From Comic Songs to Enka: Easy-to-Sing Songs by Ikuzo Yoshi [2026]
Of course, he has towering achievements as a veteran enka singer, but he’s also renowned as an exceptional singer-songwriter—an Aomori-born hero, Yoshikazu “Yoshi” Ikuzō—who’s produced everything from comedic, rap-like novelty tunes such as “Ora Tokyo sa Iguda” to heart-wrenching ballads that tug at the heartstrings, as well as providing songs for other artists.
He’s also showcased his talent as an actor, and with his strong name recognition in households across Japan, Yoshi’s songs are hugely popular at karaoke.
In this article, we’ve picked out and compiled some of Yoshi’s many classic tracks that are relatively easy to sing.
We’ve included plenty of famous songs too, so beginners should definitely check them out!
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[From Comic Songs to Enka] Easy-to-Sing Songs by Yoshi Ikuzo [2026] (11–20)
Women’s Counting SongYoshi Ikuzo
Among Yoshikazu Ikuzō’s songs, Onna no Kazoewuta stands out for its especially smooth melody.
While it follows the enka tradition, the piece flows with a smooth-jazz-like ease throughout, and compared to typical enka, it features far fewer occurrences of kobushi—the intricate pitch bends that require complex rises and falls.
It’s a work that should especially resonate with fans of adult contemporary.
Instead of techniques like kobushi, it calls for many expansive long tones, so be sure to stay mindful of sustaining those lines.
Dear MomYoshi Ikuzo
A masterpiece of the enka world known as one of Ikuzo Yoshi’s most tear-jerking songs, “To Mother.” As an enka singer, Ikuzo Yoshi is a rare singer-songwriter.
Because he writes both the lyrics and music for most of his songs, his work is compelling for its vivid sense of reality.
This song, sung by Yoshi, was created in memory of his late mother.
It is characterized by a deeply subdued atmosphere, and techniques such as kobushi (melismatic ornamentation) are kept to a minimum to serve that world view.
While it demands a high level of expressive ability, its overall difficulty as a typical enka piece is relatively low, so consider adding it to your repertoire.
To my daughter…Yoshi Ikuzo
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.
drunk on menYoshi Ikuzo
Among Yoshikazu Ikuzō’s songs, the masterpiece “Otokoyoi” stands out for its especially powerful melody.
It’s a straight-up ‘man’s song,’ crafted with a consistently forceful melodic line throughout.
There are many shout-style sections where the voice is driven hard, but because the emphasis is on sheer power, you won’t find ornamentations that demand delicate control, like intricate kobushi runs.
Even the kobushi at the end of the chorus is essentially an extension of the vibrato, so the difficulty level is relatively low.
Gentlemen with a rich, gravelly voice should definitely consider adding this piece to their repertoire.
passionate flameYoshi Ikuzo
Ikuzo Yoshi is well regarded for his “onna-uta” (songs from a woman’s perspective), and among them, the track Joen is widely praised as a hidden masterpiece.
While its lyrics and melody exude a poignant melancholy, the vocal line is surprisingly straightforward, with gentle rises and falls in pitch.
There are few kobushi (ornamental turns), and the ones that do appear are often close to an extension of vibrato, so even those who feel uneasy about enka-style phrasing should be able to sing it without issue.
The song stays within a comfortable vocal range, making it easy to sing for both men and women.
In conclusion
Yoshi Ikuzo, who writes, composes, and masterfully performs a wide range of genres—from comedic comic songs to classic enka, ballads, and pop—transcends the confines of the enka singer category to stand as one of Japan’s foremost singer-songwriters, as mentioned at the outset.
Beyond the songs introduced here, there are many other singable masterpieces, so be sure to dive deeper and add them to your karaoke repertoire.