Folk songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: classic and popular tunes everyone can enjoy

A showcase of Japanese folk songs, all in one go!

We’ve picked out folk songs you might want to try singing at karaoke!

From timeless classics to slightly lesser-known gems, we’ve curated a wide range.

These days, folk songs no longer sit at the forefront of the scene.

They’re part of Japan’s traditional music, but they don’t usually get a great reaction from the general public.

To share what makes these folk songs so wonderful, we’ve selected some of Japan’s most popular folk numbers this time.

Even if you’re not familiar with enka or folk music, you’ll enjoy this!

Be sure to read through to the end!

Playlist

Folk songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: classic and popular tunes everyone can enjoy
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	Tsugaru Jongara-bushiKanazawa Akiko		The Tsugaru Jongara Bushi is a folk song that commemorates a monk from the Sengoku period.
2	Hanagasa OndoMiyako Harumi		The folk song sung at the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival
3	Nanbu Cattle Drover’s SongFukuda Kouhei		The Nanbu Cattle Driver’s Song is a transport folk song of cattle herders.
4	Takeda LullabyYamamoto Junko		The Takeda Lullaby is a folk song that conveys the anguish of buraku discrimination.
5	Tsugaru Mountain SongHosokawa Takashi		The Tsugaru mountain song is a traditional folk song of three prefectures and is sung with a shakuhachi flute.
6	rice sectionsatou mieko		A new folk song about rice
7	Tokyo OndoHikawa Kiyoshi		Tokyo Ondo, created for the reconstruction after the Great Kanto Earthquake
8	Akita Funakata-bushiOno Hanako		Akita Funakata-bushi is a folk song about sailors.
9	Soran Bushisatou mieko		The Soran Bushi is a boat song of the herring fishery in Hokkaido.
10	Tsugaru Aiya-bushiKishi Chieko		The Tsugaru Aiya-bushi originates from the Haiya-bushi of Kumamoto.
11	Soma Bon SongMisora Hibari		The Soma Bon Uta is a Bon dance folk song from Fukushima.
12	Yagi-bushiEri Chiemi		The powerful folk song Yagibushi sung in Gunma and Tochigi
13	Kuroda-bushiShimazu Aya		Kurodabushi is a staple folk song for drinking parties in Fukuoka.
14	Setsu ToyamaKikuchi Shoko		The history and charm of Toyama-bushi, a folk song from Iwate Prefecture
15	Takeda Bushi (Takeda Song)Ishihara Junko		A folk-style song about Takeda Shingen
16	Dekansho BushiTsuchitori Toshiyuki		Bon Odori folk song of Tamba-Sasayama, Hyogo Prefecture
17	OtemoyanAkasaka Koume		Introduction to the Kumamoto folk song Otemoyan
18	Konpira FunefuneSaitō Kyōko		Konpira Funefune is a popular folk song that originated in Kagawa.
19	Soran BushiIshikawa Sayuri		Revived folk songs in the modern era through rock
20	Akita OndoFuji Ayako		The history, characteristics, and cultural value of the Akita Ondo
21	Mogami River Boat SongAsakura Saya		The Mogami River Boat Song is a folk song sung on the Mogami River in Yamagata Prefecture when transporting rice and salt.
22	Kanta’s Dokkoisho SoranIchijō Kanta		Arrange the Soran Bushi in an enka style
23	Sado OkesaMurata Bunzō		The plaintive folk song O-Kesa is Japan’s representative dance.
24	Kiso-bushiFujimoto Nisankichi		Song of a boat laden with timber floating down the Kiso River
25	Hokkai Bon UtaMitsubishi Michiya		A coal miners’ Bon Odori song becomes a big hit
26	Kawachi OndoKawachi-ya Kikusui-maru		The Kawachi Ondo is a Bon dance song famous throughout Japan.
27	Chakkiri-bushiZa Pīnattsu		The Chakkiri-bushi is a new folk song that sings of Shizuoka’s sights and scenes.
28	Kushimoto-bushiOtomaru		A parlor song accompanied by shamisen, sung in the port town of Kushimoto.
29	Yasugi-bushiKuroda Sachiko		Yasugibushi is an Izumo folk song of the loach-scooping dance.
30	Akita ObakoKawasaki Keiko		A gentle folk song depicting the beauty of the Akita obako
31	Donpan-bushiIshikawa Sayuri		A representative song of Akita folk music, popular as a Bon dance song
32	Mamurogawa OndoMori Masako		A song by a geisha at a traditional restaurant to liven up a banquet