Yoshi Ikuzo Popular Song Rankings [2026]

DreamYoshi Ikuzo15rank/position

Ikuzo Yoshi “Dream” New Japan House commercial song

The classic song “Dream,” which gained nationwide popularity as the commercial jingle for Shin Nihon House, isn’t enka but primarily pop.

It features a breezy, surfer-music-like feel with a smooth, flowing vocal line.

Since it’s pop, there’s no kobushi-style ornamentation.

Additionally, the vocal range is quite narrow, so even those with a limited range or who struggle with enka should be able to sing it without trouble.

Its name recognition is tremendous, making it a big hit at karaoke.

Be sure to add it to your repertoire.

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TSUGARUYoshi Ikuzo16rank/position

TSUGARU <Original Version>

A rap track by Ikuzo Yoshi, performed in the Tsugaru dialect from his hometown in Aomori! The intense dialect—so strong that you can barely tell what he’s saying just by listening—is the biggest charm of this work.

If you listen closely to the lyrics, you’ll hear a parent’s love calling to their child who moved to the city to “come back,” along with slices of everyday life that will make you chuckle.

Released in September 2019, this song is addictive and unforgettable after just one listen.

For people from Aomori, of course, and for anyone who hasn’t been able to return to their hometown for a while, it might make you want to feel the warmth of family.

To my daughter…Yoshi Ikuzo17rank/position

To my daughter...

The classic “To My Daughter,” which portrays a father thinking of his daughter as she departs for her new home.

Told from the perspective of the father seeing her off, the song features a melody that carries a subdued, rugged charm amid a wistful atmosphere.

Vocally, it relies heavily on repetition, with most of the piece built around similar vocal lines.

There are no difficult vocal ornaments; the phrases proceed plainly and similarly throughout, making it very easy once you get used to it.

The range is also very narrow, so for those with lower voices, it’s about as singable as it gets.

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Ryo

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straitYoshi Ikuzo18rank/position

strait

A single by Ikuzo Yoshi released in May 1987.

Issued while “Yukiguni” was a massive hit, this song portrays a woman’s feelings as she longs for the Tsugaru Strait.

This work, which helped establish Yoshi’s position as a bona fide enka singer, was also performed at his second appearance on the Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

Autumn breezeYoshi Ikuzo19rank/position

Autumn Wind. Ikuzo Yoshi wmv

Ikuzo Yoshi is a singer from Aomori Prefecture, born in 1952, who has worked across a wide range of musical genres.

“Akikaze” is a single released on May 12, 2010, depicting feelings of love from a woman’s perspective, and it’s striking in how strongly it conveys the wish to be with the one she loves.

It conveys love and loneliness, the transience of life, and really pierces the heart.

Yoshi’s distinctive voice deeply resonates with listeners.

It’s a song you’ll want to listen to on long autumn nights, during lonely moments spent alone, or when thinking of someone far away.

acting like a handsome guyYoshi Ikuzo20rank/position

Ikuzo Yoshi “Pretending to Be a Handsome Guy” [Official] | Full Chorus MV

Ikuzo Yoshi is known for his versatile musicality that extends beyond enka to include even rap.

“Nimaime Kidori” is a single released in September 2025, and a long-awaited work that reunites him with his close ally, composer Makoto Sugimoto, for the first time in 13 years since 2012’s “Sono Mukashi.” It vividly portrays the raw, inescapably human clumsiness and bittersweet sorrow lurking behind a man who puts on airs and tries to look cool.

A masterpiece that conveys the astringency of life, its seasoned vocals resonate deeply in the heart.

Shirakami is my hometown.Yoshi Ikuzo21rank/position

Ikuzo Yoshi “Shirakami Is My Hometown” — I like it. Nishimeya Hometown Goodwill Ambassador.

This is a song about Shirakami-Sanchi, the World Heritage Site that spans Akita and Aomori Prefectures.

It’s by Enka legend Ikuzo Yoshi—where is your hometown again? I looked it up and it’s in Aomori, not Akita.

It’s a very good song that conveys the grandeur of Shirakami-Sanchi.