A Showa-era duet song. A timeless karaoke/snack-bar classic!
Do you like duet songs?
Some of you may have sung together with friends or even other customers at karaoke or in a snack bar.
Singing your favorite song solo is certainly fun, but duet songs—where two people weave harmonies—have a unique charm all their own.
In this article, we’ve gathered classic Showa-era duet songs that just about everyone has heard at least once.
Even if you’ve never tried a duet, take this chance to learn one and try singing it with a friend.
Duet classics (1–10)
Lonely ChaplinMasayuki Suzuki & Kiyomi Suzuki
Released in 1987.
It became a hot topic after being used as the CM song for Ginza Jewelry Maki.
Although it only peaked at No.
18 on the Oricon chart, it turned into a long seller and sold 100,000 copies.
It’s a track that blends the best of soul music and kayōkyoku—cool yet easy to sing—making it perfect for karaoke.
The Day Love Was BornMiwa Fujitani, Yoshiaki Ouchi
This song is a staple of duets.
Although it’s supposed to be a happy song about love being born, its minor-key melody gives it a touch of melancholy.
The man and woman sing alternately, but since the key isn’t too high or too low and the tempo isn’t fast, it works well for same-gender pairs too.
Adding harmonies in the chorus will really elevate the mood!
In a corner of the Tokyo desertToshio Kurosawa / Wakako Kano
A gem of a duet by Toshio Kurosawa and Wakiko Kano that beautifully portrays urban loneliness and the warmth of people.
Released by Nippon Columbia in January 1984, this work was crafted by the powerhouse duo of lyricist Rei Nakanishi and composer Keisuke Hama.
Its innovative metaphor of comparing the solitude and desolation of city life to a desert continues to resonate across generations.
The seamless harmony between Kurosawa’s captivating low voice and Kano’s delicate vocals shines like a single beam of light piercing the darkness.
It’s a song you’ll want to sing with someone dear at a late-night snack bar or karaoke, letting your hearts connect.
A Love Game Between a Man and a WomanShirou Aoi & Mika Hino
A classic duet song known for its playful back-and-forth between a man and a woman.
The version sung by Shiro Aoi and Mika Hino is particularly famous as a song, but it originally began as a commercial jingle for Takeda Pharmaceutical’s “Takeda Gastrointestinal Medicine 21,” performed by Tetsuya Takeda and Yoshimi Ashikawa.
The song evokes the atmosphere of a man and woman duetting at a snack bar—moody yet comedic.
Perhaps because it started as a commercial jingle, the concept of a snack-bar duet comes through especially strongly.
The third-year affairHiroshi & Kībō
When it comes to male-female duets, this is probably the first song that comes to mind for many people.
It’s a classic duet with conversational lyrics that vividly depict episodes of a man and woman living under the same roof.
The song unfolds with a man who has cheated and a woman who confronts him.
Although it should be a serious situation, the man’s excuses somehow come across as a bit comical.
While it’s typically sung as a male-female duet, it’s also a fun song to perform as a same-gender duet.
Osaka Love TourTaishiro Masuiyama / Mika Hino
This is a masterpiece of enka that evocatively portrays the romance between a man and a woman set against the rainy streets of Osaka’s Midosuji, Ebisubashi, and Dotonbori.
Released in December 1984 by Taishiro Masuiyama and Mika Hino, this duet showcases their distinctive voices in exquisite harmony.
Masuiyama’s sweet, whisper-like vocals blend beautifully with Hino’s clear, transparent singing, and the wistful melody resonates deeply in the heart.
It’s a song so charming that you’ll want to sing it together with someone special.
Shianbashi BluesAkira Nakai / Masaru Takahashi and Koloratino
This is the debut single released in April 1968 by Akira Nakai—who performed as part of the house band at the Nagasaki cabaret “Jūnibankan”—and Katsu Takahashi & Coloratino.
Its appeal lies in a wistful melody that fuses Latin music with mood kayō (showa-era pop ballads).
Set in Showa-era Nagasaki, the song vividly portrays adult romance and nocturnal cityscapes, and has been covered by numerous artists including Sachiko Nishida, Kaori Kozai, and Hachirō Kasuga.
In karaoke snack bars, it remains a highly popular classic, known as a sophisticated duet for men and women to sing in call-and-response.