[2026] Enka Songs That Are Hard to Sing – Male Singers Edition
When it comes to enka, there’s an image that only truly skilled singers can pull it off.
Of course, there are relatively easy songs as well, and enka is a very popular genre at karaoke.
This time, we’ve put together a list of classic enka songs that are difficult to sing, aimed at those who are fairly accustomed to singing enka.
Beyond the genre’s signature techniques—like vibrato and kobushi (ornamental turns)—these songs demand high expressive ability, including handling wide vocal ranges.
In this article, we introduce masterpieces by male enka singers, but we also feature difficult-to-sing classics by female singers in another piece, so be sure to check that out as well.
- [2026] Easy Enka Songs Recommended for Karaoke – Male Singers Edition
- [2026] Amazing If You Can Sing It! Classic Enka Masterpieces [Male Singers Edition]
- [For Beginners] Recommended Enka Masterpieces for Karaoke — Male Singers Edition
- 【2026】Difficult Enka Songs to Sing — Women Singers Edition
- 【2026】Recommended Enka by Male Singers with Captivating High Notes
- [2026] Recommended for those who find high notes difficult! Enka by male singers that you can sing in a low register
- [Men] Enka Songs That Can Score High in Karaoke
- Enka songs that are easy for men to sing: a roundup of tracks to try at karaoke
- [2026] Easy Enka Songs for Karaoke: Recommended Picks — Women Singers Edition
- [2026] Representative Famous Enka Songs: A Compilation of Classic Favorites [Beginner-Friendly]
- [For Men] Masterpiece Enka Songs with High Difficulty
- Men’s enka: a collection of classic songs portraying the way men live and their fighting spirit
- [2026] A roundup of classic enka and kayōkyoku masterpieces: male-male duets
[2026] Difficult-to-Sing Enka Songs — Male Singers Edition (11–20)
Satsuma WomanKitajima Saburō
It’s a classic released in 1968, read as “Satsuma no Hito” despite being written as “Satsuma no Onna,” and it’s part of Saburo Kitajima—aka Sabu-chan’s—“women series.” In addition to his own legendary career, Kitajima, a towering figure in the enka world, is renowned for discovering and nurturing many talented young enka singers and for his work as a lyricist and composer.
His songs are staples at karaoke, but thanks to his overwhelming vocal prowess and masterful expressiveness, many of them are actually quite difficult to sing.
This “Satsuma no Onna” has the feel of classic Showa-era enka with a touch of folk-song flavor, and it likely falls into the more challenging category, with melodies that move from sustained, soaring high notes in the chorus down to calm low notes.
The rhythm is also tricky to catch, so it’s best to start by getting a feel for the song’s rhythm and practicing it part by part.
River of SnowNiinuma Kenji
Kenji Niinuma rose to stardom at the young age of 20 in the 1970s, releasing hit songs like “Yome ni Konai Ka” and “Headlight” in partnership with lyricist Yu Aku.
He has also showcased his talents as an actor and songwriter, providing songs to other artists, and continues to thrive even in the Reiwa era.
The song introduced here, “Yuki no Kawa,” is a single released in 2011 to commemorate the 35th anniversary of his debut.
It’s a classic, wistful enka number that captivates with Niinuma’s signature beautiful vocals—gentle and embracing, yet tinged with a certain delicacy.
The melody spans from the low tones of the A section to the soaring highs from the B section onward; while it’s easy to remember, it’s by no means simple to sing.
In particular, overexerting on the high notes can strip away the unique flavor that defines Niinuma’s style.
Try singing it while visualizing the scenes depicted in the lyrics and being mindful of how much strength you apply.
Kita-ShinchiYoshi Ikuzo
While the enka genre typically involves professional lyricists and composers writing songs for singers, Ikuzo Yoshi stands out as a singer-songwriter who writes and performs his own material.
From comic-song flavors to authentic enka, he has produced hits across a wide spectrum, and he has also left many ‘local songs’ themed around towns across Japan.
This track, “Kita-Shinchi,” is literally themed on Osaka’s famous entertainment district.
It was included on the album “35th Anniversary: Thanks to Everyone — A Journey of Poems,” and later self-covered on “50th Anniversary Album III — Bringing Yoshi to Your Town.” The song sits somewhere between enka and mood kayō, making it perfect for karaoke.
That said, keeping the rhythm is tricky, and simply matching the melody to the pitches won’t fully bring out the song’s appeal.
To capture the nuanced flavor of someone who has tasted life’s bittersweet experiences, practice until you can sing it with effortless ease.
My love to youYamakawa Yutaka
Yamakawa Yutaka, the younger brother of Ichiro Toba and, like his brother, a hugely popular and venerable enka singer.
Although he suspended his activities in 2024 after an illness was discovered, he released a duet with Toba in December of the same year, “Oretachi no Komoriuta” (Our Lullaby).
His performance, which conveyed both his recovery and his determination to return, surely reassured many fans.
Among Yamakawa’s songs, the one I’d especially like you to try is “Omae ni Ai wo.” Included as a new track on his 35th Anniversary Best Album released in 2016, it’s a hidden gem packed with Yamakawa’s appeal—sung with a supple yet powerful delivery over a 6/8 rhythm.
At first listen it may not seem particularly difficult, but when you actually try to sing it, the range is surprisingly wide, and many people will likely stumble over singing smoothly within that aforementioned rhythm.
The melody, which builds from a rich, low register and gradually soars toward the climax, requires careful breath control while employing the basic techniques of enka.
Mother of My EyesFukuda Kouhei
Kohei Fukuda is a popular enka singer whose father is the folk singer Iwatsuki Fukuda.
Even before his debut, he had already won many competitions.
With his unique phrasing rooted in folk music and his exceptional vocal ability as his weapons, Fukuda has been highly praised by giants of the enka world, including Saburo Kitajima.
There are surely many people who want to try his songs at karaoke.
Maboroshi no Haha (Mother of My Eyelids) is a cover of a song that has been beloved since the Showa era, included on his 2012 album Mother: Songs for the Mothers of Japan.
Fukuda’s mastery in delivering this classic—covered by many singers—is truly impressive, but to be honest, the bar is even higher when you try to sing it with his kind of phrasing on top of an already difficult song.
First practice until you can sing the melody, with its wide range and sharply rising and falling intervals, entirely by heart including the lyrics.
After that, try imitating Fukuda’s distinctive singing style, refined through his background in folk music.