[2026] A Collection of Classic Enka and Kayōkyoku Songs About Nagasaki [Local Songs]

Nagasaki RegretMikawa Ken’ichi

Nagasaki Regret

When it comes to kayōkyoku songs about Chichijima in the Ogasawara Islands, Chichijima Blues is well-known, but there is also this masterpiece of enka themed around Nagasaki by Kenichi Mikawa.

Set against the emotionally rich scenery of Nagasaki, it is a gem of a song that passionately sings of lingering feelings for a lost lover.

Released in October 2006, it has been included in Mikawa’s complete works albums and has been loved for many years.

Real place names such as Nagasaki’s Dutch Slope and Shianbashi appear, and the rain-soaked streets symbolically express a woman’s heartrending emotions.

It’s a recommended track for those who want to reminisce about a trip to Nagasaki or soothe the pain of a broken heart.

Invited to NagasakiSazankurosu

Southern Cross “Invited to Nagasaki” (Official Audio)

This work is a celebrated “Nagasaki-themed” song released in 1981.

Set against the charming streets of Nagasaki, its evocative scenes—such as rain-dampened cobblestones and the Shianbashi district—vividly color the passionate moments shared by lovers.

It’s included on the album Ai: Yuji Mori and Southern Cross Original Album, and was later featured on the best-of collection Southern Cross Best 28 ~Ashidematoi~, released in April 2024.

It’s a recommended track for those who want to savor the allure of Nagasaki while indulging in a mature romance.

It might also be perfect as BGM for a rainy-day drive.

Nagasaki nights are purple.Segawa Eiko

Eiko Segawa “Nagasaki Nights Are Purple” (Official Audio)

Set against the beautiful purple nightscape of Nagasaki, this classic song poignantly laments a lost love.

Released in March 1970, it became Eiko Segawa’s first hit single.

Although she experienced more than fifteen years without major hits afterward, she made a spectacular comeback in 1986 with “Inochi Kurenai.” This work won the Expectation Award at the 3rd Japan Cable Awards and peaked at No.

25 on the Oricon charts.

It embodies Segawa’s strong desire to express Nagasaki’s beauty and melancholy through the enka genre.

It’s a perfect song to play when visiting Nagasaki or when you want to indulge in nostalgic memories.

Nagasaki StoryYuri Akemi

Nagasaki Monogatari (Akemi Yuri)

One of the signature songs by Akemi Yuri, a singer who epitomized early Showa-era Japan, is this piece set in Nagasaki.

Its lyrics, which portray the exotic scenery of Nagasaki and the tragic love of a woman named Jagatara Oharu, blend with Yuri’s sultry voice to deeply move listeners.

Released in 1939, this work is a song that fully conveys the charm of Nagasaki.

It is included on the album “Japanese Popular Song Stars (23) Akemi Yuri: Nagasaki Monogatari ~ Atami Blues,” released by Victor Entertainment in December 2019.

This song is recommended not only for those interested in Nagasaki’s history and culture, but also for anyone who wants to experience popular songs from the early Showa period.

My last love was in NagasakiTakamiyagi Seiji

Seiji Takamiyagi “My Last Love Is… Nagasaki” MV (included on the single ‘My Last Love Is… Nagasaki,’ released June 18, 2024)

Set against the backdrop of Nagasaki’s harbor town, glistening in white night mist and rain, a new kayōkyoku has been born that portrays the melancholy and resolve of a mature romance, singing the final love of two forgiving lovers.

Its hallmark is a gently flowing melodic line, and while it embraces the traditional elements of kayōkyoku, its modern arrangement adds to its appeal.

This work is Seiji Takamiyagi’s fifth single, released in June 2024, and includes “Ai no Cocktail XYZ” and “Jinsei wa Omoide no Komoriuta” as coupling tracks.

It’s a recommended piece for those who want to savor Nagasaki’s beautiful scenery and the ache of a bittersweet love.