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

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and for over 18 years I’ve contributed to music magazines, disc guide books, mooks, and web media. As a writer my main field is Western music, but as a listener for over 35 years, I always try to keep my curiosity alive with the motto “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in bands, where I was a bassist who handled songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve played include bass, guitar, and piano. I began studying English in my mid-40s and continue to do so today.

Did you know that in the late 1960s there was a boom in so-called “local songs” themed around Nagasaki within genres like enka and mood kayō? It’s quite fascinating that a string of classic Showa-era hits set in Nagasaki emerged one after another, such as Shianbashi Blues by Akira Nakai, Masaru Takahashi & Corolatino, and Nagasaki Blues by Mina Aoe.

This article highlights and introduces local songs set in Nagasaki, selected from the enka and kayōkyoku genres.

Even today in the Reiwa era, new local songs continue to be born—enjoy the enduring charm of Nagasaki through these timeless classics.

[2026] A Compilation of Classic Enka and Kayōkyoku Songs About Nagasaki [Local Songs] (11–20)

Crying… NagasakiKadokawa Hiroshi

Crying... Nagasaki ~ Hiroshi Kadokawa

Crying... NagasakiKadokawa Hiroshi

Hiroshi Kadokawa has been active in the enka world for nearly half a century since his debut in 1976.

Released in October 2025, “Namida Bōkyō Kazemizaki” is set in Nagasaki on a rainy night and portrays the poignant feelings of someone who keeps waiting for a person who never comes.

Weaving in Nagasaki scenes like Hollander Slope and Shianbashi, it delicately expresses loneliness and longing.

Kadokawa’s deep, resonant voice blends beautifully with the song’s world.

Be sure to listen carefully and savor it.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

In conclusion

As the famous songs we introduced this time also sing about, Nagasaki—surrounded by the sea—boasts scenic beauty and a charm that evokes a touch of exoticism rooted in its history.

Perhaps it’s precisely this uniquely Nagasaki atmosphere that gave rise to so many classics in the genres of enka and mood kayō.

Of course, there are plenty of regional enka songs outside Nagasaki as well, so if you’re interested, be sure to dig deeper.