![[Men] Enka Songs That Can Score High in Karaoke](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/c_qKXOFVOI0/sddefault.jpg)
[Men] Enka Songs That Can Score High in Karaoke
Karaoke is really so much fun, isn’t it?
This might be a bit presumptuous, but I have a feeling that many people who love enka also love karaoke.
What’s more, the more you sing enka, the more you can master its distinctive vocal style, making it a genre where it’s easy to feel yourself improving.
As you get better, you might find yourself wanting to use the scoring feature and aim for a high score.
For those of you who love enka and want to try for a high score at karaoke, here’s a special feature on songs that make it easier to rack up points—this time, focusing on male vocals.
[Men’s Edition] Enka Songs That Can Score High in Karaoke (1–10)
Okuhida BojoRyū Tetsuya
This is Tetsuya Ryu’s debut single, released in 1980.
With this song, he even appeared on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 1981.
Despite losing his eyesight at 25, he persevered, debuting as an enka street performer in his hometown of Takayama, Gifu, with an accordion in his arms.
He sings the lyrics, set in his home region of Okuhida, with deep emotion.
This is enka at its finest—a masterpiece packed with its unique charm.
The style features an abundance of kobushi, the characteristic melodic ornaments of enka.
To master it, listen to the recording and try imitating the kobushi.
As you repeat, you’ll start to grasp their nuances.
Be sure to mimic the note sustains and accents closely.
Not only will this help you score higher, it will undoubtedly make singing enka even more enjoyable.
A Lone Journey to MichinokuYamamoto Jōji
This is one of Joji Yamamoto’s signature songs.
It was introduced to him by his mentor, Saburo Kitajima.
After hearing it, Yamamoto begged to sing it, which led to a massive hit.
It has since become a classic that continues to be performed.
The low notes in the B section may be difficult to produce even for men.
Practice so that your chest voice resonates solidly within your body.
Doing so will improve not only your low notes but your high notes as well.
The famous, relentless phrase at the ending may feel challenging precisely because the pitch doesn’t change much.
Engage your core and sing with firm abdominal support.
Beloved DaysHoriuchi Takao
This is one of Takao Horiuchi’s signature songs.
It was used as the theme song for the year-end period drama Byakkotai, broadcast on Nippon TV in 1986.
The lyrics penned by singer-songwriter Kei Ogura leave a lasting impression.
In terms of vocals, Horiuchi is also a member and songwriter of the rock group Alice, so many parts don’t conform to enka conventions.
He changes the melody and vocal phrasing between the first and second verses, and there are shout-like phrases as well.
Even so, the song doesn’t suddenly jump in pitch or introduce radically different phrasing.
If you can produce the low range clearly and distinctly, and pay attention to how you cut off notes, you’ll likely score higher.
Person Sought in the NorthNakazawa Takuya
Born in 1995, Takuya Nakazawa is a multi-talented artist who made his debut in the enka and kayōkyoku fields in his early twenties, has won numerous awards, and also has a career as a racing driver.
His 2020 single “Kita no Tazunebito” is a refreshing masterpiece that perfectly matches his image, and the lyrics, which sing of a pure love set in Hokkaido, are wonderful.
With a classic kayōkyoku structure—clearly delineated A verse, B verse, and chorus—it’s easy to memorize, and the pitch range is fairly standard, making it suitable for karaoke.
For the chorus, its expansive vocal lines and natural vibrato are fine to shorten a bit and take breaths earlier than in the original if you’re not used to it.
Keep practicing little by little, and strive to perform it with a relaxed expression!
A street corner in loveYamauchi Keisuke
This is Keisuke Yamauchi’s 2008 hit song about romances between men and women unfolding in bars across bustling districts like Sapporo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka.
Although he’s from Fukuoka Prefecture, his career has an interesting twist in that his popularity first took off from Hokkaido.
The song doesn’t demand a particularly wide vocal range, nor does it feature extremely high or low notes.
The classic path to improvement is to grasp the melody and sing so the lyrics come across clearly and crisply.
If you sing while taking a bird’s-eye view of the song’s world—approaching it with the mindset of a narrator—you’ll likely be able to perform without overloading it with emotion, in just the right way.
It was rainy again in Nagasaki today.Uchiyamada Hiroshi to Cool Five
This was the debut single of Hiroshi Uchiyamada and the Cool Five, who debuted in 1969, and it’s the group’s biggest hit.
The lead vocal is by Kiyoshi Maekawa, who later self-covered the song as well.
To score high, instead of trying to sing the entire song straight through, it’s effective to practice so you can sing one full verse perfectly without mistakes.
I often introduce this practice method in various places, and especially for enka and kayōkyoku, there are relatively few songs whose melodies change drastically between the first and second verses, so it’s wise to thoroughly learn the melody first.
Also, since the opening lyric starts on a vowel and enters from a low note, if you sing that part with just a slight catch in the throat, you’ll be able to hit the pitch more clearly.
Give it a try!
I’m appearing under my former name.Kobayashi Akira
A signature song by Akira Kobayashi, released in 1975, which became a long-selling hit with over two million copies sold over more than two years.
It remains a classic that is still sung today.
Because of its bright timbre it can feel high in key, but it’s actually not that high.
Once you memorize the first chorus, the rest is mostly repetition of the same melody, making it easy to practice.
Try to clearly differentiate the volume and emotional intensity between the verse and the chorus.
If you sustain the long notes well and master the slightly wider melodic intervals, a high score won’t be just a dream.
America BridgeYamakawa Yutaka
This is a 1998 song by Yutaka Yamakawa, the younger of the star brothers from Toba City in Mie Prefecture.
His older brother is Ichiro Toba.
It’s amazing that both brothers have hit songs, isn’t it? “America Bridge” is another name for Ebisu Minami Bridge, located between Ebisu and Meguro Stations on Tokyo’s Yamanote Line.
Tokyo has its own local songs, too.
To aim for a high score with this song, make sure you can feel the 6/8 time.
If you get left behind by this rhythm, scoring high won’t even be the issue.
Once you’ve got the 6/8 down, pay attention to matching the words with the melody.
Then—like magic—you’ll find it’s surprisingly easy to sing, and it becomes more and more enjoyable.
Savor the chorus’s melody and lyrics that are unique to 6/8 time, and sing with pleasure.
The high score will naturally follow.
draft (cold air seeping through gaps)Sugi Ryōtarō
Among Ryotaro Sugi’s career as a singer—he’s also renowned as an actor—his best‑selling signature song is Sukimakaze.
It was used as the theme song for his masterpiece period drama Toyama no Kin-san and achieved an astonishing record by staying within the Oricon Top 100 for 147 weeks.
It’s also a karaoke favorite, so it’s a great pick to sing with plenty of mood and aim for a high score.
While the melody may sound steady overall, you’ll notice when you sing it that the pitch range is actually fairly wide.
The song’s rich, deep low notes are part of its charm, so if low tones are difficult for you, we recommend listening to the original repeatedly and practicing those parts intensively.
To my daughter…Yoshi Ikuzo
From the very intro—melancholic acoustic guitar and tasteful strings—you can feel a poignant atmosphere.
It’s a masterpiece written and composed by Ikuzo Yoshi, imbued with the clumsy yet heartfelt feelings of a father toward his daughter as she marries and leaves home.
Fathers who’ve had similar experiences will likely find themselves in tears.
It’s a classic not only for karaoke but also one we’d love to see the bride’s father sing at weddings and receptions.
The melody sits on the lower side, making it easier for those who struggle with high notes, and the pitch is straightforward, so you can expect a solid karaoke score.
That said, more important than any flashy technique is pouring your deep, aching love for your daughter into the performance.
Be sure to read the lyrics carefully and then sing your heart out.