Kaori Kozai Popular Song Rankings [2026]
Kaori Kozai, born in 1963.
From childhood she won various awards in folk singing, and even before debuting as the enka singer Kaori Kozai, she had debuted as a folk singer under the name Kana Kozai.
She enjoys enduring popularity thanks to her guaranteed vocal prowess and beauty that hasn’t faded even in her fifties.
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Kaori Kozai’s Most Popular Songs Ranking [2026] (11–20)
A Solo Summer FestivalKouzai Kaori11rank/position
When fireworks season and festival season come around, I bet some people can’t help remembering someone they used to love.
This song, Hitori Natsu Matsuri, sung by Kaori Kozai, an enka singer from Osaka Prefecture, is included on her 1998 album Best Selection.
As the woman wanders alone through a summer festival, recalling the past, the song makes you feel like you’re watching a drama or a movie.
It makes you wonder where the person she longs for has gone…
Izakaya ‘Tsuruga’Kouzai Kaori12rank/position
The lyrics tell the story of a female shop owner running her place alone, who spends an entire night talking with a customer that slips under the shop curtain and happens to resemble her younger brother who died young.
It has an enka-like feel, evoking the image of a man and woman sharing their life stories on a rainy night when no other customers come.
Autumn Love SongKouzai Kaori13rank/position
Kaori Kozai’s “Aki Koika” holds a special place even within her long career.
Released on April 27, 2016, it is a masterpiece that delicately portrays the bittersweetness of autumn and the stirrings of a faint romance.
The lyrics depict a woman’s feelings as she mourns a lost love and lets her thoughts drift on the autumn breeze—sentiments many listeners can relate to through their own experiences.
It’s especially recommended for solitary moments at autumn dusk.
Kaori Kozai’s emotionally rich vocals resonate deeply with listeners, leaving an unforgettable afterglow.
Sumida in the autumn duskKouzai Kaori14rank/position
A classic that beautifully captures an autumn dusk is brought back to life by Kaori Kozai’s vocals.
The vivid imagery of autumn leaves along the Sumida River and the glow of the setting sun is especially captivating.
Included on the album “Shiki no Kaori,” released in September 1989, this piece fully showcases the allure of understated enka.
Its wistful melody and emotionally rich singing resonate deeply with listeners.
It’s the perfect song for savoring the spirit of autumn and reminiscing about someone dear.
Highly recommended for those who want to spend a calm, unhurried moment.
Echizen Love SongKouzai Kaori15rank/position
Kaori Kozai’s enka masterpiece “Echizen Koibuta” has been beloved by many listeners since its release on December 19, 1994.
This song weaves together the majestic nature of Fukui Prefecture with a heartrending love story.
Its melody resonates deeply, and the words delivered in her clear, translucent voice evoke a profound longing.
It’s a recommended track not only for enka fans but also for anyone seeking a touch of nostalgia.
Gardenia ElegyKouzai Kaori16rank/position
Kaori Kozai has many famous songs, but Kuchinashi Elegy is especially known for its heartrending sorrow.
Although the band joins in during the latter half, the arrangement foregrounds the piano throughout, and that atmosphere, combined with the performance, delivers an outstanding sense of poignancy.
While the song carries the flavor of enka, the vocal line itself is more in the style of Showa-era kayōkyoku, with almost no use of complex techniques like kobushi.
The range is somewhat wide, so be sure to adjust the key to suit your voice and sing with proper control.
Song of SakuraKouzai Kaori17rank/position
Contrary to the glamorous image of cherry blossoms, this is a renowned ballad that overlays the transience of falling petals with the sorrows of life.
With lyrics by Rei Nakanishi and music by Takashi Miki, it’s also known for having been sung by Hibari Misora.
Kaori Kozai covered it on her 1993 album “Mugonzaka,” breathing new life into it with her delicate expressiveness.
Rather than erupting into showy tears, a quiet sense of despair—like cooling down while still retaining body heat—presses on the chest through her lustrous voice.
Spring is a time not only for meetings, but also for sudden thoughts of partings and loss, isn’t it? If you listen to it alone at night after a lively gathering, the emotions deep in your heart will be gently purified.
It’s a deeply shaded song that I especially want adults who understand life’s subtleties to savor slowly.
Unreachable feelingsKouzai Kaori18rank/position
This work portrays a protagonist single-heartedly longing for a former lover.
It’s a song by Kaori Kozai, slated for release in July 2025.
The heartrending desire to meet, if only in dreams, comes through clearly and tightens the chest.
Her wistful vocals further deepen the piece’s dramatic quality.
Those who carry indelible memories of a lost love will likely find themselves deeply empathizing with its aching emotions.
Perch Dream LanternKouzai Kaori19rank/position
This song portrays a meeting and romance between a man and a woman in a lively nightlife district.
Although they loved each other, they end up parting ways, and it gently conveys the feelings of a woman who still cannot forget him.
Her only emotional support is the belief that she will surely reunite with him someday and once again spend happy time together as they did before.
In an era when people’s hearts are so easily swayed, many may find such a promise especially moving.
Could it be… you?Kouzai Kaori20rank/position
Kaori Kozai’s masterpiece “Moshiyā… Anta ga,” released in partnership with composers like Keisuke Hama and Toyohisa Araki, is a song that hints at enka flavor—such as through its guitar arpeggios—yet remains fundamentally a pop work.
The kobushi (melodic embellishment) appears only once, on a long tone transitioning from the B section to the chorus.
However, because it strongly emphasizes the “crying song” aspect of pop, solid emotional expression is essential.
The basic vocal line itself is on the easier side, so if you’d like to deliver an emotionally charged vocal performance with a little help from some drinks, this is definitely worth checking out.