Sayuri Ishikawa Popular Song Ranking [2026]

The Promised MoonIshikawa Sayuri8rank/position

Sayuri Ishikawa 'Moon of Promise' Music Video

Featuring a music video that captivates with Sayuri Ishikawa not in her usual kimono but dressed in a chic outfit, Yakusoku no Tsuki is a commemorative song marking the start of the 51st year of her career.

Released in April 2023, it is said to be the posthumous work of the master composer Takashi Miki.

Ishikawa’s refined and beautiful vocal delivery, which carefully brings out the melody, deeply moves listeners, and it’s a song you’ll surely want to sing with feeling at karaoke.

The enka-style vocals are kept understated, and a relatively J-pop approach is more than enough to convey its appeal, so practice repeatedly to ensure you can produce the high notes cleanly.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

KOH-1

Report a problem

Osaka SwallowIshikawa Sayuri9rank/position

Osaka Swallow Sayuri Ishikawa YouTube

This is a song released by Sayuri Ishikawa in 1986.

It’s beloved as a local-themed song featuring famous Osaka landmarks in its lyrics, such as Yodoyabashi, Hōzenji, and Kita-Shinchi.

Comparing a swallow to the bittersweet feelings of a woman in love, it’s an enka piece in which Sayuri Ishikawa’s gentle, delicate vocals resonate deeply.

To the Land of FireIshikawa Sayuri10rank/position

To the Land of Fire

For Sayuri Ishikawa, who hails from Kumamoto Prefecture, this is truly a classic local song that lets her triumphantly return home in glory! Released in 1978, “Hi no Kuni e” is a Kumamoto-themed song set against Mt.

Aso, and Ishikawa even performed it at that year’s Kohaku Uta Gassen.

It’s hard to believe she had just turned 20 at the time—her powerful vocals are truly compelling.

Of course, it’s also very popular for karaoke, but “Hi no Kuni e,” created by the golden duo of Yu Aku and Takashi Miki—icons of the Showa era—blends enka elements with a strong kayokyoku flavor, so you can approach it with a classic Showa pop sensibility.

Feel the so-called 8-beat swing (hachiroku) rhythm, and try singing with careful, crisp articulation of each syllable in the lyrics.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

KOH-1

Report a problem

Love Song of Kaze no BonIshikawa Sayuri11rank/position

Love Song of Kaze no Bon

This is a classic released in 1989, in which Sayuri Ishikawa, a grand dame of enka, delivers Ryo Nakanishi’s lyrics—based on Osamu Takahashi’s novel “Kazeno-Bon Koika (The Love Song of the Owara Kaze-no-Bon)”—with a gentle, heartfelt touch.

It’s also a so-called regional song, and it was highly acclaimed, winning the 31st Japan Record Award that same year.

Although the lyrics revolve around the theme of an extramarital affair, Nakanishi’s choice of words is delicate and beautiful, and Ishikawa’s singing avoids any sense of murky melodrama—truly superb.

It’s true that a song like this demands advanced expressive ability, but the enka-style vocal ornaments and vibrato are relatively restrained, so even those who aren’t confident in such techniques should give it a try.

Overall, the key is on the higher side, but the vocal range required is relatively average; if you struggle with high notes, consider adjusting the key.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

KOH-1

Report a problem

Hide-and-seekIshikawa Sayuri12rank/position

Hide-and-Seek Sayuri Ishikawa

This is the memorable debut single released in 1973 by Sayuri Ishikawa, who would go on to become a leading figure in the enka world.

She was only 15 when the song came out! Quite different from the powerful image of “Tsugaru Strait – Winter Scene,” her charming, idol-like vocals here feel wonderfully fresh.

The nostalgic melody, reminiscent of a children’s song, pairs perfectly with lyrics that evoke faint memories of playing in back alleys at dusk.

It might even be overlaying the bittersweet feelings of first love for someone special with a game of hide-and-seek in search of “that child” who can no longer be found.

A sentimental track that lets you glimpse the precious starting point of a great singer.

smartphone boatIshikawa Sayuri13rank/position

[Sayuri Ishikawa] The first music video made from existing karaoke footage: “Smartphone Boat”

Studying on a smartphone—people who aren’t familiar with it might indeed be surprised.

This is SoftBank’s commercial “Smartphone Boat.” The CM song is sung by the legendary enka singer Sayuri Ishikawa.

As the title suggests, it’s an original song themed around smartphones.

The official music video has also been released, so if you’re curious about the full version, please check it out.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Araki Jakkan

Report a problem

Harbor Pier DrizzleIshikawa Sayuri14rank/position

Harbor Pier Drizzle

The single song “Hatoba Shigure,” released in 1985, is a local tune set at Tonosho Port on Shodoshima in Kagawa Prefecture.

It became a milestone masterpiece that marked Ishikawa’s transition into a mature enka singer, winning the 27th Japan Record Award and being performed at the 36th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, following life experiences such as marriage and the birth of her first daughter.

A commemorative monument was erected in 1992 in Tonosho Town, Shōzu District, Kagawa Prefecture, and in 2012 a monument honoring Osamu Yoshioka, who wrote the lyrics, was also built on Shodoshima.

Hugely popular in karaoke, the song exudes the classic, heartfelt feel of traditional enka, and those accustomed to singing enka should be able to handle it with ease.

As the song builds, the pitch gradually rises, then drops to a deep note before climbing again.

Take your time and sing carefully to avoid going off pitch as the melody intensifies!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

KOH-1

Report a problem