Enka that gets the karaoke crowd going! A collection of easy-to-sing classics
I want to get the party going at karaoke with close friends! But I feel a bit embarrassed singing enka… have you ever felt the same? The truth is, there are lots of enka songs with familiar melodies that are easy to sing and perfect for warming up the room.
In this article, we’ll introduce classic enka tunes you can try casually at karaoke.
If you go for it, you’ll be surprised how everyone starts humming along, and handclaps naturally break out—these songs are perfect for creating that kind of wonderful moment! You’ll also find concrete advice from a vocal coach, so enjoy it to the end!
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Enka that gets the karaoke going! A collection of easy-to-sing classics (1–10)
Kiyoshi’s Zundoko SongHikawa Kiyoshi
Kiyoshi Hikawa, a figure who sent shockwaves through the enka world.
Though an idol-type enka singer, he possesses solid vocal prowess and has influenced many as an artist who combines skill with catchiness.
“Kiyoshi no Zundoko Bushi” is one of his hit numbers.
While this song spans a fairly wide range—mid1 C to hi B—the pitch shifts in the kobushi (melodic ornaments) are kept to at most two notes, making the overall difficulty as enka relatively low.
If you have a reasonably wide vocal range, you should be able to sing it without trouble.
It’s immensely popular among madams, so consider adding it to your repertoire.
North TavernHosokawa Takashi
Takashi Hosokawa is one of Japan’s finest vocalists.
Early in his career he pursued a path as an enka singer, but after studying under Michiya Mihashi, who came from a folk song background, his already high-level singing ability grew to a monstrous level.
Among that, he has also actively taken on catchy songs, making him an extremely popular figure among enka fans.
Among Hosokawa’s songs, the one I particularly recommend for its crowd-pleasing energy and ease of singing is “Kita Sakaba.” While the overall range is set on the higher side, the range itself isn’t very wide, so you should be able to sing it if you adjust to the right key.
The song features a structure typical of enka, showcasing scale movements of two notes or more with kobushi (melismatic turns), but since the kobushi don’t continue in rapid succession, their difficulty is relatively low.
Instead of projecting your voice forward, try to produce it with the sensation of it piercing through from the crown or back of your head; doing so will bring you quite close to the original, so give it a try.
Life waits for no one.Moriyama Aiko
Ayako Morikawa is an enka singer from Toyama Prefecture.
Thanks to her solid vocal ability and her many catchy songs, you may know her even if you’re not from the Hokuriku region.
Her classic “Mattanashi da yo Jinsei wa” features plenty of shout-inflected kobushi, but since many of the kobushi phrases descend and the pitch changes within each are contained to three notes, the overall difficulty is on the lower side.
The melody also has elements of a fight song, giving it a bright feel, so you can expect it to really fire up the crowd.
Enka That Lights Up the Karaoke Night! A Collection of Easy-to-Sing Masterpieces (11–20)
festivalKitajima Saburō
Saburo Kitajima is a great enka singer who has left behind many masterpieces.
His distinctive, undulating kobushi and vibrato are especially striking.
Among his songs, the one I particularly recommend is Matsuri.
While the piece is memorable for its low register, it surprisingly spans a range from mid1 A to high C.
However, because the pitch changes within the kobushi are contained within two notes, it is classified as a work with a lower level of difficulty in terms of overall technique.
If you adjust it to your suitable key, it’s not un-singable, so be sure to identify your own vocal range carefully.
I’m going to Tokyo.Yoshi Ikuzo
Enka singer Ichi Ikuzō, known for his wide-ranging musicality from comic songs to songs in a female voice and heart-wrenching ballads.
Unusual for an enka singer, he also has the side of a singer-songwriter, and his original songs, for which he writes both lyrics and music, are full of creativity and have remained beloved across generations.
Speaking of Ikuzō Yoshii’s masterpieces, it has to be “Ora Tokyo sa Iguda,” doesn’t it? While it has elements typical of enka, it features many spoken-style parts, so the overall difficulty is on the lower side.
As a comic song, it really gets the crowd going, so be sure to add it to your repertoire.
O-Shichi and the Night Cherry BlossomsSakamoto Fuyumi
Fuyumi Sakamoto is a female enka singer who studied under the accomplished enka vocalist Yuriko Futaba.
With a highly original musical style that incorporates a wide range of genres, she enjoys popularity both within and beyond the enka world.
Her song “Yozakura Oshichi,” released in 1994, features an unusually upbeat melody for enka at the time.
The vocal range is mid1F to hiD, which falls within a typical range for female vocals, but since the BPM is 140 and somewhat fast, it’s best to master the rhythm thoroughly before singing.
Dotonbori SentimentTendō Yoshimi
Yoshimi Tendo is an enka singer highly acclaimed for her live performances.
With first-class qualities across the board—vocal power, expressiveness, and fine techniques such as kobushi—she also has songs that are relatively easy to sing.
Among them, the one I especially recommend is Dotonbori Ninjo.
It’s a robust enka number with the flavor of Kawachi Ondo, but most of the kobushi are the type that undulate at the start of each phrase, so it’s not particularly difficult.
Of course, if you aim to replicate every detail, the difficulty is high; however, since most of the Kawachi Ondo-style kobushi occur in the lower register, anyone who can control pitch in the low range should be able to sing it without issue.
By the way, the reading of the title is not “Dotonbori Ninjo,” but “Tonbori Ninjo.”