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.
Playlist
| Classic enka songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: recommended popular tracks | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| show_chart | Title | Playlist | Review |
| 1east | I’m falling in love with you againSakamoto Fuyumi |  play_arrow | A beautiful song overflowing with transparency, sung by Fuyumi Sakamoto… |
| 2east | And… a fateful encounterItsuki Hiroshi |  play_arrow | Even though we still love each other, we have to part... |
| 3east | Dotonbori SentimentTendō Yoshimi |  play_arrow | The classic song that sings about the warmth of Osaka’s people is Yoshimi Tendo... |
| 4east | pinwheelYoshi Ikuzo |  play_arrow | Ikuzo Yoshi, known for his skilled vocals and moving lyrics... |
| 5east | Nostalgic JonkaraHosokawa Takashi |  play_arrow | It’s a song released by Takashi Hosokawa in 1985, and up… |
| 6east | Kiyoshi’s Zundoko SongHikawa Kiyoshi |  play_arrow | If it’s karaoke to refresh your mood, a comfortable tem… |
| 7east | Kokoro KaleidoscopeYamauchi Keisuke |  play_arrow | …that likens the complexity and beauty of life to a kaleidoscope, |
| 8east | North TavernHosokawa Takashi |  play_arrow | A man and a woman seeking each other’s warmth on a cold night... |
| 9east | cherry shellItsuki Hiroshi |  play_arrow | The single that Hiroshi Itsuki released in 2014… |
| 10east | Woman’s DepartureMatsubara Nobue |  play_arrow | Matsubara, who brought a fresh breeze to the world of enka... |
| 11east | Crossing Amagi PassIshikawa Sayuri |  play_arrow | If it’s an enka-style love song, then Sayuri Ishikawa’s “Te… |
| 12north_east | Boat SongYashiro Aki |  play_arrow | Aki Yashiro’s hit songs, multiple awards |
| 13north_east | A solitary journey to MichinokuYamamoto Jōji |  play_arrow | Love that remains unchanged, even across physical distance… |
| 14north_east | Heart SakeFuji Ayako |  play_arrow | As the third single by Aya Fuzu, in 1992… |
| 15south_east | Drunk and reelingKatsura Ginshuku |  play_arrow | Released in 1989 as Kaori Koyuzu’s fifth single… |
| 16east | Scorpio womanMikawa Ken’ichi |  play_arrow | Released as Kenichi Mikawa’s 25th single in 197… |
| 17east | Returning RiverGodai Natsuko |  play_arrow | Natsuko Godai’s tragic-love enka debut song |
| 18east | Jindo MonogatariTendō Yoshimi |  play_arrow | Yoshimi Tendo’s 32nd release, issued in 1996… |
| 19east | You don’t have to go back.Shimazu Aya |  play_arrow | As Aya Shimazu’s 36th single, in 200... |
| 20east | Yugiri PortMori Konomi |  play_arrow | Set in a fog-shrouded port town, it portrays a heartrending first love… |
| 21east | Wajima Morning MarketMizumori Kaori |  play_arrow | As Kaori Mizumori’s 16th single, in 20… |
| 22east | Harbor Town No. 13Misora Hibari |  play_arrow | A song released by Hibari Misora in 1957, hi… |
| 23east | Our town was green indeed.Sen Masao |  play_arrow | A classic by Masao Sen, enka-style but easy to sing |
| 24east | Naniwa SpiritSakamoto Fuyumi |  play_arrow | Depicting positivity with a powerful new song themed around Osaka |
| 25east | America BridgeYamakawa Yutaka |  play_arrow | A single released by Yutaka Yamakawa in 1998, ... |
| 26north_east | The Camellia Sasanqua InnŌkawa Eisaku |  play_arrow | This piece, known as one of EISAKU OKAWA’s signature songs, is... |
| 27north_east | Land of Abundant Rice (Mizuho no Kuni)Yamanishi Akari |  play_arrow | A heartwarming enka that paints scenes of rice |
| 28north_east | I’m going to Tokyo.Yoshi Ikuzo |  play_arrow | Yoshi Ikuzo’s classic song “We’re Headin’ to Tokyo” |
| 29north_east | Festival MamboMisora Hibari |  play_arrow | A classic hit by Hibari Misora. It’s easy to sing and really gets the crowd going. |
| 30north_east | Casablanca GoodbyeToba Ichirō |  play_arrow | Enka songs by Ichiro Toba that are easy to sing |
| 31north_east | unconditional loveMori Shinichi |  play_arrow | A new song of gratitude written by Shinichi Mori himself for his 60th anniversary |
| 32north_east | full moonGodai Natsuko |  play_arrow | As the 15th single by Natsuko Godai, 200... |
| 33south_east | Longing for RainYashiro Aki |  play_arrow | Aki has a slightly husky, high-pitched, sultry… |
| 34north_east | I won’t let you go tonight.Koyanagi Rumiko & Hashi Yukio |  play_arrow | The enka-style mood duet song “I Won’t Let Go Tonight…” |
| 35north_east | A Doll’s HouseHirota Mieko |  play_arrow | A classic song that represents the Showa era, Mieko Hirota’s signature… |
| 36south_east | Come back.Matsumura Kazuko |  play_arrow | Matsumura, carrying a shamisen, sings brightly and vigorously... |
| 37east | Rainbow BayonHikawa Kiyoshi |  play_arrow | Released as Kiyoshi Hikawa’s 21st single in 20… |
| 38east | Love SongMaekawa Kiyoshi |  play_arrow | The sound of the sax in the prelude really draws out the song’s appeal… |
| 39east | O-Shichi and the Night Cherry BlossomsSakamoto Fuyumi |  play_arrow | Fuyumi Sakamoto’s upbeat enka song “Yozakura Oshichi” |
| 40east | Midnight ShowerKatsura Ginshuku |  play_arrow | The sweet song performed by Ms. Eun Joo Kang, whose husky voice is captivating… |
| 41east | Homesickness on a JourneyNishizaki Midori |  | The melancholic tone wafting through the piece remains beautifully exp— |
| 42east | Tipsy Breeze TavernNakamura Yuito |  play_arrow | A life-encouragement song as Yuito Nakamura’s debut single |
| 43east | I long for Southern HokkaidoKoyama Yudai |  play_arrow | A moving debut song that sings of longing for one’s hometown |
| 44east | Crimson ButterflyYamauchi Keisuke |  play_arrow | An enka song portraying a fleeting love, like a butterfly |
| 45east | Osaka RhapsodyUminara Senri · Mari |  play_arrow | “Osaka Rhapsody” begins with an intro featuring acoustic gui… |
| 46east | Sake InnKouzai Kaori |  play_arrow | As Kaori Kozai’s 35th single, 20… |
| 47east | Funamizaka (Funami Slope)Sora Daiki |  play_arrow | A wistful love song, the third installment in the Hokkaido series |
| 48east | companion on the road; fellow traveler; taking someone along (often unwillingly)Miyama Hiroshi |  play_arrow | A portrayal of the bond between a man and a woman who walk together through life's ups and downs... |
| 49east | Wharf of TransienceYamauchi Keisuke |  play_arrow | A single released by Keisuke Yamauchi in 2016... |
| 50north_east | ZakurazakaOhōtsuku Tarō |  play_arrow | A singer-songwriter unusual for an enka singer... |
| 51north_east | The northern city, HakodateKitagawa Daisuke |  play_arrow | Expressing a port town love story in Showa-era kayōkyoku |
| 52north_east | perchKobayashi Sachiko |  play_arrow | Lingering attachment to a man who is leaving me... |
| 53north_east | Passionate MamboHattori Hiroko |  play_arrow | Hiroko Hattori's Latin-style kayōkyoku (Japanese popular song) |
| 54north_east | gokuraku tonboHattori Hiroko |  play_arrow | Hiroko Hattori 35th Anniversary Debut New Song |
| 55north_east | fault; mistake; error; sin (context-dependent)Hinoyama Akira |  play_arrow | A new enka-rock song that coolly portrays breakup and mistakes |
| 56north_east | ComradeToba Ichirō |  play_arrow | An enka piece that passionately sings of the bond between men |
| 57north_east | Late-Blooming HEROyuasa michiru |  play_arrow | Released in May 2024, this work is a dream… |
| 58north_east | The one I still love even after we’ve broken upRosu Indiosu & Shirubia |  play_arrow | “Even After We Parted, I Still Love You” was released in 1979… |
| 59north_east | Kawachi Otoko-bushiNakamura Mitsuko |  play_arrow | The single that Mitsuko Nakamura released in 1989… |
| 60north_east | cornflowerGodai Natsuko |  play_arrow | Touching the hearts of many with a singing voice filled with delicate emotion… |
| 61north_east | Mount TsurugiKitayama Takeshi |  play_arrow | As the eighth single by Takeshi Kitayama, 200... |
| 62north_east | festivalKitajima Saburō |  play_arrow | Saburo Kitajima’s song Matsuri is a grand ta… |
| 63north_east | Flowers of TsugaruHarada Yuuri |  play_arrow | As the 17th single by Yuri Harada, in 199… |
| 64north_east | A Man’s Love StorySakamoto Fuyumi |  play_arrow | As Fuyumi Sakamoto’s fourth single in 1989… |
| 65north_east | Such is a woman’s soliloquyMasuiyama Tashirō |  play_arrow | Masuiyama, who skillfully expressed the feelings deep within the heart… |
| 66north_east | Captain SlowpokeŌe Yutaka |  play_arrow | Released in 2009 as Hiroshi Oe’s first single... |
| 67north_east | grandchildŌizumi Itsurō |  play_arrow | A representative work by Itsuro Oizumi that sings of deep love for his grandchild… |
| 68north_east | thorn treeKobayashi Sachiko |  play_arrow | A song released by Sachiko Kobayashi in 2012, and in the following 2… |
| 69north_east | Koitou (Koitome) Coastyamaguchi hiromi |  play_arrow | This song, which passionately sings of a heartrending love, is set in Hokkaido... |
| 70north_east | A Flower of This WorldShimakura Chiyoko |  play_arrow | As the debut song of singer Chiyoko Shimakura in 19… |
| 71north_east | Aizen Katsura Once MoreShimazu Aya |  play_arrow | One of Japan’s leading enka singers, Aya Shimazu... |
| 72north_east | Two-person sakekawanaka miyuki |  play_arrow | A single released by Miyuki Kawanaka in 1980… |
| 73north_east | Anemone flaccida (nirinsō; literally “two-flowered anemone”)kawanaka miyuki |  play_arrow | A classic song themed around marital love by Miyuki Kawanaka... |
| 74north_east | My shopShin Gorō |  play_arrow | Inspired by a real shop located in Saitama Prefecture, … |
| 75north_east | The Last DrinkKimura Tetsuji |  play_arrow | A sweet and heartrending scene of parting presses upon my heart, Kimura Tetsuji sa… |
| 76north_east | a pittanceKatsura Ginshuku |  play_arrow | Known for a husky and emotional singing voice… |
| 77south_east | wintering swallowMori Masako |  play_arrow | A classic enka song that poignantly sings of the bittersweetness of a woman's heart... |
| 78north_east | companion on the road; fellow traveler; taking someone along (often unwillingly)Makimura Mieko |  play_arrow | If there’s someone you want to marry, I can craft proposal words… |
| 79north_east | Blue Night in SapporoHakozaki Shinichiro |  play_arrow | Shinichiro Hakozaki singing “Blue Night in Sapporo”... |
| 80north_east | Life is like a Naniwa-bushi (a melodramatic ballad).Hosokawa Takashi |  play_arrow | Enka recommendations to sing when you want to blow off stress… |
| 81south_east | The person I fell in love withMiyako Harumi |  play_arrow | Harumi Miyako’s “The Person I Fell in Love With” is, 19… |
| 82east | Still in YokohamaKadamatsu Miyuki |  play_arrow | Set in the port city of Yokohama, this work depicts a heartrending first love... |
| 83east | Otaru no hito yoTsuruoka Masayoshi to Tokyo Romanchika |  play_arrow | A heart-touching classic set in Otaru, Hokkaido… |
| 84east | freezing rainKayama Akio |  play_arrow | "Hiyusame" plays a heartrending melody as... |
| 85east | Drunken SongYoshi Ikuzo |  play_arrow | A single released by Ikuzo Yoshi in 1990, and number 1… |
| 86east | Let me get drunk—just for tonight.Jōnouchi Sanae |  play_arrow | Released in 199… as Sanae Jōnouchi’s eighth single |
| 87east | Angels of the CityHoriuchi Takao & Cheuni |  | The folk music that enjoyed immense popularity in the 1970s… |
| 88east | A One-Yen Coin VagabondMizumori Kaori |  play_arrow | In the bright and cheerful enka song “Ichien-dama no Tabigarasu”... |
| 89east | Osaka sparrowNagai Miyuki |  | Lyricist Taka Takashi’s beloved disciple, Minaga i..., who hails from Osaka... |
| 90east | Love Song of Kaze no BonIshikawa Sayuri |  | The single released by Sayuri Ishikawa in 1989... |
| 91east | Like the flow of a riverMisora Hibari |  play_arrow | Healing music for when you want to feel calm and at peace… |
| 92east | My daughter,Ashiya Gannosuke |  play_arrow | Gan-nosuke Ashiya sings it imbued with a father's love… |
| 93east | Lament of ResentmentFuji Keiko |  play_arrow | These days, when he keeps showing up late for our dates… |
| 94east | From the northern innMiyako Harumi |  play_arrow | Released in 197… as Harumi Miyako’s 66th single |
| 95east | abandonedNagayama Yōko |  play_arrow | Released in 1995 as Yoko Nagayama’s seventh single… |
| 96east | Yagiri no Watashi (Yagiri Ferry)chiaki naomi |  play_arrow | In the first half of the 1980s, Takashi Hosokawa’s song “… |
| 97east | Kyoto NostalgiaTakigawa Maiko |  play_arrow | The gently wilted, faintly bittersweet melody of “Kyoto… |
| 98east | Premonition of PartingYamamoto Miyuki |  play_arrow | A beautiful melody that somehow evokes a touch of sadness… |
| 99east | Will you marry me?Niinuma Kenji |  play_arrow | A song by Kenji Niinuma released in 1976, Ta… |
| 100east | Madam of the Pleasure QuarterKaneda Tatsue |  play_arrow | A classic enka song released in June 1973 is… |
| 101east | The Northern LandKitajima Saburō |  play_arrow | A single released by Saburō Kitajima in 1991… |
| 102east | Cape ErimoMori Shinichi |  play_arrow | Eiichi Mori's song Erimo Misaki was in 1974... |
| 103east | devotionAkiniba Yutaka & Aronaitsu |  play_arrow | Ki... the lead vocalist of Yutaka Akiniba and the Aro Knights... |
| 104east | Unstaffed stationIwa Misaki |  play_arrow | As a solo debut single from AKB48, ... |