 copies and earned her first appearance on that year’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

The background story—that the lyricist bestowed upon her a stage name taken from the protagonist of a serialized novel—adds further depth to the song’s world.

It’s a track I’d highly recommend when you want to relax, overlay it with your own memories, and immerse yourself in its atmosphere.

March of 365 StepsKiyoko Suizenji

Kiyoko Suizenji - “365-Step March” (Official Audio)

It’s a rousing anthem for life that’s still sung today—the kind where you recognize it instantly from the very first phrase and think, “That song!” Sung by Kiyoko Suizenji and released back in 1968, this piece reminds us that happiness isn’t something that falls into our laps; it’s something we seize by moving forward, step by steady step.

Even if there are times when you take three steps forward and two steps back, those experiences will one day make beautiful flowers bloom along your path—gently giving you a push from behind.

Beloved through numerous tie-ins, it was used as the entrance march for the 1969 National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament and as the theme song for the anime Marude Dameo, among others.

When your heart feels a little tired, it’s the kind of song that lifts your spirits naturally when everyone raises their voices together.