Queen of Enka: A roundup of Aki Yashiro’s easy-to-sing songs
Aki Yashiro, a one-of-a-kind singer who sadly left this world on December 30, 2023.
She began performing as a club singer in her teens and, after her breakthrough, became known as the “Queen of Enka.” Yet she never stayed confined to a single field, taking on challenges in many areas.
In the 2010s, she even released a full-fledged jazz album and made her international debut.
Her tremendous achievements can’t be summed up in just a few lines.
Yashiro’s songs are also very popular for karaoke, but many are quite challenging, thanks to her distinctive husky voice, plaintive tone, and exceptional vocal skill and expressiveness.
So in this article, we’re introducing some of Yashiro’s songs that are relatively easy to sing at karaoke—be sure to check them out.
- Queen of Local Songs: Kaori Mizumori's Easy-to-Sing Tracks
- [Enka] Songs that are easy to sing even for those who are tone-deaf [Female singers edition]
- Songs by Yoshimi Tendo, the songstress born in Osaka, that are easy to sing
- [People・Songs・Heart] A Collection of Miyuki Kawanaka’s Easy-to-Sing Songs [2026]
- [Tears and Alcohol] A Collection of Kaori Kozai’s Easy-to-Sing Songs [2026]
- [For Beginners] Recommended Enka Classics for Karaoke — Women Singers Edition
- [The Pinnacle of Modern Enka] Shimazu Aya’s Easy-to-Sing Songs
- [2026] Easy-to-Sing Enka: From Classic Masterpieces to Recent Hits [Female Singers Edition]
- [Asian Songstress] A Collection of Teresa Teng’s Easy-to-Sing Songs
- [Enka Hattori-kun] A Collection of Easy-to-Sing Songs by Hiroko Hattori [2026]
- [Treasure of Powerful Enka] Takashi Hosokawa’s Easy-to-Sing Songs
- [Mighty Guy] A Selection of Easy-to-Sing Songs by Akira Kobayashi
- [Enka 7th Generation] A Collection of Easy-to-Sing Songs by Yuto Tatsumi [2026]
[Queen of Enka] Aki Yashiro’s Easy-to-Sing Songs (1–10)
A woman’s heartYashiro Aki
Onnagokoro, known as one of Aki Yashiro’s early masterpieces.
Although it falls under the enka category, it leans more toward a blues-style kayōkyoku.
As a result, instances of kobushi are very few; aside from one spot at the end of the chorus, there isn’t anything resembling a typical kobushi.
Even that kobushi at the end of the chorus only shifts by a single scale degree, so its difficulty as a kobushi is quite low.
For those who enjoy somber, brooding songs, this might be right up your alley.
Consider adding it to your repertoire.
Terminal Station of LoveYashiro Aki
Among her many masterpieces, Aki Yashiro’s classic “Ai no Shūchakueki” is especially known for its subdued, heartrending mood.
Despite its calm intro, the song actually spans a surprisingly wide vocal range.
On first listen, it may feel challenging.
However, if you listen closely, you’ll notice there are very few long sustained notes, and there are no kobushi (ornamental turns) that move more than three scale degrees.
Taking all this into account, it’s arguably easier to sing than typical enka.
If kobushi feel difficult, try reducing your volume; keeping the dynamics softer can help mask any imprecision in the ornamentation.
Give it a try.
I want to see you againYashiro Aki
Although Aki Yashiro is known for many poignant and bluesy songs, she has also released some orthodox, warmly toned enka.
Among them, the one I especially recommend is “Mou Ichido Aitai” (“I Want to See You Once More”).
Compared to her usual work, this piece is a bit more powerful and includes sections that demand a certain amount of vocal projection.
Because of that, it sacrifices some of the subtlety of kobushi (melismatic ornamentation), so overall the difficulty level can be considered relatively low.
While it is a powerful song, rather than focusing on singing with sheer force, it tends to sound better if you lower the key and solidly support the lower notes—please keep that in mind.
[Queen of Enka] Aki Yashiro’s Easy-to-Sing Songs (11–20)
love songYashiro Aki
Aki Yashiro’s “Koi-uta” is a classic noted for its powerful vocals.
The song employs a style similar to the Kawachi Ondo, incorporating kobushi while flipping the voice.
Many people may find this style intimidating, but if you carefully adjust the key to the point where the voice naturally flips, it tends to be easier to sing than standard kobushi.
Although the vocal line is generally strong throughout, there are no notable long sustained notes except at the end of the chorus, so even those who struggle with breath control should be able to sing it without difficulty.
Moon’s Little BoatYashiro Aki
The coupling track “Tsuki no Kobune” from Aki Yashiro’s 2020 single “Izakaya ‘Showa’” is a hidden gem composed by Yashiro herself.
Having challenged the jazz field in the 2010s and even made her world debut, Yashiro returns here to the realm of enka and kayōkyoku, and her calm, seasoned vocals—tempered by life’s bitters and sweets—truly move you.
From a karaoke perspective, the overall pitch is quite low for a female vocalist, so many men should be able to tackle it in the original key.
If you read the lyrics carefully and sing as if speaking to someone, you can bring out the song’s distinctive atmosphere.
Woman Harbor TownYashiro Aki
Onna Minato-machi is a single released by Aki Yashiro in 1977.
In fact, it’s a cover of the original song Onna Minato-machi released in 1973 by Yuji Minami and the Full Sails.
It’s a classic that was performed at the 28th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen and received a Special Award at the 10th All Japan Cable Broadcasting Awards.
With a richly kayōkyoku-influenced sound, it’s an ideal choice for karaoke, especially for those who aren’t yet accustomed to straightforward enka or who love Showa-era pop.
The rhythmical A melody with clearly articulated Japanese and light accents, as well as the distinctive vibrato sections that appear in the B melody and chorus, can make it easy to go off pitch, so be sure to focus your practice on those parts.
To my hometown…Yashiro Aki
Aki Yashiro’s classic “To My Hometown…” features a melody that strikingly balances brilliance and depth.
True to enka style, kobushi appear throughout.
Songs with many kobushi are generally hard to belt out, but that’s not the case here.
The kobushi in this piece are less a specialized technique unique to kobushi and more like strong vibrato—extensions of vibrato, so to speak.
Since this type of kobushi is far easier than the typical kind, the overall difficulty of the song is naturally lower.
While it doesn’t call for outright shouting, singing with a bit of strength will make the song sound more radiant, so give it a try.