![[Karaoke] A roundup of easy-to-sing Misora Hibari songs](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/sqmKkwKX7v0/maxresdefault.webp)
A voice that resonates with everyone’s heart… When it comes to Showa-era songstresses, Hibari Misora comes to mind.
She performed countless masterpieces, including “Like the Flow of the River,” “Ai Sansan,” and “Midaregami.”
If someone asked you for your favorite, I bet a particular song would come to mind right away.
In this article, we’ll introduce some of Hibari Misora’s songs that are especially easy to sing and perfect for karaoke.
Use it as a guide for your next song selection!
- [Karaoke] A roundup of songs that are easy for women to sing!
- Easy-to-sing songs recommended for women in their 70s: A collection of classic hits perfect for karaoke
- No worries even if you’re not confident in your singing! Simple, easy-to-sing songs for karaoke.
- A must-see for low-voiced women! Popular songs that are easy to sing at karaoke
- [Even If You're Tone-Deaf, It's Okay!] Easy-to-Sing Karaoke Songs and Practice Tracks
- [For People in Their 60s] Karaoke Songs That Get the Crowd Going: Ranking [2026]
- Queen of Local Songs: Kaori Mizumori's Easy-to-Sing Tracks
- Recommended for women in their 60s! Easy-to-sing Japanese karaoke songs
- Easy-to-sing enka: A roundup of recommended enka songs for karaoke
- [For People in Their 60s] Ranking of Easy-to-Sing Karaoke Songs [2026]
- Recommended for millennial women who aren't confident singers: easy-to-sing karaoke songs
- When you can’t decide what to sing at karaoke: Easy-to-sing classic hits from the Showa era
- [For Beginners] Recommended Enka Classics for Karaoke — Women Singers Edition
[Karaoke] A roundup of Misora Hibari’s easy-to-sing songs (1–10)
Love Radiant
It uses difficult kanji, but it’s written as “愛燦燦” and read as “Ai Sansan.” The title appears right at the start of the lyrics, so it leaves a strong impression, doesn’t it? This “Ai Sansan” is a single released in 1986 by Japan’s eternal songstress, Hibari Misora.
The song was written and composed by singer-songwriter Kei Ogura, and as a masterpiece of Showa-era pop, it has been covered by many artists and is well known from frequent appearances on TV.
That said, it apparently didn’t sell very well at the time of release and only later became a long-running hit.
It’s also very popular for karaoke, and because the melody is easy to remember and the vocal range isn’t too extreme, it’s definitely one of the more singable songs among Hibari Misora’s many classics.
Try riding the relaxed rhythm, savoring the deeply expressive lyrics, and focusing on clear pronunciation as you sing!
Festival Mambo
Even in the Reiwa era, you hear this song’s lively rhythm and melody more often when festival season comes around.
Released as a single in 1952, “Omatsuri Mambo” is, as the title suggests, an uptempo masterpiece that uses the then-popular mambo rhythm, packed with the bustle and joy of festivals.
It’s also striking how the mood shifts dramatically in the latter half, slowing down to portray the loneliness after the festivities.
The superb song structure and Hibari’s vocal prowess and expressiveness still make you marvel today.
It’s a song that requires considerable technique to sing well, but if you belt out the first half in time with the rhythm, it’s sure to get the crowd going at karaoke.
For the latter sections, switch your mindset and sing it with plenty of mood.
Like the flow of a river
“Like the Flow of the River” is the final single released during the lifetime of the legendary songstress Hibari Misora, and among her illustrious discography—through which she continually sang to the hearts of the Japanese people—it stands out as one of her most famous masterpieces.
With lyrics by Yasushi Akimoto that convey a profound outlook on life, and a beautiful melody composed by Akira Mitake, Hibari’s flawless vocal performance continues to move countless listeners even in the Reiwa era.
Ever since its release, the song has, unsurprisingly, been immensely popular for karaoke as well.
In fact, when you actually try singing it, you’ll find the range isn’t overly demanding; the calm mood of the verse and the soaring, memorable chorus make it both easy to learn and satisfying to sing.
While being able to add vibrato is certainly a plus, there’s no need to force it—let yourself flow with the melody and focus on clearly enunciating each word of the lyrics.
Eyeless plover
This song, “Men-nai Chidori,” is not an original by Hibari Misora.
Its first release dates back to 1940 as a single by Noboru Kirishima and Miss Columbia.
Later, Chiyoko Shimakura covered it in 1965, and Eisaku Okawa covered it in 1969—both times as B-side tracks that nevertheless became hits, giving the song a rather curious history.
The evocative beauty of Satō Hachirō’s Japanese lyrics and Masao Koga’s wistful melody resonate with the Japanese heart, even for those who aren’t particularly interested in enka.
Hibari Misora’s rendition is what you might call standard enka, but she sings it smoothly without heavily leaning into vibrato ornamentation.
The melody features a characteristically enka-like development—soaring from low lines up into a higher range—which can be challenging if you’re not used to it.
However, the pitches themselves are fairly approachable, so with repeated practice, paying attention to the rhythm of the lyrics and melody, you’ll be able to sing it well.
a bright red sun
Crimson Sun is one of Hibari Misora’s signature masterpieces—so famous that most people, regardless of age, have probably heard it at least once.
The contrast between the powerfully sung, full-bodied low-register A section and the driving, relentless chorus, coupled with Nobo Haru’s jazz-influenced composition and the Group Sounds-style band arrangement by Jackey Yoshikawa and the Blue Comets, makes it sound absolutely cool even today in the Reiwa era.
Many young music fans find this sound “cool,” and some will want to try it at karaoke.
It’s also a karaoke standard among Hibari Misora’s songs, so performing it in front of older listeners is sure to be a hit.
While simply following the melody isn’t too difficult, as mentioned earlier, lean all the way into the theatrical flair in the A section, and in the chorus, focus on momentum while paying attention to your breathing points!
car dealer
If you’re familiar with Japanese rock from the 2000s, this song might ring a bell.
“Kuruma-ya-san” drew attention from younger music fans when Tokyo Jihen, led by Ringo Sheena, covered it and released it as a single in 2004.
Its first appearance, however, was back in 1961 as the B-side to the single “Hibari no Dodonpa.” Since then, “Kuruma-ya-san” grew in popularity and began to be performed frequently in concerts.
The distinctive phrasing and rhythmic feel typical of kayōkyoku might seem a bit challenging if you’re not used to this style, but you’ll handle it well by practicing in sections: focus on the contrast between the bouncy rhythm of the A verse and the dramatically more expansive singing in the chorus.
Don’t be shy—lean into the vibe, even to the point of overdoing it a little.
Tokyo Kid
Tokyo Kid is a signature song from the period when Hibari Misora was shining as a prodigious young star, and it’s a classic that brought bright hope to postwar Japan.
If you watch the film of the same name, in which Hibari herself starred, you’ll see how charming she is singing this song with confidence at the age of 13—and you’ll surely be struck by her overwhelming vocal prowess.
Although Tokyo Kid has some ups and downs in pitch, it’s the kind of song where the melody comes naturally once you catch the rhythm, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to sing.
Next time you go to karaoke with your family, try singing it in front of your grandpa and grandma!