[For Beginners] Recommended Enka Masterpieces for Karaoke — Male Singers Edition
Enka, which has continued to sing the heart of Japan, has enjoyed unwavering popularity from the Showa era to the present Reiwa period.
In recent years, thanks in part to the resurgence of Showa-era pop songs, classic enka hits have been drawing attention across generations.
So there are surely many people who want to start listening to enka or try singing it at karaoke.
This article is for enka beginners, introducing famous enka songs by male singers that are easy to tackle at karaoke.
While enka does require techniques such as applying vibrato-like kobushi, the songs introduced here are all well-known hits that even beginners are likely to recognize, making it easy to slip into their world.
By the way, we also introduce a version featuring female singers in another article, so be sure to check that out too!
- [Enka] Songs That Are Easy to Sing Even for the Tone-Deaf [Male Singer Edition]
- [2026] Easy Enka Songs Recommended for Karaoke – Male Singers Edition
- [For Beginners] Recommended Enka Classics for Karaoke — Women Singers Edition
- [2026] Recommended for those who find high notes difficult! Enka by male singers that you can sing in a low register
- [Mighty Guy] A Selection of Easy-to-Sing Songs by Akira Kobayashi
- [2026] Easy-to-Sing Enka: From Timeless Classics to Recent Hits [Male Singers Edition]
- A roundup of male enka singers who represent the Showa era
- Classic enka songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: recommended popular tracks
- [2026] Enka Songs That Are Hard to Sing – Male Singers Edition
- [Sub-chan] A Collection of Easy-to-Sing Songs by Saburo Kitajima [2026]
- [Enka] Songs that are easy to sing even for those who are tone-deaf [Female singers edition]
- Enka songs that are easy for men to sing: a roundup of tracks to try at karaoke
- 【2026】Recommended Enka by Male Singers with Captivating High Notes
For Beginners: Recommended Classic Enka Songs for Karaoke – Male Singers (31–40)
A Migratory Bird with a GuitarKobayashi Akira
Akira Kobayashi’s classic “Guitar o Motta Wataridori” is strongly infused with elements of Western pop.
The song is based on doo-wop, a musical genre that rose to popularity in the 1950s.
While doo-wop has roots in Black music, this track’s melody leans toward a country-flavored pop reminiscent of Elvis Presley, and it’s arranged with a gentle, understated melodic line throughout.
Perhaps to suit that melody, the song features a relatively narrow vocal range for a Kobayashi number.
The long tones aren’t difficult, and there are no intricate melismatic twists like kobushi, so consider adding it to your repertoire.
Song of FarewellKobayashi Akira
Akira Kobayashi’s atypical work “Sekibetsu no Uta.” This piece is a cover song with a few minor arrangements; the original is a Chuo University student song.
Perhaps because it was composed in the early Showa era, it has very little pop influence, and its melody lands somewhere between a military march and enka.
Even so, the song is sung throughout in the low to low-mid range, with no sudden rises or drops in pitch.
While the monotony of the vocal line can make it harder to convey intensity, it’s extremely easy to sing—so consider adding it to your repertoire.
With a fiery heartKobayashi Akira
A work notable for its distinctive sound featuring strings, “Atsuki Kokoro ni.” This piece includes few of Akira Kobayashi’s trademark upward-climbing long tones.
Since most of the long tones occur while the melody descends, even those who struggle with upward vibrato can sing it without issue.
It’s a kayōkyoku with a strong pop flavor, and advanced vocal techniques like kobushi do not appear at all.
However, the rhythm at the beginning of the chorus is somewhat irregular, so you’ll need to practice that part thoroughly.
a desperate gambleYamauchi Keisuke
The single “Ichikabachika,” used as the ending theme for the TV anime Hanakappa, is a lively track packed with a flashy rock vibe.
Hearing Keisuke Yamauchi’s signature vibrato delivered through a rock-style song—radiating a power distinct from enka—feels fresh and undeniably cool.
The melody is easy to remember, and since it unexpectedly retains an enka-like atmosphere, it’s a great challenge both for beginners to enka and for those who already count enka as a mainstay of their karaoke repertoire.
The final high-pitched shout is tough, but if you start by projecting powerfully from your diaphragm and let it out, it’s also a great stress reliever!
AfterglowYamauchi Keisuke
It’s a moody masterpiece of kayōkyoku built on a 6/8 rhythm, with an impactful drum sound in the intro and an impressive slap bass line.
For Keisuke Yamauchi, it’s also a song commemorating his 20th debut anniversary, and it fully showcases the charm of his distinctive voice—powerful, sensual, and uniquely his.
He does use the characteristic kobushi of an enka singer, of course, but since the song leans more toward kayōkyoku, the kobushi itself is restrained, making it a great choice even for those not used to straight-up enka.
The A melody section is also good practice for singing low notes carefully, so try performing it while being mindful of the contrast with the soaring chorus!
[For Beginners] Recommended Enka Classics for Karaoke – Male Singers (41–50)
Crimson ButterflyYamauchi Keisuke
A single released in the same year by Keisuke Yamauchi, whose name recognition among the general public rose even further after he performed it at the 75th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 2024.
Blending genres like Latin and jazz while retaining a distinctly Japanese flavor, it embodies a Reiwa-era kayōkyoku vibe.
Yamauchi’s commanding vocals carry the grand scale of the piece—truly impressive.
That said, it’s also the kind of song that really heats up at karaoke, and since Yamauchi approaches it with a J-pop-leaning delivery without enka-style vibrato flourishes, you might find it surprisingly singable if you lock into the rhythm.
Mist-bound feelingsYamauchi Keisuke
As the catchphrase “I’m an enka high-schooler” suggests, this is Keisuke Yamauchi’s memorable debut song, Kijō! Released in April 2001, Kijō features lyrics by none other than the grand master Tetsurō Hoshino, and composition by Hideo Mizumori—who is quintessentially associated with Yamauchi—resulting in a classic enka in a minor key.
Though youthful and fresh, his poised, self-assured singing is astonishing even now, hardly what you’d expect from a high school student.
Hallmark enka techniques like kobushi are woven throughout, and to be honest, it’s tough to sing right off the bat if you’re not used to enka.
The melody is easy to learn, so start by humming along, and gradually practice incorporating elements like kobushi and vibrato over time!