Chiaki Naomi’s Popular Song Rankings [2026]

withered silvergrasschiaki naomi16rank/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.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Yoshizaki Keiko

Report a problem

Though colors are fragrantchiaki naomi17rank/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 naomi18rank/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.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kappamaki

Report a problem

Sugarcane fieldchiaki naomi19rank/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 naomi20rank/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.