Enka, a genre that represents Japanese music.
Its singing method uses a technique called kobushi, which is highly distinctive, and its unique sound—built on pentatonic scales and triads—has been loved for many years.
That said, because enka relies on kobushi, many people may feel it’s difficult to sing.
For those people, we’ve selected songs that minimize the use of kobushi and don’t require a wide vocal range.
We also cover the technical aspects in detail, so if you want to sing enka well, this is a must-read!
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Easy-to-sing enka: A roundup of recommended enka songs for karaoke (1–10)
Oh, sake!Yoshi Ikuzo
Yoshi Ikuzo is a singer-songwriter who has gained popularity for his wide musical range, from catchy and unique songs to deeply moving, authentic pieces.
He’s been active on YouTube recently as well, and is recognized by younger audiences.
When it comes to his masterpieces, many people probably think of “Sake yo.” It’s a song characteristic of him as someone who composes his own music, featuring vocals that subtly convey emotion.
While he sometimes uses kobushi (a traditional vocal ornament), it’s a song you can sing without it, so focus above all on expressiveness when performing.
Dream PlayNEW!Umezawa Fumio
At first, Mr.
Tomio Umezawa said he didn’t want to sing, but thanks to this song’s massive hit, he also succeeded as a singer.
It’s a classic that depicts the push-and-pull of romance from a sultry male perspective, and it made Umezawa nationally famous as the “Tamasaburō of the downtown.” The song itself runs a quick 3 minutes and 40 seconds, so it might be just right for karaoke.
With an overall range of A2 to D4, it feels calm and singable without straining.
Sing it in a relaxed state.
freezing rainKayama Akio
The song “Hisame” leaves a strong impression with its subdued tone and wistful lyrics.
It’s a classic by Akio Kayama.
Many artists have covered it, which also reflects how singable it is as an enka piece.
Because it strongly embodies kayōkyoku characteristics, there’s little kobushi (melismatic ornamentation) and it doesn’t demand much vocal power.
Instead, it requires dynamic contrast, so when you actually sing it, make the difference between the verse (A-melo) and the chorus very clear.
If this rendition doesn’t suit you, it’s also recommended to look to other artists for reference.
Life is full of ups and downs.Shimakura Chiyoko
Chiyoko Shimakura’s classic song “Jinsei Iroiro.” Anyone above a certain age knows this masterpiece.
You probably think of it as an easy-to-sing enka even without any introduction, right? That’s because this song is actually closer to kayōkyoku than to enka.
You can tell from the video, but the mic setup in that performance is oddly bad, isn’t it? Even so, it still comes across so well—proof that the song is easy.
There’s no kobushi ornamentation either, so if you just focus on staying in tune, you can deliver a decent quality performance.
Definitely use it as a reference.
Yagiri no Watashi (Yagiri Ferry)Hosokawa Takashi
Takashi Hosokawa is one of Japan’s leading enka singers.
There are many other enka singers who represent Japan, but few possess vocal ability on his level.
Because Hosokawa is so highly regarded for his vocals, his songs are, of course, also very challenging.
However, there are some that are easier to sing—such as Yakiri no Watashi (The Ferry at Yakiri).
While it’s not entirely without kobushi (the characteristic enka vocal ornament), the occurrences are relatively few, and the long tones are of manageable difficulty, making it very beginner-friendly.
Woman of ShinjukuFuji Keiko
Keiko Fuji was a female singer whose expressive power captivated many people.
Among younger generations, she’s known as the mother of Hikaru Utada.
Of her songs, the one I especially recommend is Shinjuku no Onna (The Woman of Shinjuku).
Her music leans strongly toward kayōkyoku (classic Japanese pop), so even those who aren’t confident singers tend to find her songs easy to sing—and this track is especially approachable.
While her vocals are powerful, there isn’t much kobushi (ornamental vibrato typical of enka), so you should be able to sing it even if you’re not used to enka-style singing.
North TavernHosokawa Takashi
Takashi Hosokawa is one of Japan’s leading enka singers.
Armed with overwhelming vocal power, he has been a standard-bearer of the enka world for many years.
When it comes to his signature songs, many people probably think of Kita Sakaba.
It may sound like a difficult piece, but once you try singing it, it’s surprisingly approachable, and among Hosokawa’s songs the vibrato-style embellishments are kept relatively modest.
Lowering the key makes it even easier to sing, so if you struggle with typical enka phrasing, give it a try.