Classic enka songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: recommended popular tracks
Enka, the genre of music that helped energize Japan up through around the 1980s.
Countless masterpieces were born in this field of enka.
This time, we’re featuring the crème de la crème—timeless enka hits that defined their eras and are perfect for singing at karaoke.
From well-known classics to hidden gems known only to aficionados, we’ve selected songs across a wide range of years and styles, so be sure to find the one that suits you.
We’re introducing quite a number of tracks, making this a great pick for anyone who wants to reminisce alongside enka.
- Great enka masterpieces and hit songs of the 1970s
- Cool masterpieces of enka, the heart of Japan
- Enka Karaoke Popularity Rankings [2026]
- Great enka masterpieces and hit songs of the 1980s
- [For Women] A roundup of enka songs that can score high in karaoke
- Enka songs that are easy for men to sing: a roundup of tracks to try at karaoke
- Easy-to-sing enka: A roundup of recommended enka songs for karaoke
- [Showa Era] A Collection of Enka Hits: Timeless Classics Loved Across Generations
- [2026] Representative Famous Enka Songs: A Compilation of Classic Favorites [Beginner-Friendly]
- [Songs from the Showa Era] Introducing classic tracks that are easy to sing at karaoke.
- [Enka] Songs That Are Easy to Sing Even for the Tone-Deaf [Male Singer Edition]
- [Japan’s Best Vocalist] Fukuda Kohei’s Easy-to-Sing Karaoke Songs
- A roundup of hit enka songs from the Heisei era
Enka Classics You’ll Want to Sing at Karaoke: Recommended Popular Songs (31–40)
Let me get drunk—just for tonight.Jōnouchi Sanae
It was released in 1993 as Sanae Jounouchi’s eighth single.
The original song was included as the 10th track on Chisato Moritaka’s sixth album, “ROCK ALIVE,” released in 1992.
On cable radio, it became a smash hit through long-running requests spanning roughly two years into the following year.
The song won the Excellence Award for Cable Music at the 27th Japan Cable Awards.
I won’t let you go tonight.Koyanagi Rumiko & Hashi Yukio
The enka-style duet “Konya wa Hanasanai” is a lively song with a pop Latin rhythm.
It’s perfect for a fun duet with someone you love.
Released in July 1983 as Yukio Hashi’s 149th single, it’s a stylish track that still feels fresh when sung at karaoke today.
Land of Abundant Rice (Mizuho no Kuni)Yamanishi Akari
Akari Yamazaki’s third single, “Mizuho no Kuni,” released in August 2025, is a work themed around rice—the quintessential landscape of Japan and the foundation of its cuisine.
The lyrics, which conjure images of gratitude for bountiful harvests and people living in harmony with nature, warm the heart just by listening.
Her expansive, powerful vocals resonate deeply in the chest.
It’s an enka number that inevitably makes you long for your hometown.
Midnight ShowerKatsura Ginshuku
Kayō Ginsuku, known for her alluring husky voice, sings the sublime melody of “Midnight Shower,” a stylish piece that feels less like mood enka and more like watching a polished French esprit drama.
If you want to express the coquettish, cute charm of a woman in front of him, this song is perfect.
Homesickness on a JourneyNishizaki Midori
The melancholic tone is beautifully performed throughout, and the song portrays a woman’s heart living for a single, unwavering love.
“Ryoshū” (Travel Melancholy) was used as the theme song for the fourth entry in the Hissatsu series, “Kurayami Shi To Nin,” and became a major hit in 1974, sung by Midori Nishizaki, who was in her second year of junior high school at the time.
Classic enka songs to sing at karaoke: recommended popular tracks (41–50)
Osaka RhapsodyUminara Senri · Mari
Osaka Rhapsody is a duet song sung by two women, featuring a beautiful accordion melody in the intro and an upbeat, bright, and lively feel.
It’s a song that lifts the mood and gets everyone excited, making it perfect for karaoke at year-end parties and the like.
Released in 1975, Osaka Rhapsody became a big hit when performed by the comedy duo Senri and Mari Unabara.
Sake InnKouzai Kaori
It was released in 2012 as Kaori Kozai’s 35th single.
Issued as a song commemorating the 25th anniversary of her debut, it became a long-running hit for over a year and marked her return to the 63rd NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen after five years.
It received the Excellent Music Award at the 45th Japan Cable Radio Awards and the Excellence Work Award at the 54th Japan Record Awards.