Popular Enka. Latest Rankings [2026]

The Makioka SistersItsuki Hiroshi78rank/position

The Makioka Sisters

Set against the wintry scenery of a snow country, this song portrays a fleeting love.

Hiroshi Itsuki’s warm, resonant low voice beautifully conveys the world of the heartrending lyrics.

Released in September 1983, it peaked at No.

9 on the Oricon chart and stayed on the charts for 33 weeks, becoming one of Itsuki’s signature songs.

Composed mainly in the low to mid range, it’s a great choice even for those who find high notes challenging.

When the winter cold feels like it might freeze your heart, why not sing this song and regain a little warmth within?

YukoYūji Matsuo79rank/position

Yushi Matsuo “Yuko” MUSIC VIDEO

It feels like a sweet love story that seeps into the heart.

This song by Yushi Matsuo, who has built a firm place for himself in the enka world as a singer, was released in December 2024.

It carefully weaves the tale of a protagonist who stays by the side of a woman named Yuko and seeks to lead her toward a happy future.

Matsuo’s distinctive phrasing, featuring his signature rolled Rs, and his warm vocal tone further elevate the story.

It’s a track that lets you fully savor the appeal of enka that stands by life’s side—one you’ll want to listen to with someone special.

TATSUYATanaka Aimi80rank/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.

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A Man’s FistKimura Tetsuji81rank/position

Tetsuji Kimura “Man’s Fist” MUSIC VIDEO

A powerful enka-style song with a strong message has arrived from Tetsuji Kimura.

Released in July 2024, this work is a tour-de-force written and composed by his brother, Ryuzo Kimura.

Centered on themes of “masculinity” and “indomitable spirit,” it portrays a man who faces adversity head-on.

Presented as part of the single “Midarezaki / Otoko no Kobushi / Hamanasu no Nemuri Uta (Acoustic ver.),” it skillfully fuses traditional enka with a contemporary sensibility.

It’s a piece that fully showcases the talents of Tetsuji Kimura, a past recipient of the Japan Record Awards New Artist Prize.

For those standing at life’s crossroads or confronting difficulties, this is a song that will offer courage and hope.

evening cicadaNagayama Yōko82rank/position

Yoko Nagayama “Higurashi” Music Video

Branded as the “first year of enka,” this commemorative song, Higurashi, marked Ms.

Nagayama’s re-debut as an enka singer in 1993.

It is her biggest hit, a renowned piece widely recognized for being used as the theme song for the TBS drama Journey of Life and for her appearance at that year’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

Built on a 6/8 rhythm in a minor key, it embodies the classic style of enka, featuring fundamental enka techniques throughout.

While it can be a challenging song for beginners to enka, the melody is easy to remember, and anyone reasonably accustomed to singing enka should be able to manage it.

Because the pitch moves up and down rather dramatically, it’s easy to go off the melody, so be sure to listen carefully to the original before attempting to sing it.

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A Man’s HarborToba Ichirō83rank/position

Ichiro Toba "Man’s Harbor" (Official Audio)

With a fisherman father and an ama diver mother, Ichiro Toba is truly an enka singer worthy of being called a “man of the sea.” Released in 1986, this song became a popular hit and was even performed on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

Characterized by lyrics themed around the sea and fishermen’s lives and a powerful melody, it showcases Toba’s vocal prowess to the fullest.

The overall pitch is on the lower side, but it’s challenging to deliver the lyrics clearly while employing vibrato.

It takes considerable technique to sing the low-register melody with stability.

If you’re not confident with vibrato, you might focus on delivering the lyrics clearly with crisp articulation.

It’s a recommended track for those who want to let their thoughts drift to the world of the sea and its fishermen.

Premonition of PartingTeresa Ten84rank/position

Premonition of Parting

She has produced numerous masterpieces, and among them, “A Premonition of Parting” is one of her most well-known works.

Although the chorus sits mostly in the mid-to-high range, the pitch movement is very gentle, so even if it feels high, you may find it surprisingly easy to sing.

If you still find the height challenging, don’t hesitate to lower the key.

This song has a narrow vocal range, so even if you lower the key, you won’t struggle with the low parts.

Be sure to add it to your repertoire.

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