Harumi Miyako Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

Otaru CanalMiyako Harumi8rank/position

Otaru Canal

Harumi Miyako is a representative enka singer of Japan, born in 1948.

Her powerful vocal style, known as the “Harumi-bushi,” produced numerous hit songs.

Otaru Canal was released on June 27, 1990.

This work is a song that celebrates the beauty of the Otaru Canal and the feelings imbued in it by the people, portraying heartrending emotions and inner conflict about the future against a backdrop of rain.

Through this piece, Miyako’s exceptional vocal ability was reappraised, further solidifying her standing in the enka world.

This work is especially recommended for those who carry unforgettable memories of the past or who enjoy emotionally rich songs.

Kawasaki Odori (Kawasaki Dance)Miyako Harumi9rank/position

Kawasaki Odori (Kawasaki Dance)

With its punchy melody, Kawasaki Odori is a classic that makes both children and adults want to sing along as they enjoy dancing the bon dance.

The lyrics skillfully weave in the charm of Kawasaki’s scenery and culture, awakening in each listener the joy and heat of summer.

It’s cherished almost like a beloved standard, no doubt because the famed singer’s signature Harumi style rides the melody straight to the heart.

Created to commemorate Kawasaki City’s transition to a government-designated city in 1972, this song has been a crowd favorite, energizing Kawasaki’s bon dance festivals for over 43 years.

Whether under the midday sun or the starlit night sky, dancing together with the people of Kawasaki is sure to make it a summer to remember.

The millennial ancient capitalMiyako Harumi10rank/position

The millennial ancient capital

Rather than the emotion that comes from vocal techniques like kobushi and vibrato, Harumi Miyako’s singing feels infused with something like Japan’s primordial landscape.

She has countless hit songs to her name—truly one of the quintessential national singers of the late Showa era.

“Sennen no Koto” is no exception; just listening to it makes you think, “Ah, I’m glad to be Japanese.” The lyrics carry a breeze-like feeling: “People are born and then they pass away; before Kyoto, everything is but a fleeting moment”—lines that, for some reason, I find myself wanting to read over and over.

The composition is by actor Tetsuya Watari.

The quietude of the verse and the power of the chorus make it a song that I hope will be sung for generations.

Even those who don’t usually listen to enka—please give it a try!

A Drifting LifeMiyako Harumi11rank/position

A Drifting Life

Harumi Miyako’s 1981 song “Ukikusa Gurashi.” It’s a recommended track that skillfully portrays a devoted woman who, despite being in a somewhat unfortunate situation, doesn’t give in and keeps going.

It may be relatively minor among Harumi Miyako’s songs, but it’s very popular as a karaoke number.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Two People in OsakaMiyako Harumi / Miyazaki Masashi12rank/position

Two People in Osaka — Harumi Miyako & Masashi Miyazaki

This song, sung by the grand dame of enka, Harumi Miyako, was originally a duet with Masashi Miyazaki.

The lyrics are by Osamu Yoshioka, also known for Sayuri Ishikawa’s smash hit “Amagi-goe,” and they vividly portray a parting scene between two adults.

Since it’s a track centered on Harumi Miyako, it begins from the woman’s perspective, making it a reassuring choice even for men who aren’t very familiar with the song.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Chief wardenMiyako Harumi13rank/position

Harumi Miyako - Chō-Usa-ja (Niihama Taiko Festival)

This is a song sung during the Niihama Taiko Festival, and it’s said that participants get even more fired up by Harumi Miyako’s powerful vocals.

First, what does the unfamiliar word “chō-osaja” mean? “Chōsa” refers to a taiko float fitted with carrying poles, and “ja” can be taken as something like “ya” or “you know.” So think of it as a chant meaning, “The taiko float is coming through!” or “It’s the taiko float!” Rendered in standard Japanese, it somehow sounds a bit flat or lacking in punch.

That’s a problem.Miyako Harumi14rank/position

Komaruno Koto yo (Harumi Miyako) Cover Song by leonchanda

Harumi Miyako’s distinctive vocal ornamentation (kobushi) is not something easily imitated, but there was once a singer who performed in front of her and sounded exactly like her: Sayuri Ishikawa.

Miyako herself burst out laughing.

Masako Mori sang “Namida no Renrakusen” in the final round of a competition, and it seems that Harumi Miyako is someone today’s active enka singers look up to.