[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)
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!
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.
The first person I fell in love withTakeshima Hiroshi
Following the so-called “Trilogy of Being Led to Dance” — Koimachi Counter, Uwasa no Futari, and Yume no Furiko — Hatsumete Suki ni Natta Hito, released in 2020, is a beautiful, gently paced medium ballad that showcases Hiroshi Takeshima’s signature sweet and heartrending vocals to the fullest.
With its melody built almost entirely in the mid range and pitched quite low overall, it may feel refreshing to listeners accustomed to contemporary J-pop where high notes tend to take center stage.
Takeshima himself said at the time of the song’s release that he was “returning to basics and competing with just the singing,” so please take the time to fully grasp the world depicted in the lyrics by Goro Matsui — which earned the Special Jury Prize at the 53rd Japan Lyrics Awards — and sing it with all your heart!