Popular Enka. Latest Rankings [2026]

Snow, Moon, and Flowerstatsumi yūto76rank/position

Yuto Tatsumi “Setsugetsuka” Music Video

A song that beautifully intertwines Japan’s four gorgeous seasons with a bittersweet love.

Yuto Tatsumi’s clear, translucent voice adds even greater depth, resonating powerfully in the listener’s heart.

Demanding a wide vocal range and delicate expressiveness, this piece is perfect for a karaoke challenge.

Released in January 2022, it reached No.

1 on the Oricon Weekly Enka Rankings.

Highly recommended for those who want to lose themselves in lyrics that fuse traditional Japanese aesthetics with modern sensibilities, and for anyone seeking the new allure of enka.

If you can convey the emotions of a heart swaying between duty and human compassion, you’re sure to become the star of the karaoke stage.

The Makioka SistersItsuki Hiroshi77rank/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 Matsuo78rank/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 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.

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A Man’s FistKimura Tetsuji80rank/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.