[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] Masterpiece Enka Songs with High Difficulty (11–20)
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.
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.
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.
Silent SlopeKouzai Kaori
This song can be considered one of Kaori Kozai’s signature works, known for her overwhelming vocal prowess and profound expressiveness.
Its lyrics, which portray an inexpressible, heartrending longing, blend beautifully with the emotional, dramatic melody.
Released in March 1993, it also drew attention as the theme song for a television drama of the same name.
Winning numerous music awards, including the 35th Japan Record Award, the work marked a turning point that solidified Kozai’s status as a singer.
Though it is a difficult piece requiring a wide vocal range and delicate nuance, anyone who has experienced the complexities of love will surely find it resonant.
In conclusion
Anyone who has actually tried singing the songs introduced this time has surely realized they’re not the kind you can breeze through.
Even if you can more or less stay on pitch, bringing out that distinctive enka flavor is hard—even in relatively simple songs.
That’s exactly why, if you can nail these numbers at karaoke or events, you’re bound to be the star of the day!