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)
Come back.Matsumura Kazuko
Kazuko Matsumura’s “Kaette Koi yo,” brightly and energetically sung with a shamisen on her shoulder, is a karaoke cheer-up song perfect for farewell parties when a coworker has been demoted and transferred to a regional post, helping lift their spirits.
“Kaette Koi yo” was released in April 1980 and was Kazuko Matsumura’s debut single.
Rainbow BayonHikawa Kiyoshi
It was released in 2010 as Kiyoshi Hikawa’s 21st single.
The song has a Showa-era kayōkyoku style, and he performed it at the 61st NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 2010.
It reached No.
3 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart, and the chorus is crafted to make it easy to add call-and-response chants, resulting in a track that’s quintessentially Kiyoshi Hikawa.
Love SongMaekawa Kiyoshi
The resonance of the saxophone in the intro sharply enhances the song’s appeal, and the melody flows with a gentle tone.
Try singing this as a love song in front of the woman you like.
It will surely create the perfect moment to capture her heart.
“Koiuta” was released by Teichiku Records in July 2007.
O-Shichi and the Night Cherry BlossomsSakamoto Fuyumi
Fuyumi Sakamoto is a female enka singer who studied under the acclaimed enka vocalist Yuriko Futaba.
With a highly original musical style that incorporates a wide range of genres, she has gained popularity both within and beyond the enka scene.
Her song “Yozakura Oshichi,” released in 1994, features an unusually upbeat melody for enka at the time.
The vocal range spans from mid1F to hiD, which is typical for female vocals, but the BPM is 140, making it relatively fast, so it’s best to master the rhythm thoroughly before singing.
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.
Classic enka songs to sing at karaoke: recommended popular tracks (41–50)
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.
Tipsy Breeze TavernNakamura Yuito
If you’re looking to liven up the mood with a sparkling, refreshing enka number, how about this one? It’s the debut single by Yuito Nakamura, who made waves as an active high school enka singer, released in June 2025.
This work is a bright, pop-influenced tune—an uplifting song for life that soothes the fatigue of the day.
The lyrics paint a heartwarming scene of a friendly, human touch-filled bar that will warm listeners’ hearts.
Sing it at karaoke with your coworkers and it’s sure to resonate.
You could even throw in some call-and-response and turn it into a big sing-along.