Popular Enka Singers Ranking [2026]

I long for Southern HokkaidoKoyama Yudai71rank/position

The 66th Shining! Japan Record Awards Newcomer Award | Yudai Koyama “Donan Koishiya” Music Video (Full Ver.)

How about an inspiring number that stirs a burning longing for your hometown? It’s the debut single by Yudai Koyama, known as the “Magic Voice,” released in April 2024.

The song powerfully celebrates the landscapes of his hometown—such as Noboribetsu and Esashi—and the bonds with family.

Close your eyes and you can picture the Sea of Japan and snowy scenes that awaken a deep nostalgia in listeners.

Sing it at karaoke with friends who share that love for home, and it’s sure to resonate deeply in everyone’s hearts.

That girl is dotchicchi.Eya Masashi72rank/position

Masafumi Eya “That Girl Is Docchi-chi” MUSIC VIDEO

This was Masashi Eya’s major-label debut.

With lyrics by Reiji Mizuki and music by Hideo Mizumori, it tells a poignant love story about searching everywhere for someone you love who has disappeared.

The catchy melody contrasted with the seeping sorrow is irresistibly moving.

The frustration conveyed in his vocals makes your chest tighten without you even realizing it.

Evoking the atmosphere of a Showa-era coming-of-age drama, this world is perfect for anyone who wants to remember what it feels like to be in love.

freezing rainHino Mika73rank/position

Mika Hino Cold Rain

This song is a quintessential example of enka, where a catchy melody and emotionally rich lyrics blend beautifully.

Released in December 1982, it remains beloved by many as one of Mika Hino’s signature numbers.

The lyrics, which intertwine the chill of winter rain with the pain of heartbreak, portray a universal theme that anyone can relate to.

Hino, renowned for her vocal prowess, conveys the aching heart of a forlorn love with remarkable expressiveness.

With its relaxed tempo and relatively modest melodic shifts, it’s a song that even beginners to enka will find approachable.

Why not sing it slowly, savoring the lyrics that resonate so deeply?

draft (cold air seeping through gaps)Sugi Ryōtarō74rank/position

draft (cold air seeping through gaps)

This work has long been cherished as a signature masterpiece of the enka genre.

Since its release in 1976, it has become a major hit, selling over one million copies, and it was also used as the ending theme for the TV drama “Tōyama no Kin-san.” Centered around low to mid-range melodies, it is easy to sing even for those who struggle with high notes, and Ryōtarō Sugi’s gentle, composed vocals further enhance the song’s appeal.

While depicting the subtleties of life and loneliness, the lyrics convey a forward-looking attitude that resonates deeply with listeners.

It’s a recommended choice for those who want to try enka at karaoke or are seeking a calm, mellow song.

Come back.Matsumura Kazuko75rank/position

Come back.

Kazuko Matsumura is an enka singer from Hokkaido.

While she also performs orthodox enka, her essence arguably lies in rock-influenced enka.

Many people have surely been moved by her performances, where she holds a shamisen and sings as if she were a rock musician doing an acoustic set.

“Kaette Koi yo” is one of her signature songs; it maintains the fundamentals of enka yet stands out with a rock-tinged power.

The range is somewhat high, from mid2 A# to hi D#, but since the overall span is narrow, it shouldn’t be difficult to sing if you adjust to a suitable key.

It also features fewer kobushi (ornamental turns) than typical enka, making it a recommended choice.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Ryo

Report a problem

wintering swallowMori Masako76rank/position

wintering swallow

Released in 1983, this is one of the greatest masterpieces of enka by Masako Mori! This classic, which depicts a woman’s heartrending love, has continued to be cherished not only by fans but by many artists as well.

The melody, full of emotion and expressing a woman consumed by love, is striking—but to fully convey its world, exceptional vocal skill is essential.

It’s quite difficult to master the enka-typical transition from restrained low notes to beautifully soaring highs.

Pay attention to open, resonant high notes, clear diction, and the use of vibrato, and practice carefully to capture that bittersweet feeling.

This work is also famous for Mori’s tearful performance at the 1984 NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

If you sing it as if you were on a grand stage, it’s sure to move your audience.

Secret FireflyNagai Miyuki77rank/position

[MV] Miyuki Nagai / Himebotaru (Secret Firefly)

Miyuki Nagai’s “Hibotaru” is set in early-summer Nara, overlaying a fleeting love with fireflies dancing in the dark.

The song moves from a flower-scented daytime scene to a night where fireflies take flight, drawing you into a world that feels like reading a short novel.

A Western-style arrangement that goes beyond traditional enka and the aching timbre of the erhu intertwine exquisitely, evoking the smoldering passion of a secret love.

Nagai’s breathy vocals vividly depict the protagonist burdened with growing feelings, tightening the listener’s heart.

hesitationNagatsuki Akari78rank/position

Akari Nagitsuki / Hesitation - Music Video

A ballad whose melody sinks deep into the heart.

It’s a farewell song set in an airport, released in March 2025 by enka singer Akari Nagatsuki.

Kyo-ko Asahina’s sorrowful yet elegant lyrics blend beautifully with the dramatic composition.

Nagatsuki’s all-embracing vocals are captivating as well.

Each listen deepens the ache, a song that tightens the chest with bittersweet pain.

Please take your time and listen closely.

TATSUYATanaka Aimi79rank/position

Aimi Tanaka 'TATSUYA' [57th Japan Lyricist Awards]

Aimi Tanaka is an enka singer known as the beloved disciple of Takashi Hosokawa.

She possesses a remarkably deep voice for someone in her early twenties, and on top of that, her expressive power is extraordinary.

She is undoubtedly expected to play a leading role in the future enka scene, yet she has also released many songs that are easy to sing.

Among them, the one you can especially expect to get the crowd going is “TATSUYA.” While the lyrics are sad, depicting a widow, the melody is powerful and still brings out a feminine quality, so you can expect it to be quite exciting.

It leans more toward kayōkyoku in style, and the absence of difficult pitch movements—such as the dramatic ups and downs often associated with kobushi—makes it notably easy to sing.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Ryo

Report a problem

Nyōnin KōyaTagawa Toshi-mi80rank/position

BKTAi027 Women’s Koyasan ⑦ TOSHIMI TAGAWA (2002) 111117 vL FC HD

‘Nyonin Kōya,’ whose lyrics by author Hiroyuki Itsuki have drawn attention, is a striking song featuring Toshi Tagawa singing while strumming an electric guitar in an outfit that mixes kimono and dress styles.

‘Nyonin Kōya’ is said to be the nickname of Murō-ji Temple, where women were free to worship, in contrast to Kongōbu-ji on Mount Kōya, which historically prohibited women.

This masterpiece depicts a woman who, after a broken romance, arrives at Murō-ji, and Tagawa powerfully conveys the resolve of a determined woman through her expressive, emotionally rich performance.

The phrase from ‘Tōryanse’ adds a spicy touch that heightens the song’s impact!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

miyabi

Report a problem