[Treasure of Powerful Enka] Takashi Hosokawa’s Easy-to-Sing Songs
Takashi Hosokawa is one of Japan’s leading enka singers.
Originally, he focused solely on enka, but partway through his career he met Michiya Mihashi and began studying folk songs under him.
As a result, his already impressive vocal ability was elevated to a near-monster level, and he went on to release highly challenging songs like “Tsugaru Yamauta” and “Bokyō Jongara.”
Because of this, many people likely have the impression that “Takashi Hosokawa’s songs = difficult.”
So this time…!
We’ve selected some of Takashi Hosokawa’s songs that are especially easy to sing.
From catchy hits to hidden gems known to the initiated, we’ve picked a wide range—be sure to check them out to the end!
- [Enka] Songs That Are Easy to Sing Even for the Tone-Deaf [Male Singer Edition]
- [For Men] Masterpiece Enka Songs with High Difficulty
- [The Pinnacle of Modern Enka] Shimazu Aya’s Easy-to-Sing Songs
- [Enka] Songs that are easy to sing even for those who are tone-deaf [Female singers edition]
- [Wakayama’s Treasure] Fuyumi Sakamoto’s Easy-to-Sing Songs
- [For Women] Masterpiece Enka Songs with a High Degree of Difficulty
- A roundup of male enka singers who represent the Showa era
- [2026] Summary of Enka Singers from Aomori
- The Allure of Deep Vocals: A Collection of Yutaka Yamakawa’s Easy-to-Sing Songs [2026]
- [Male Singers Edition] The face of New Year’s Eve! Enka singers who appeared on the Kōhaku Uta Gassen
- [2026] Amazing If You Can Sing It! Classic Enka Masterpieces [Male Singers Edition]
- Enka songs that are easy for men to sing: a roundup of tracks to try at karaoke
- [For Beginners] Recommended Enka Masterpieces for Karaoke — Male Singers Edition
[Treasure of Powerful Enka] Takashi Hosokawa’s Easy-to-Sing Songs (11–20)
Let’s ONDO AgainHosokawa Takashi
Takashi Hosokawa’s unique masterpiece, “Let’s ONDO Again.” Thanks in part to its English title, it may seem like a trendy, Western-style song, but it firmly follows the foundations of enka.
That doesn’t mean it’s difficult—there are no highly demanding kobushi.
By “difficult kobushi,” we mean repeatedly raising and lowering pitch on the same vowel, but this song features few such ornaments, so even those who aren’t comfortable with complex kobushi can sing it well.
However, the melodic range is somewhat wide, so you’ll need to identify your optimal key and adjust accordingly.
Dream-Drunk PersonHosokawa Takashi
In recent years, Takashi Hosokawa has not only been releasing enka songs with formidable difficulty, but also simple, catchy tracks that the general public can enjoy.
Among them, the one I especially recommend is Yumesui-bito.
While it’s a bona fide enka number with a fair amount of kobushi ornamentation, the chorus is shaped into a melody that leans quite close to pop.
The kobushi themselves aren’t particularly difficult, so if you’re accustomed to singing enka, you should be able to handle it without any trouble.
Ah, what a beautiful woman.Hosokawa Takashi
Takashi Hosokawa is also skilled at expressing masculine melancholy.
Among his songs, the one that especially conveys this mood is “Ah, A Good Woman.” Although it has a very cool, mature melody, the enka elements aren’t particularly strong; the vocal line leans more toward kayōkyoku.
As a result, there are no kobushi (the intricate pitch bends that require complex rises and falls).
If you follow the pitch accurately and add vibrato where needed, it’s quite singable—so much so that you can aim for a high karaoke score.
Lingering Snow, TsugaruHosokawa Takashi
With each stage of his career, Takashi Hosokawa has acquired an increasingly powerful singing voice.
While later works tend to feature more difficult songs, this piece is an exception.
“Zansetsu Tsugaru” is a solid, vigorous number, yet its vocal line is surprisingly straightforward, with no sections that require belting.
In addition, there are no kobushi embellishments that move the pitch up and down two or three times, making it far easier to sing than it might sound at first.
Consider adding it to your repertoire.
See you at the bar.Hosokawa Takashi
Among Takashi Hosokawa’s songs, the masterpiece “Sakaba de Abayo” stands out with a distinctly unconventional vibe.
Its biggest draw is the bass line: the slap bass, with its bouncy groove, ties the entire track together with a highly rhythmic feel.
Perhaps due to this arrangement, the enka elements are quite minimal, and there’s no use of kobushi—the ornamental melisma that requires intricate pitch movements.
It also doesn’t demand much vocal power, so even those who struggle with kobushi can sing it without issue.
Consider adding it to your repertoire.