Enka songs that are easy for men to sing: a roundup of tracks to try at karaoke
You might be surprised by how many people want to try singing enka at karaoke.
Of course, there are those who love enka, but even among those who don’t, some people think, “I want to sing enka well and liven up the mood,” or “I often go to karaoke with older people, so I’d like to add some enka to my repertoire.”
In this article, we’ll introduce easy-to-sing songs for men who want to sing enka at karaoke.
Songs with a not-too-wide vocal range and simple melodies are considered easier to sing.
That said, what suits you can vary, so try singing a variety of songs first to see what works for you!
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- [2026] Representative Famous Enka Songs: A Compilation of Classic Favorites [Beginner-Friendly]
- [Japan’s Best Vocalist] Fukuda Kohei’s Easy-to-Sing Karaoke Songs
- A collection of iconic, cool Showa-era kayōkyoku classics sung by male vocalists
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Easy-to-sing enka recommended for men: A roundup of songs to try at karaoke (41–50)
A Man’s LifeKitajima Saburō
A heartfelt, powerful song that reexamines the joys and sorrows of life and celebrates living with sincerity.
It carefully weaves together a half-life spent overcoming hardships and trials while valuing duty and truth.
Released by Saburo Kitajima in January 2011, this work conveys the sentiments of his more than 50-year career in show business with a mature vocal performance that deeply resonates with listeners.
While honoring the traditional flavor of enka, the song features contemporary arrangements that give it a profoundly moving quality that sinks into the heart.
It is a gem of a masterpiece to listen to when you stand at a crossroads in life or want to savor your gratitude toward someone important.
The northern city, HakodateKitagawa Daisuke
Daisuke Kitagawa has woven a poignant, adult love story set in a port town.
While richly retaining the nostalgic flavor of Showa-era kayōkyoku, this piece features a tenor saxophone that resonates to great effect, creating a gem of a song where wistfulness and warmth blend beautifully.
Scheduled for release in February 2025, the track is set in Hakodate and conveys feelings for a once-beloved partner now separated, expressed with remarkable vocal prowess.
Interweaving evocative depictions of Hakodate—its brick-lined streets and nightscapes—the song brings a heartfelt yearning for someone precious to the fore.
As a mellow, mature enka best savored alone on a quiet night, it leaves a deep and lasting impression.
I’m heading to Tokyo.Yoshi Ikuzo
The song that catapulted Ikuzo Yoshi to nationwide fame, “Ora Tokyo sa Igu da.” It’s a signature comic song of the enka world, with charming lyrics that humorously depict country life.
While this piece is firmly categorized as enka, it doesn’t feature the elaborate kobushi—those complex pitch bends—typical of more traditional enka.
The Aomori dialect phrasing might take a bit of getting used to, but the song itself is quite easy to sing for an enka number, so it’s well worth adding to your repertoire.
Blues of SorrowYoshi Ikuzo
Ikuzo Yoshi’s classic “Ai no Blues” is memorable for its passionate vocal delivery.
Although it falls into the so-called ‘onnagata’ (woman’s song) category, Yoshi’s husky voice brilliantly conveys a woman’s sorrow.
One reason this piece is easy to sing is its frequent repetition.
From the A section to the B section, the same vocal lines are often repeated, and because these repeated parts don’t include kobushi (ornamental vocal turns), the overall difficulty naturally decreases.
There is a slightly higher passage toward the end, but the overall vocal range remains narrow, so it’s undoubtedly an easy song to sing.
passionate flameYoshi Ikuzo
Ikuzo Yoshi is well regarded for his “onna-uta” (songs from a woman’s perspective), and among them, the track Joen is widely praised as a hidden masterpiece.
While its lyrics and melody exude a poignant melancholy, the vocal line is surprisingly straightforward, with gentle rises and falls in pitch.
There are few kobushi (ornamental turns), and the ones that do appear are often close to an extension of vibrato, so even those who feel uneasy about enka-style phrasing should be able to sing it without issue.
The song stays within a comfortable vocal range, making it easy to sing for both men and women.
Drunken SongYoshi Ikuzo
The song “Suika” has earned extremely high praise from critics.
It can be called a track that changed the history of enka, brilliantly mixing elements of orthodox enka, the Soran-bushi, and smooth jazz.
In particular, the jazzy saxophone showcased in the instrumental break greatly expanded the possibilities of enka.
It’s a piece only possible from Ikuzō Yoshi, one of the few singer-songwriters in the enka world.
Because the chorus incorporates the essence of the Soran-bushi, the kobushi (ornamental melismatic turns) appear more frequently there.
The other sections rely heavily on repetition and feature almost no kobushi, so the overall difficulty is relatively low.
The chorus’s kobushi are also the type that extend naturally from vibrato, making the song approachable even for those who aren’t confident with kobushi techniques.
A Migratory Bird with a GuitarKobayashi Akira
Akira Kobayashi’s classic “Guitar o Motta Wataridori” is strongly infused with elements of Western pop.
The song is based on doo-wop, a musical genre that rose to popularity in the 1950s.
While doo-wop has roots in Black music, this track’s melody leans toward a country-flavored pop reminiscent of Elvis Presley, and it’s arranged with a gentle, understated melodic line throughout.
Perhaps to suit that melody, the song features a relatively narrow vocal range for a Kobayashi number.
The long tones aren’t difficult, and there are no intricate melismatic twists like kobushi, so consider adding it to your repertoire.
Homeward Journey to the NorthKobayashi Akira
Hokkikō, a work that depicts the feelings of a man returning to his hometown.
This piece is characterized by a very gentle melody that perfectly matches its theme.
Above all, the tempo is extremely slow, allowing ample preparation before each entry in any part.
In addition, the vocal line itself is simple, and it does not feature the complex lines that often appeared in popular songs of that era using enka-style melismatic ornamentation.
With its narrow vocal range, it ranks among the easiest of Akira Kobayashi’s songs to sing.
With a fiery heartKobayashi Akira
A work notable for its distinctive sound featuring strings, “Atsuki Kokoro ni.” This piece includes few of Akira Kobayashi’s trademark upward-climbing long tones.
Since most of the long tones occur while the melody descends, even those who struggle with upward vibrato can sing it without issue.
It’s a kayōkyoku with a strong pop flavor, and advanced vocal techniques like kobushi do not appear at all.
However, the rhythm at the beginning of the chorus is somewhat irregular, so you’ll need to practice that part thoroughly.
Crimson ButterflyYamauchi Keisuke
A single released in the same year by Keisuke Yamauchi, whose name recognition among the general public rose even further after he performed it at the 75th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 2024.
Blending genres like Latin and jazz while retaining a distinctly Japanese flavor, it embodies a Reiwa-era kayōkyoku vibe.
Yamauchi’s commanding vocals carry the grand scale of the piece—truly impressive.
That said, it’s also the kind of song that really heats up at karaoke, and since Yamauchi approaches it with a J-pop-leaning delivery without enka-style vibrato flourishes, you might find it surprisingly singable if you lock into the rhythm.
