[Female Singers Edition] The face of New Year’s Eve! Enka singers who appeared on the Kōhaku Uta Gassen
Kōhaku Uta Gassen, NHK’s year-end national music program, has been beloved for many years since it began in 1951.
In recent years, the lineup of performers has grown increasingly diverse, reflecting the times.
Still, across the Shōwa, Heisei, and Reiwa eras, many people would say that the singers they simply can’t see out the year without—the true “faces of New Year’s Eve”—are the enka performers.
In this article, we’ve selected female enka singers who have appeared on Kōhaku.
Please enjoy them along with their signature songs!
- [Male Singers Edition] The face of New Year’s Eve! Enka singers who appeared on the Kōhaku Uta Gassen
- A roundup of leading female enka singers representing the Showa era
- [2026] Amazing if you can sing them! Enka Masterpieces [Women Singers Edition]
- [2026] A roundup of female enka singers in their 60s: Artists who support Japanese enka
- [2026] Active in the enka and kayō world! A roundup of beautiful enka singers
- A roundup of female enka singers in their 70s: voices that evoke nostalgia
- [2026] Compilation of Enka Singers from Kumamoto
- [2026] A roundup of enka singers from Niigata
- [For Beginners] Recommended Enka Classics for Karaoke — Women Singers Edition
- [2026] Easy-to-Sing Enka: From Classic Masterpieces to Recent Hits [Female Singers Edition]
- [Enka] Songs that are easy to sing even for those who are tone-deaf [Female singers edition]
- [Original Endoru] A Collection of Easy-to-Sing Songs by Junko Ishihara [2026]
- [Tears and Alcohol] A Collection of Kaori Kozai’s Easy-to-Sing Songs [2026]
[Female Singers] The Faces of New Year’s Eve! Enka Singers Who Performed on the Red and White Song Battle (21–30)
Spring-anticipating drizzleMatsubara Nobue
Nobue Matsubara, who debuted in 1979 with “Onna no Defune.” Her charm lies in her straightforward singing style without affectation.
She adds only a light kobushi to bring out the song, and the fresh, clear tone really touches the heart.
She has appeared many times on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen—seven times in total since 1985! She has also released duet songs such as “Shinjuku Sodachi,” and the male-female back-and-forth feels great, so be sure to give them a listen!
Nagasaki nights are purple.Segawa Eiko
Eiko Segawa, who brightened the Showa era as a diva of the enka world, made her debut in 1967 at age 20 with “Namida no Kageboshi.” The daughter of an enka singer, she was immersed in music from a young age.
After her debut, she steadily built her career and gained attention with “Nagasaki no Yoru wa Murasaki.” In 1986, “Inochi Kurenai” became a million seller and her signature song.
With her rich vocal ability and deeply expressive voice, she captured the hearts of many fans.
She has also appeared four times on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
Women Singers Edition: The Face of New Year’s Eve! Enka Singers Who Appeared on the Kōhaku Uta Gassen (31–40)
The night is crying.Jinno Mika
In 1977, she won TV Tokyo’s “East-West Kids’ Singing Imitation Grand Prix” by performing Harumi Miyako’s “Anko Tsubaki wa Koi no Hana,” after which she was scouted by many talent agencies.
She made her debut as a singer in 1984 after graduating from high school.
Known for her outstanding vocal prowess, she has performed across a wide range of genres, including appearances at rock festivals and at SXSW, one of the world’s largest music and film festivals.
In the United States, she is said to be known as the “Enka Diva.”
Hokkokukaidō (Hokkoku Highway/Road)Chō Hoyūki
Nagae Naho is a singer born in 1959 from Osaka Prefecture.
She debuted in 1985 with “Onna no Jinsei Mattanashi,” and in 1990 won the Japan Cable Radio Awards’ Cable Music Award thanks to the hit “Shinobi Gawa.” In 1993, she also appeared on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen with the smash hit “Horenoji Gasa.” Ms.
Nagae’s glamorous style is wonderful.
One can’t help but be captivated by the beauty with which she richly sings classic enka and the passions of women.
Keep an eye on her friendly blog, updated regularly, and be sure to take your time savoring the depth of her performances!
In Search of Love and DeathAoyama Kazuko
Kazuko Aoyama, known as one of the leading enka singers of the Showa era, made her debut in 1960 with “Samishii Hana” (“Lonely Flower”) and rose to stardom in 1964 with “Ai to Shi o Mitsumete” (“Gazing at Love and Death”).
The song won her the 6th Japan Record Award and earned her first appearance on NHK’s Kouhaku Uta Gassen.
Aoyama’s appeal lay in lyrics depicting the tragic love of young couples and her richly expressive delivery.
With “Yume o Kudasai” (“Please Give Me a Dream”) in 1967, she established a new image, gaining broad support and being chosen to sing theme songs for TV dramas.
In February 2009, she married Takashi Kobe, formerly of Toshi Itou and Happy & Blue, drawing attention in her private life as well.
In conclusion
Precisely because NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen now features such a wide variety of artists and bands, there must be many viewers who feel reassured by the presence of enka singers.
In recent years, with the emergence of young enka performers dubbed the “seventh generation,” we can only hope to see a gathering of diverse vocalists—from the venerable masters who are living encyclopedias of enka to the up-and-coming talents!