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[Tears and Alcohol] A Collection of Kaori Kozai’s Easy-to-Sing Songs [2026]
Kaori Kozai has a unique background: she was active as a folk song (minyo) singer from a young age, then worked as a bank employee before embarking on a career in enka.
Her debut single, “Ame Sakaba” (Rain Tavern), became a long-running hit and earned her the New Artist Award at the 30th Japan Record Awards.
Since then, she has been active across a wide range of genres, not only in enka but also in pop, releasing songs for which she herself has written the lyrics.
To be honest, imitating Ms.
Kozai’s highly refined vocal technique—honed through minyo—is difficult for beginners.
However, the songs introduced here are relatively easy to sing, so if you want to try singing Kozai’s songs but feel unsure, please use this as a reference.
[Tears and Alcohol] A Collection of Easy-to-Sing Songs by Kaori Kozai [2026] (1–10)
Fleeting LoveKouzai Kaori
A work that remains highly popular among fans as an early-career masterpiece, “Ryūren-sō.” Typically, enka singers tend to take on more technically demanding songs as they enter the later stages of their careers, but Kaori Kozai has taken the opposite path, performing increasingly catchy songs centered on pop in her later years.
As this is an early piece, it features a structure that is more characteristically enka compared to her current repertoire.
While it contains a fair number of kobushi (ornamental vocal turns) and has clear dynamic shading, there are no kobushi that span more than three scale steps, so it is by no means extremely difficult.
Anyone reasonably accustomed to singing enka should be able to handle it without issue.
Sake InnKouzai Kaori
Released to commemorate the 25th anniversary of her debut, Kaori Kozai’s masterpiece “Sake no Yado.” As a recent enka song, it achieved a fairly major hit, so many of you may already know it.
It’s classic, straight-ahead enka, characterized by lyrics that beautifully capture a woman’s bittersweet melancholy.
The vocal line, while slightly wide in range, contains no long sustained notes that require powerful projection, and the use of kobushi (melismatic ornamentation) is kept to a minimum.
With proper key adjustment, the range is accessible for anyone, so consider adding it to your repertoire.
Love BoatKouzai Kaori
Among Kaori Kozai’s works, “Koibune” is renowned as a masterpiece.
It’s a classic enka number featuring a catchy vocal line.
While the use of kobushi (ornamental pitch bends) is relatively sparse and the ones that do appear aren’t especially difficult, there are two challenging points.
The first is the range: the chorus includes a high section that uses falsetto, so if falsetto is not your strength, you may need to adjust the key.
The second is the kobushi at the end of the chorus.
It isn’t extremely difficult, but because you sing a three-step pitch change using a hiccup-like technique that flips the voice, if it’s too hard, try covering it with a stronger vibrato as you sing.
Love Town ShowerKouzai Kaori
Ko-zai Kaori’s masterpiece “Koimachi Shigure” is notable for its heartwarming melody and bittersweet romance.
Released in her later years, the song features vocals that emphasize emotion and expression rather than showcasing technique.
As a result, the kobushi—often a challenging aspect of enka—is relatively easy here, mostly condensed into turns that shift by just a single scale degree.
The Kawachi-ondo-style kobushi at the end of the chorus should pose no problem for those who have mastered the hiccup technique.
Gardenia ElegyKouzai Kaori
Kaori Kozai has many famous songs, but Kuchinashi Elegy is especially known for its heartrending sorrow.
Although the band joins in during the latter half, the arrangement foregrounds the piano throughout, and that atmosphere, combined with the performance, delivers an outstanding sense of poignancy.
While the song carries the flavor of enka, the vocal line itself is more in the style of Showa-era kayōkyoku, with almost no use of complex techniques like kobushi.
The range is somewhat wide, so be sure to adjust the key to suit your voice and sing with proper control.
Could it be… you?Kouzai Kaori
Kaori Kozai’s masterpiece “Moshiyā… Anta ga,” released in partnership with composers like Keisuke Hama and Toyohisa Araki, is a song that hints at enka flavor—such as through its guitar arpeggios—yet remains fundamentally a pop work.
The kobushi (melodic embellishment) appears only once, on a long tone transitioning from the B section to the chorus.
However, because it strongly emphasizes the “crying song” aspect of pop, solid emotional expression is essential.
The basic vocal line itself is on the easier side, so if you’d like to deliver an emotionally charged vocal performance with a little help from some drinks, this is definitely worth checking out.
At homeKouzai Kaori
Kaori Kozai is known for her proactive approach to kayōkyoku and pop music.
Among her works, the song “At the Platform” has gained particular popularity as a poignantly moving pop ballad that brings listeners to tears.
Although it’s pop, it’s not complex like contemporary pop; it’s crafted in the style of Showa-era pop, akin to artists like Machiko Watanabe and Hiromi Iwasaki, so the melodic rises and falls are quite gentle.
There are many rests, but since there are also many long tones, be mindful to steady your breathing before starting any long sustained notes.
dollKouzai Kaori
Among Kaori Kozai’s hidden gems, the song “Ningyo” (Doll) enjoys enduring popularity among fans.
Rooted in Showa-era pop, it’s distinguished by its incredibly sultry vocals.
It begins quietly with a gentle, intimate vocal line, then surges in the chorus.
Rather than classic, old-school Showa kayō, the composition is closer to works by Takao Kisugi or Koji Tamaki, featuring an alluring yet leisurely undulating melody line.
Consider adding it to your repertoire.
channel markerKouzai Kaori
When you think of Kaori Kouzai, her vocals that bring out a strong sense of allure are striking.
Of course, those kinds of songs are wonderful too, but in her later years her melancholic numbers have become even more refined.
That’s why I recommend Mio-tsukushi.
It’s based on enka, but features a vocal line closer to 1980s pop-leaning kayōkyoku, with little use of advanced techniques like kobushi.
By deliberately using breath—audible exhales included—you can add dynamics and infuse the vocals with a sense of wistfulness, so please use it as a reference.
Elegy of the Uji RiverKouzai Kaori
Kozai Kaori’s masterpiece “Ujigawa Elegy” is striking for its deeply moving melody.
Kozai Kaori is often said to excel most in works that evoke sensuality and heartache, and this piece is exactly that, featuring an incredibly sultry melody and vocals.
In the chorus, the pitch rises and falls a bit more dramatically, but there are no difficult kobushi (ornamental turns).
Aside from the kobushi at the end of the chorus, the vocal line is closer to Showa-era kayōkyoku.
Be sure to add it to your repertoire.