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.
- Cool masterpieces of enka, the heart of Japan
- Enka Path: A collection of enka songs that liken life to a road
- Enka songs that are easy for men to sing: a roundup of tracks to try at karaoke
- [Men] Enka Songs That Can Score High in Karaoke
- [For Men] Masterpiece Enka Songs with High Difficulty
- [Enka] A feature on male singers in their 60s: enka vocalists whose rugged charm shines
- A collection of classic enka masterpieces about love: songs that depict the nuances of mature romance.
- Legendary enka songs that fire up the crowd. A song catalog of enka picks you won’t go wrong with at karaoke.
- [For Beginners] Recommended Enka Masterpieces for Karaoke — Male Singers Edition
- [2026] Life's Cheering Songs: A Collection of Recommended Enka to Lift Your Spirits
- [Enka] A special feature on male singers in their 30s: authentic kayōkyoku brimming with sensual allure
- [2026] Representative Famous Enka Songs: A Compilation of Classic Favorites [Beginner-Friendly]
- Roundup of male enka singers in their 50s: masters who are active at the heart of the enka world
Men’s enka: A collection of classic songs portraying men’s way of life and spirit (91–100)
Mother’s Seaside SongFukuda Kouhei
One of Kohei Fukuda’s signature songs, it portrays a mother working on the beach before dawn.
The mother’s diligence and love as she labors by the shore are expressed with rich emotion.
The line calling out, “Fresh sardines! Come and get them! In seven days they’ll turn into sea bream,” is particularly striking, and the encouragement imbued in those words is deeply moving.
Released in February 2017, this is an enka number that highlights Fukuda’s powerful yet wistful vocals.
It features a wide vocal range from low to high notes and a distinctive phrasing honed through folk song traditions.
The technical difficulty is very high, including subtle nuances in the lyrics, the use of kobushi (ornamental turns), and other details.
It’s a song I’d highly recommend not only to enka lovers but also to singers confident in their vocal skills.
Okuhida BojoRyū Tetsuya
This is Tetsuya Ryu’s debut single, released in 1980.
With this song, he even appeared on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 1981.
Despite losing his eyesight at 25, he persevered, debuting as an enka street performer in his hometown of Takayama, Gifu, with an accordion in his arms.
He sings the lyrics, set in his home region of Okuhida, with deep emotion.
This is enka at its finest—a masterpiece packed with its unique charm.
The style features an abundance of kobushi, the characteristic melodic ornaments of enka.
To master it, listen to the recording and try imitating the kobushi.
As you repeat, you’ll start to grasp their nuances.
Be sure to mimic the note sustains and accents closely.
Not only will this help you score higher, it will undoubtedly make singing enka even more enjoyable.
North TavernHosokawa Takashi
This is Takashi Hosokawa’s signature song, released in 1982 and a major hit.
Many people might name this track when they think of enka.
It’s memorable for its approachable, more kayōkyoku/pop-like feel and its rock-style arrangement rather than traditional enka.
While many enka songs place accents on the first and third beats, this one emphasizes the second and fourth beats, like Western music and J-pop.
Memorizing the melody is important, but keeping the rhythm throughout the entire song is crucial.
Also, while Hosokawa’s high notes tend to draw attention, being able to produce solid low notes is another key point.
Nostalgic JonkaraHosokawa Takashi
Takashi Hosokawa is known for his naturally expansive high notes and exceptional vocal ability and expressiveness, grounded in a background in folk music.
This work is one of his signature songs, released in 1985—a masterpiece among masterpieces that overwhelms with its striking shamisen tones in the intro and Hosokawa’s folk-influenced singing.
Even an amateur can grasp the difficulty of mastering this song from the very beginning, but the folk-style sections are arguably the toughest part.
That said, the main sections also feature many performances marked by Hosokawa’s trademark powerful high notes and sustained tones, demanding considerable lung capacity.
You’ll likely find it very difficult to keep time in the folk-style parts as well, so listen to the original track repeatedly and train your body to internalize the rhythm and melody.
Scorpio womanMikawa Ken’ichi
A song that portrays the feelings of a passionate, single-minded woman was released in December 1972 and became a hit, achieving strong results on the Oricon charts.
With its distinctive lyrics and melody, along with an unmistakable vocal style, it captured the hearts of many and was performed seven times on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
The lyrics, which project the traits of Scorpio onto a female figure, express the complex emotions of romance.
Widely known as one of Kenichi Mikawa’s signature songs, it’s also popular as material for impressionists.
When tackling it at karaoke, it’s important to keep Mikawa’s unique timbre and expressive delivery in mind while immersing yourself in the song’s world.
Even beginners to enka will find it enjoyable to sing thanks to its familiar melody and memorable lyrics.