Chiaki Naomi’s Popular Song Rankings [2026]

withered silvergrasschiaki naomi15rank/position

Naomi Chiaki / Showa Kare Susuki (Withered Pampas Grass of the Showa Era)

She covered a song originally sung by Sakura and Ichiro in 1974.

The song is still widely known today as a karaoke enka duet, but when she—who was renowned for her vocal ability and very popular at the time—sang it, it revealed a different kind of charm.

It’s a song that exudes a strong Showa-era vibe, and it probably became such a big hit because it fit perfectly with the mood of that era.

Times change, but great songs endure.

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Yoshizaki Keiko

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Though colors are fragrantchiaki naomi16rank/position

Chiaki Naomi “Iro wa nioedo”

A single released in 1992.

It is included as the first track on the 2007 album “Kagerou ~Iro wa Nioedo~.” The lyrics were written by writer Shizuka Ijūin, who received the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2016, and the music was composed by composer Kyōhei Tsutsumi, who received the same medal in 2003.

In 1992, following the death of her husband, she retired from the entertainment industry.

Parody Exercise to the Tune of “Yagiri no Watashi”chiaki naomi17rank/position

Brain training with laughter: Yagiri no Watashi parody song exercise

This is an exercise where you slowly stretch your body to the melody of Naomi Chiaki’s “Yagiri no Watashi.” The lyrics describe how to move your body, and by keeping the original song’s expansive phrasing in mind, you can add impact to the movement instructions.

Since the piece is characterized by a relaxed rhythm, it’s important to take time with each motion and apply steady, deliberate force.

Be sure to coordinate words and movements at the same time, aiming to smoothly link your entire body in unison.

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kappamaki

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Sugarcane fieldchiaki naomi18rank/position

Sugarcane Field — Song by Naomi Chiaki (Japan Record Award Winner)

Known as an anti-war song, this piece begins with lyrics that evoke the sound of wind blowing through sugarcane fields.

From the perspective of a girl who lost her father in the Battle of Okinawa, it conveys the tragedy of war and the wish for peace quietly, yet powerfully.

Naomi Chiaki’s emotionally rich singing further enhances the song’s profound message.

When it was featured on NHK’s “Minna no Uta” starting in April 1975, a short version was broadcast that included only three of the eleven stanzas.

Gently appealing to the horror of war and the preciousness of peace, this work continues to resonate with many people to this day, and has even been used as teaching material in school music classes.

Showa Elegychiaki naomi19rank/position

Shōwa Elegy, Naomi Chiaki, with subtitles

Naomi Chiaki, who has many classic songs like “Kassai” that sing of urban melancholy, recorded this as a “hidden gem” on her 1988 album.

With lyrics by Osamu Yoshida and music by Toru Funamura—the golden duo of the enka era—the song features evocative lyrics that nostalgically reflect on the Showa period.

Yagiri no Watashi (Yagiri Ferry)chiaki naomi20rank/position

Naomi Chiaki – Yagiri no Watashi

This is a song by Naomi Chiaki that was included on the B-side of the 1976 single “Sakabagawa,” and, due to its popularity, was released as an A-side single in 1982.

The following year, it was covered by famous singers such as Takashi Hosokawa, Eiko Segawa, and Kiyoshi Nakajo, but many kayōkyoku fans still rave that “Naomi Chiaki’s version is the best!” The song portrays the feelings of a man and a woman heading to an unfamiliar place as if fleeing from something.

Indeed, Naomi Chiaki’s sultry, heartrending voice fits the image perfectly, doesn’t it?

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yuri

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cherry blossom blizzardchiaki naomi21rank/position

Cherry Blossom Blizzard ~ Song by Naomi Chiaki (Japan Record Award Winner)

You’re graduating and leaving, I’m closing up shop and heading back to my hometown… It’s a sad farewell, yet somehow it carries a certain warmth.

Known for hits like “Kassai” and “Aka Tombo,” and also active as an actress, this is a song by Naomi Chiaki, released in 1975 as her 19th single.

Chiaki’s free, slightly husky vocals are irresistible.

It feels as if the words slip straight into your heart.

The lyrics are another charm, making you feel like you’re watching the final scene of a drama.

A town you stopped visiting much after graduating—don’t you have one of those, too?

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Araki Jakkan

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