Men’s enka: a collection of classic songs portraying the way men live and their fighting spirit
There are many enka songs that depict the way men live and their stylish, gallant spirit.
There are also songs that sing about bonds and love from a male perspective.
In this article, we’ll introduce a wide selection of songs that convey men’s emotions.
We’ve gathered plenty of chic, cool tracks and deeply moving songs full of compassion.
We’re sure you’ll find songs that resonate with you regardless of gender, so please listen while following along with the lyrics.
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Men’s enka: A collection of classic songs portraying the way of life and spirit of men (71–80)
Oh, sake!Yoshi Ikuzo
A signature song by Ikuzo Yoshi that movingly portrays the feelings of a man drinking alone.
Released in September 1988, it won the Grand Prix at the All Japan Cable Broadcasting Awards and has long been cherished as a classic enka number.
Yoshi’s deep vocals blend perfectly with the wistful melody, creating a piece that resonates with listeners.
It has also been performed twice on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen, earning wide popularity.
When trying it at karaoke, pay attention to Yoshi’s distinctive vocal projection and emotive expression.
It’s recommended to sing it gently while imagining a scene of reflecting on life over a drink.
Drunken SongYoshi Ikuzo
With its wistful melody and lyrically rich verses, this classic resonates deeply in many people’s hearts.
Through the image of a man drinking in a corner of the city, it expresses memories of the past, feelings for family, and a sense of loneliness.
The recurring chorus phrase “Yāren Sōran yo” is a line from the traditional Japanese folk song “Sōran Bushi,” reflecting a deep connection to Yosh Ikuzo’s roots.
Released in June 1990, it became a hit, selling 100,000 copies that year alone.
It’s said to have boosted bar sales as avid drinkers frequently sang it as karaoke at snack bars.
This is a song we especially recommend to those with a wealth of life experience.
Men’s Fire FestivalSakamoto Fuyumi
“Otoko no Himatsuri” is a single released in 2013 by Fuyumi Sakamoto, a singer whose overwhelming vocal ability lets her master everything from enka to pop.
It’s her first full-fledged enka work since the 2008 single “Kinokawa,” and serves as a rallying anthem to inspire Japanese men, with a festival theme.
The lyrics resonate with men who work tirelessly for their families, and the invigorating sound is a major draw.
It opens with powerful taiko drumming, featuring a collaboration with Kodo, the world-renowned taiko ensemble.
With a fiery heartKobayashi Akira
This is an uplifting track whose charm lies in the seamless harmony between a powerful vocal style grounded in Akira Kobayashi’s enka and a stylish sound that incorporates Eiichi Ohtaki–like strings.
The expansive, panoramic feel of both the vocals and the arrangement evokes the emotions felt on a journey and the memories accumulated along the way.
The Western-film atmosphere in the sound and the train-like rocking rhythm convey a straight, vivid image of traveling the world.
A street corner in loveYamauchi Keisuke
This is Keisuke Yamauchi’s 2008 hit song about romances between men and women unfolding in bars across bustling districts like Sapporo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka.
Although he’s from Fukuoka Prefecture, his career has an interesting twist in that his popularity first took off from Hokkaido.
The song doesn’t demand a particularly wide vocal range, nor does it feature extremely high or low notes.
The classic path to improvement is to grasp the melody and sing so the lyrics come across clearly and crisply.
If you sing while taking a bird’s-eye view of the song’s world—approaching it with the mindset of a narrator—you’ll likely be able to perform without overloading it with emotion, in just the right way.