New enka single release [November 2025]

HearthstoneKawahara Shin’ichi

Kawahara Shinichi “Heartstone” MUSIC VIDEO

Shinichi Kawahara, who made the unusual career shift from guitarist-vocalist in a rock band to the world of enka, has released his first single with Nippon Crown in November 2025: “Heart Stone / Yume no Saikoro.” The work’s appeal lies in its true-story-based narrative, inspired by a real heart-shaped cobblestone in Yokohama’s Harbor View Park, recounting memories of a now-departed lover.

Sophisticated arrangements—where Latin-flavored rhythms intertwine with horns—create a port-town atmosphere.

It’s a song that resonates with the ache of moving forward while holding a deep longing for a lost love.

Stop the NightKiryuu Daisuke

Stop the Night / Stop the night (#Daisuke Kiryu) #originalsong #music #kayokyoku #enka #Elvis #Yokohama #singer #Jpop

Daisuke Kiryu, known as the “Reiwa-era Japanese Elvis,” is a powerhouse singer who has won the Elvis Presley Contest Japan three times and placed at the world championships.

His sixth single, “Stop the Night,” released in November 2025, is a love song that dramatatically portrays the rekindling of a mature romance against the backdrop of the Yokohama bayside nightscape.

Kiryu himself wrote the lyrics, with composition and arrangement by Shinji Tamura.

The track fuses rockabilly grooves with the emotive melodies of Japanese kayōkyoku.

It will especially resonate with listeners who carry memories of an unforgettable love or who are fond of port-city night views.

You’re crazy.Yubara Masayuki

Masayuki Yuhara “You’re Out of Your Mind” Official Music Video

Released in November 2025 as the first installment following his move to Tokuma Japan, Masayuki Yuhara’s “Dōka Shiteru ne” is a Latin-tinged kayō pop song that portrays the bewilderment of a man suddenly told by his wife that she wants to leave him.

Created by the star-studded team of lyricist Nemuko Oikawa and composer Tetsuya Gen, the track’s appeal lies in the unexpected twist of Yuhara—long known as half of a devoted “lovebird couple”—deliberately playing the role of a man served divorce papers.

It’s a song that will resonate especially with adults seasoned by life experience.

Ryoma Sakamoto: Dreaming of Japan’s DawnAkioka Hideharu

Hideharu Akioka “Sakamoto Ryoma ~Dreaming of Japan’s Dawn~” MUSIC VIDEO

Since his debut in 1991, Shuji Akioka has centered his career on barroom enka and songs about life.

Beginning in 2024, he embarked on a new series themed around heroes of the late Edo period.

This work, released in November 2025 as the second installment following the previous song about Takamori Saigo, is a historical romance enka portraying the life of Sakamoto Ryoma.

From the arrival of the Black Ships to the Satsuma–Choshu Alliance and the “Eight Policies on Board,” it powerfully sings of Ryoma’s dream of a “dawn of Japan.” A robust melody and Akioka’s characteristically rich, mature vocals are a perfect match, making this a remarkably satisfying track to hear.

Witch’s BluesKasumi-KASMI-

Witch's Blues / Kasumi -KASMI-

“Witch’s Blues” is KASMI’s second single.

It’s a work wrapped in the bewitching atmosphere of the late night.

The arrangement is by Hideya Sawamura.

True to KASMI’s self-styled persona as a “witch who sings and dances,” it’s crafted as a kayōkyoku piece that boldly incorporates elements of blues.

Her sultry vocals pair beautifully with the smooth, restrained melody.

It’s an emotion-rich enka-kayō song that makes you want to listen slowly in a nighttime bar.

Farewell MelancholyTakigawa Maiko

Maiko Takigawa / Farewell Melancholy

A single released by Nippon Columbia in October 2025.

Layering a driving melody over poignant lyrics that capture the moment of parting as two people step off in different directions at an intersection, it delivers a stirring contrast.

The arrangement by Masashi Yatabe is superb, using the timbre of the saxophone to amplify the song’s emotional depth.

In addition to being selected as a recommended track by Radio Nippon, it was featured in the magazine Monthly Uta no Techo, generating buzz.

Be sure to check it out.

lip service; idealistic talk; sugarcoatingOka Yuuko

Yuko Oka “Kireigoto” Music Video

Kireigoto is a single released in October 2025—an enka piece that powerfully portrays the dual nature of a woman’s heart.

Sung by veteran artist Yuko Oka from Saga Prefecture and released by King Records, the song features an all-star creative team: Kyosuke Kuni, Akihito Shikata, and Norio Ito.

It expresses the wavering emotions of a woman who moves between goddess and demoness, carried by a classic enka melody.

Highly recommended for those who enjoy elegant, woman-centered enka and for anyone looking for a satisfying karaoke number.