[2026] Easy Enka Songs for Karaoke: Recommended Picks — Women Singers Edition
This may seem sudden, but do you ever sing enka at karaoke?
As you know, enka is a uniquely Japanese genre that has enjoyed steadfast popularity since the Showa era, and it’s very popular at karaoke, too.
These days, enka is attracting attention not only from older listeners but also from younger audiences.
Still, many people may feel, “I want to try singing it at karaoke, but it seems difficult…”
In this article, we introduce classic enka songs by female singers that are relatively simple and easy to sing, even though many enka numbers are technically challenging.
We’ve also covered easy enka recommendations for male singers in another article, so be sure to check that out as well!
- [For Beginners] Recommended Enka Classics for Karaoke — Women Singers Edition
- [For Women] A roundup of enka songs that can score high in karaoke
- 【2026】Difficult Enka Songs to Sing — Women Singers Edition
- [2026] Easy-to-Sing Enka: From Classic Masterpieces to Recent Hits [Female Singers Edition]
- [2026] Easy Enka Songs Recommended for Karaoke – Male Singers Edition
- [2026] A roundup of female enka singers in their 60s: Artists who support Japanese enka
- [Enka] Songs that are easy to sing even for those who are tone-deaf [Female singers edition]
- [2026] Representative Famous Enka Songs: A Compilation of Classic Favorites [Beginner-Friendly]
- [2026] Amazing if you can sing them! Enka Masterpieces [Women Singers Edition]
- [2026] Recent hit enka songs: must-watch popular kayō tracks
- Enka songs that are easy for men to sing: a roundup of tracks to try at karaoke
- Classic enka songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: recommended popular tracks
- [Enka First Year] A Collection of Easy-to-Sing Songs by Yoko Nagayama [2026]
[2026] Easy Enka Songs Recommended for Karaoke — Female Singers (11–20)
Fleeting LoveKouzai Kaori
Here is a famous enka masterpiece that portrays a heartrending love.
The imagery—like a rainy lane and tears of sorrow—evokes the transience of life and leaves a strong impression.
Released in March 1991, it also drew attention for being performed at that year’s 42nd NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
It became a major hit, reaching No.
14 on the Oricon chart, and has continued to be cherished as one of Kaori Kozai’s signature songs.
If you’re singing it at karaoke, delicate emotional expression is key.
Savor each lyric and aim to sing in time with the relaxed tempo.
It’s a recommended track not only for fans of enka but also for anyone looking for a gently melancholic, soothing song.
The Ephemeral WomanIchikawa Yukino
Utakata no Onna, a signature song by Yukino Ichikawa included on the album Yukino Ichikawa Recital 2023: Sonosaki no Hajimari.
While Yukino Ichikawa often sings pop-style numbers, this piece is crafted as a full-fledged enka.
Even so, it’s not difficult; the highly advanced kobushi with repeated, intricate pitch rises and falls—often heard in her songs—hardly appear here.
The ornamentation mainly stays within 1–3 note movements, and the overall range is on the narrow side, so women accustomed to singing enka should be able to perform it without issue.
OrigamiIchikawa Yukino
Overall, Ichikawa-san gives the impression of singing quietly, so breathing is key.
If you sing while exhaling a little—like pronouncing ha, hi, fu, he, ho—you’ll get a breathy tone.
The important point then is to engage your lower abdomen (tanden) and project a bit more so your voice doesn’t fade.
That way, the words will be clearly heard.
The pitch rises to C5 right before the chorus, so make sure to add strong accents there! While enka often features vocal ornamentation (kobushi), this song is sung softly, so I think it’s better for the phrase endings to fade out rather than be held.
Still, articulate the final words clearly.
Overall, the melody isn’t high; if anything it’s on the lower side, which might make it harder for women to find the pitch.
If you raise your hand to eyebrow level and imagine sending your voice there, your pitch will stabilize.
Be careful throughout not to let your pitch drop as you sing.
Woman Harbor TownYashiro Aki
Onna Minato-machi is a single released by Aki Yashiro in 1977.
In fact, it’s a cover of the original song Onna Minato-machi released in 1973 by Yuji Minami and the Full Sails.
It’s a classic that was performed at the 28th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen and received a Special Award at the 10th All Japan Cable Broadcasting Awards.
With a richly kayōkyoku-influenced sound, it’s an ideal choice for karaoke, especially for those who aren’t yet accustomed to straightforward enka or who love Showa-era pop.
The rhythmical A melody with clearly articulated Japanese and light accents, as well as the distinctive vibrato sections that appear in the B melody and chorus, can make it easy to go off pitch, so be sure to focus your practice on those parts.
Tearful LoveYashiro Aki
Aki Yashiro possesses a very unusual vocal quality for a singer.
Typically, as singers age, their lower register gains more heft, but in her case it was the opposite—she had a richer, deeper low range when she was younger.
One of the works released early in her career is Namida Koi.
Its slightly muffled, husky voice timbre leaves a strong impression, doesn’t it? As enka, this piece features relatively few kobushi ornaments and incorporates plenty of kayōkyoku (Japanese pop) elements, making it easy to sing even for those who aren’t fond of enka.
I want to see you againYashiro Aki
Although Aki Yashiro is known for many poignant and bluesy songs, she has also released some orthodox, warmly toned enka.
Among them, the one I especially recommend is “Mou Ichido Aitai” (“I Want to See You Once More”).
Compared to her usual work, this piece is a bit more powerful and includes sections that demand a certain amount of vocal projection.
Because of that, it sacrifices some of the subtlety of kobushi (melismatic ornamentation), so overall the difficulty level can be considered relatively low.
While it is a powerful song, rather than focusing on singing with sheer force, it tends to sound better if you lower the key and solidly support the lower notes—please keep that in mind.
[2026] Easy Enka Songs Recommended for Karaoke – Women Singers (21–30)
A woman’s heartYashiro Aki
Onnagokoro, known as one of Aki Yashiro’s early masterpieces.
Although it falls under the enka category, it leans more toward a blues-style kayōkyoku.
As a result, instances of kobushi are very few; aside from one spot at the end of the chorus, there isn’t anything resembling a typical kobushi.
Even that kobushi at the end of the chorus only shifts by a single scale degree, so its difficulty as a kobushi is quite low.
For those who enjoy somber, brooding songs, this might be right up your alley.
Consider adding it to your repertoire.