[The Pinnacle of Modern Enka] Shimazu Aya’s Easy-to-Sing Songs
Aya Shimazu is an enka singer who boasts overwhelming talent as a female performer, studied under Yuriko Futaba, and is highly acclaimed as a leading figure at the forefront of contemporary enka.
Hailing from Kumamoto Prefecture, she specializes in expansive, pop-like long tones and powerful vibrato embellished with shouts.
Because she possesses top-tier vocal ability even among Japanese enka singers, many of her songs are quite challenging.
This time, however, we’ve selected some of her works that are easier to sing.
- [For Women] Masterpiece Enka Songs with a High Degree of Difficulty
- [Enka] Songs that are easy to sing even for those who are tone-deaf [Female singers edition]
- Queen of Local Songs: Kaori Mizumori's Easy-to-Sing Tracks
- [2026] Compilation of Enka Singers from Kumamoto
- [Wakayama’s Treasure] Fuyumi Sakamoto’s Easy-to-Sing Songs
- [For Beginners] Recommended Enka Classics for Karaoke — Women Singers Edition
- [Treasure of Powerful Enka] Takashi Hosokawa’s Easy-to-Sing Songs
- A roundup of leading female enka singers representing the Showa era
- The Most Idol-Like Star in the Enka World: Easy-to-Sing Songs by Kiyoshi Hikawa
- A roundup of male enka singers who represent the Showa era
- [2026] Amazing If You Can Sing It! Classic Enka Masterpieces [Male Singers Edition]
- [Glamorously Cool] A Collection of Easy-to-Sing Songs by Ayako Fuji [2026]
- Diva of Enka: A roundup of female singers leading the enka world
[Pinnacle of Modern Enka] Aiya Shimazu’s Easy-to-Sing Songs (11–20)
Mother-Koi Return BoatShimazu Aya
Aya Shimazu’s early song “Haha Koi Modori-bune” (“Mother-Love Homeward Boat”).
Starting with a powerful opening, this piece is a textbook example of enka, featuring many instances of kobushi—the signature enka ornament—throughout.
Songs heavy on kobushi might seem difficult, but in this case the kobushi generally involves just one or two quick pitch bends up or down, so it doesn’t reach the formidable difficulty of folk-song style.
In addition, there are few long sustained notes, so for singers accustomed to enka, this should be on the easier side.
In conclusion
Because Aya Shimazu has exceptionally strong vocal ability even within the enka world, many of her songs tend to be quite challenging. This time we picked out tracks that are easier to sing, but the overall difficulty was still on the high side. If you want to deliver the songs properly, mastering kobushi (the characteristic enka vocal ornament) is essential, so keep practicing. At Lugg Music, we also have articles that explain vocal techniques, so be sure to check those out as well!