[For Women] Masterpiece Enka Songs with a High Degree of Difficulty
When you see someone at karaoke masterfully singing enka with powerful vibrato, even an untrained ear thinks, “Wow, this person is a great singer.”
The enka genre fundamentally demands high vocal skill and expressive ability, so it’s difficult to pull off unless you’re at least somewhat confident in your singing.
In this article, we’ve researched challenging, higher-difficulty enka songs that we hope those already somewhat familiar with the genre will try, compiling classic tracks by female vocalists.
We’re featuring not only universally known hits but also excellent songs released in recent years, so be sure to check them out!
By the way, we’ve also published a separate article for songs by male singers, so don’t miss that one either.
- [For Men] Masterpiece Enka Songs with High Difficulty
- [For Women] A roundup of enka songs that can score high in karaoke
- [2026] Amazing if you can sing them! Enka Masterpieces [Women Singers Edition]
- [Female Singers Edition] The face of New Year’s Eve! Enka singers who appeared on the Kōhaku Uta Gassen
- [2026] Active in the enka and kayō world! A roundup of beautiful enka singers
- A roundup of leading female enka singers representing the Showa era
- [Enka] Songs that are easy to sing even for those who are tone-deaf [Female singers edition]
- [For Beginners] Recommended Enka Classics for Karaoke — Women Singers Edition
- Queen of Enka: A roundup of Aki Yashiro’s easy-to-sing songs
- [2026] Enka’s Seventh Generation! A roundup of young enka singers
- [Treasure of Powerful Enka] Takashi Hosokawa’s Easy-to-Sing Songs
- [People・Songs・Heart] A Collection of Miyuki Kawanaka’s Easy-to-Sing Songs [2026]
- [Asian Songstress] A Collection of Teresa Teng’s Easy-to-Sing Songs
[For Women] Masterpieces of Enka with High Difficulty (1–10)
White Thread Love StoryKudō Ayano
A full-fledged enka piece by Ayano Kudo, inspired by Kyoka Izumi’s tragic love stories.
Set in Kanazawa, it richly conveys the tale of a woman who stakes her life for the one she loves.
Released in January 2022, the song became Kudo’s seventh single.
While honoring the traditional enka style, it also reflects a new challenge for Kudo.
The repeated phrase near the end is technically demanding and requires singing with deep emotion.
Michinoku Homesick SongKadamatsu Miyuki
The debut song of Miyuki Kadomatsu, who is gaining attention as a rising star in the enka world, is a homesick-themed piece set in the Tohoku region.
Its lyrics powerfully yet delicately portray the feelings of a woman who has left her hometown to strive in the big city, seamlessly fused with Kadomatsu’s dynamic vocals.
Released in February 2019, this track marked her major-label debut with Nippon Columbia and showcased her talents to the world.
Her singing—spanning a wide vocal range and rich emotional expression—carries the tradition of enka while bringing a fresh breeze, making it quite challenging to tackle in karaoke.
Cape TachimachiMori Masako
It’s a classic song set on the Sea of Japan that poignantly portrays a woman who continues to wait for her beloved.
Masako Mori’s clear, deeply expressive singing resonates profoundly with listeners.
Released in August 1982 as Mori’s 39th single, the song won the Grand Prize at the Masao Koga Memorial Music Awards.
It was also performed at the NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen at the end of the same year, earning widespread affection.
While upholding the traditions of enka, the song features a melodious quality reminiscent of kayōkyoku, highlighted by Mori’s transparent, luminous voice.
It’s a demanding piece that calls for a wide vocal range and delicate expressiveness, but by all means, give it a try.
[For Women] Masterpiece Enka Songs with High Difficulty (11–20)
Nostalgic O-kesaMori Konomi
Konomi Mori, who has studied folk songs since childhood and won numerous competitions, released this track in 2020.
As an enka piece that evokes nostalgia, it conveys profound emotion.
The lyrics, filled with feelings for her hometown of Sado, memories of a past love, and a poignant sense of life’s changes, resonate deeply with listeners.
Together with the timbre of the shamisen, it embodies the essence of enka.
Showcasing Mori’s vocal prowess to the fullest, the work strikes an exquisite balance between power and delicacy, earning support not only from enka aficionados but from a wide range of music fans.
Though it’s a challenging song even for those accustomed to enka, do give it a try.
Tango Namida StationShiina Sachiko
This is an enka song by Sachiko Shiina that sings of the pain of heartbreak against the snowy backdrop of the Tango Peninsula.
While depicting a heartrending farewell, the lyrics unfold with a strong sense of storytelling, and the melody is notable for requiring a wide vocal range.
Released in January 2020, the song drew attention as the third installment in Shiina’s Sea of Japan series.
If you try it at karaoke, you’ll need a rich, sultry tone and deeply expressive delivery, so even those familiar with enka may need practice.
It’s a perfect piece for those with plenty of romantic experience or hidden feelings in their hearts.
KoishunkaHayama Mizuki
It’s such an emotionally rich piece that you can’t help but surrender yourself to the sound of the huqin.
With its fantastical worldview and meticulous vocal delivery, it has a beauty that permeates the listener’s heart.
While the melody is easy on the ears, the lyrics weave in a bittersweet yearning and scenes of spring, drawing you in with their expressive power.
From a technical standpoint, the wide vocal range required—from flowing highs to resonant lows—makes it quite challenging.
Understanding the meaning of the lyrics while singing with deep feeling is no easy task.
It’s a song I especially hope those familiar with enka will take on.
Jonkara Onna-bushiNagayama Yōko
It’s a masterpiece where Yoko Nagayama’s passionate singing shines, with the soul-stirring tone of the Tsugaru shamisen.
Set against the snowy landscapes of Tsugaru, the lyrics poignantly portray the feelings of a woman living as a wandering shamisen player, resonating deeply with the listener.
Released in June 2003, the song topped the Oricon enka chart.
It has been performed multiple times on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen and is known as one of Nagayama’s signature songs.
Her unique style of singing while playing the shamisen herself can be said to have opened up a new frontier in enka.
Packed with challenging elements such as Tsugaru dialect and folk-style phrasing, this piece seems to require considerable practice to master, even for those accustomed to enka.