Kenichi Mikawa Popular Song Rankings [2026]

Nagasaki RegretMikawa Ken’ichi8rank/position

Nagasaki Regret

When it comes to kayōkyoku songs about Chichijima in the Ogasawara Islands, Chichijima Blues is well-known, but there is also this masterpiece of enka themed around Nagasaki by Kenichi Mikawa.

Set against the emotionally rich scenery of Nagasaki, it is a gem of a song that passionately sings of lingering feelings for a lost lover.

Released in October 2006, it has been included in Mikawa’s complete works albums and has been loved for many years.

Real place names such as Nagasaki’s Dutch Slope and Shianbashi appear, and the rain-soaked streets symbolically express a woman’s heartrending emotions.

It’s a recommended track for those who want to reminisce about a trip to Nagasaki or soothe the pain of a broken heart.

Tokyo HotelMikawa Ken’ichi9rank/position

Tokyo Hotel

Beyond the shoulder of a sleeping lover, the nightscape of Tokyo Bay stretches out.

Kenichi Mikawa’s “Tokyo Hotel” is a classic mood kayō that depicts a sorrowful parting in a hotel room like that.

Proper nouns like the Rainbow Bridge reflect the protagonist’s loneliness as if in a scene from a film, tightening the listener’s chest.

Mikawa’s rich, velvety low voice conveys a story of an adult farewell, where lingering attachment and self-mockery intertwine, and it resonates deeply.

Released as a single in March 2000, the song was also included in the best-of album “Kenichi Mikawa Best 16” in May of the same year.

It’s the perfect number for a night when you want to sink into a slightly sentimental mood.