[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 Enka Classics for Karaoke – Male Singers (41–50)
Lake FurenYamauchi Keisuke
As a single released in 2009, this song, “Furen-ko,” lets you enjoy Keisuke Yamauchi’s still fresh, youthful singing.
As the title suggests, it’s themed around Hokkaido’s Lake Furen, and it’s a celebrated enka classic that became a long-running hit thanks to its deeply emotional, wistful atmosphere.
The overall structure is simple in a very enka-like way, making it a good study piece for beginners.
It’s also a great song to learn from—things like kobushi and vibrato—and then use that experience to take on various other enka songs!
New York StoriesYamakawa Yutaka
Yutaka Yamakawa is known for actively singing pop songs, but he has also released tracks that mix pop, Showa-era kayōkyoku, and enka.
One such example is New York Monogatari.
Its structure is distinctive: it starts as pop, shifts to Showa-style kayōkyoku in the chorus, and weaves in enka nuances at key moments.
Because the foundation is pop and Showa kayōkyoku, advanced vocal techniques like kobushi aren’t required.
Despite its powerful feel, the song has a narrow vocal range, so even those who aren’t confident in their singing ability should be able to handle it without trouble.
Big brotherYamakawa Yutaka
A work that leaves a strong impression of masculinity and sincerity, “Aniki” honors an older brother and is known for its moving lyrics.
While the piece firmly inherits elements of enka, the vocal line is surprisingly understated, with none of the intricate kobushi runs typical of the genre.
If the presence of kobushi is used to define enka, this work would be classified as kayōkyoku, as every part features a simple vocal line.
As a result, even those who are not confident in their singing ability should be able to perform it without difficulty.
KeikoYamakawa Yutaka
Yutaka Yamakawa’s classic “Hotaruko” is memorable for its masculine lyrics that express deep feelings for a woman.
While it’s categorized as a so-called “man’s song,” its power is somewhat restrained compared to typical enka.
Instead, it emphasizes a smooth, mellow singing style, so high-level techniques like shouts aren’t required.
Also, aside from the very end of the chorus, there aren’t particularly difficult spots for kobushi (melodic turns), and even there, the kobushi functions as an extension of the vibrato.
Overall, the level of difficulty is quite low for an enka song.
Omokage Main LineYamakawa Yutaka
Yutaka Yamakawa, who delivers emotionally charged performances and excels at both masculine and feminine songs, is renowned for many works—but among them, Omokage Honsen stands out as a track that exudes distinctly masculine allure.
While it firmly retains elements of enka, the overall piece leans strongly into mood kayō (mood pop), especially emphasized in the A and B sections.
As a result, there are fewer instances of kobushi (ornamental vocal turns) and no complex pitch movements, making it perfect for beginners to enka.
Be sure to add it to your repertoire.
Thank you to you.Yamamoto Jōji
Between 2000 and 2001, Joji Yamamoto released three singles with lyrics by Takashi Taka, music by Tetsuya Gen, and arrangement by Toshiaki Maeda.
The second of these is Omae ni Arigatou, which was released on February 1, 2001—Yamamoto’s birthday.
It’s a classic enka number characteristic of Yamamoto, conveying a gently melancholic mood and masculine strength through his distinctive kobushi vocal ornamentation, and it’s naturally very popular for karaoke.
While the expansive vibrato makes it a bit challenging for beginners, its overall difficulty is moderate for enka, making it a great practice song for those who enjoy this style.
sunsetYamamoto Jōji
Released in 1988 as a single by Joji Yamamoto, “Yuuhi” is a masterpiece featuring poignantly melancholic lyrics by Toyohisa Araki that contrast the unchanging dynamics between men and women with the image of a setting sun.
Yamamoto’s careful, heartfelt delivery is deeply moving, and the song is popular at karaoke, so many people have likely heard it.
With an atmosphere between enka and kayōkyoku and only modest use of enka techniques like kobushi, it’s approachable even for beginners to enka.
The melody sits generally low, which helps those who struggle with high notes, but the overall range is somewhat wide—especially in the chorus, where it’s easy to go off pitch—so keep that in mind as you practice.