What is Enka (演歌)? | Japanese Music

[@melistiltskin7889]

I am a Mexican woman who has liked Enka since she was 15 years old. My favorite enka singer is Maekawa Kiyoshi.

[@imperialhistorian4201]

good for you

[@enjoylifemusic9199]

Please note I made a mistake while writing the Kanji for Kobushi. The correct Kanji is 小節. However, it's usually written in hiragana こぶし. I apologize for the mistake.

[@HappiAcrossCultures]

Enka is still quite alive in Hawaii among the 日系人! 💕💕 ジェロ was my gateway into Enka!! Then after I started watching reruns of 夜のヒットスタジオ, I fell in love with 八代亜紀!! I was soooooo happy when you mentioned her and ジェロ！！！😍😍😍 I also love listening to 寅さん sing a different Enka song in each of his movies~~~~ 💕💕💕💕 thank you so much for this video!!! 🔥🔥🔥

[@captainnerd6452]

I found a nice little Enka shop in Ueno, called リズム, which has tons of enka CDs and DVDs and even cassettes, with just about every performer you can name. If you ever get to Tokyo, head to Ameyokocho, and look under one of the streets under the train tracks. You'll know where it is when you hear enka music playing!

[@guitar22xkl]

It's my first time going to Japan. Is there a place you recommend to listen to live enka music/performers? I will be around Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima from April 17 - May 5th

[@captainnerd6452]

@@guitar22xkl Unfortunately I never found a place to listen to enka performances, although my Japanese wasn't good enough to ask the owners of Rhythms. I'm sure there must be some little places here and there, but finding them in a city as big and dense as Tokyo won't be easy!

[@pedrob3953]

Enka reminds me a lot of Portuguese Fado, also an "old people music". 15:10 The Enka revival in the 2000s owes a lot to the sudden international fame of Meiko Kaji, whose songs were featured in "Kill Bill".

[@LondonTessaAngelit]

This is really interesting. I kind of found this channel to understand a joke in an anime and the history of Enka is pretty cool. Thanks :)

[@TT-vy6pg]

Thank you for making this video! Enka reminds me a lot of my young ages when I used to go to japanese restaurants with the whole family and my grandparents which used to participate on Enka contests here in Brazil. While Enka was unpopular in Japan in the 90's, it was very popular within our japanese colony, some even made concerts in São Paulo, Brazil (such as Itsuki Hiroshi). Maybe because our colony was culturally "stuck" in time, specially first gen. immigrants. I'm the third gen. now and although mine and the following generations are begining to embrace the Asian culture and recognize themselves as who they are (not denying or abandoning our Asian culture due to xenophobic harrassment), those old culture such as Enka is almost fading along with our 1st and 2nd gen. Maybe younger generations feel embarassed listening to such old music haha, I kinda understand it, but at the same time I feel sad because liking it or not it was part of our lives and culture as a nikkeijin. (I just seem like an old man complaining about youngsters, but I'm only 30 haha) Your video was awesome! I didn't know none of these! Thank you again for sharing this content!

[@failedsocialexperiment2382]

I've been on and off immersing in the Japanese language and found that I absolutely LOVE this style of music, I was wondering what the genre was named. I never thought of it as "old people music" but rather just as old style of music; the topic of depression and mental illness is extremely taboo in Japan so knowing that this kind of music does delve into those topics kind of fascinates me seeing the taboos of this culture. *Edit:* This part is unrelated, just parts of the culture that I'm focusing on. Current day Japan has the lowest rate when it comes to certain types of child exploitation which it makes me happy to see exactly how much criminal activities has been significantly reduced. In Japan they have laws protecting people from undergoing prejudice if they so happen to be either a ロリコン、ショタコンまたは両方に「ロリショタ」であったよね。 I'm a language geek so I have fun with the idea of weaving in my Japanese alongside English just to give that pseudo-bilingual appearance.

[@TheRojo387]

I write both 針鼠 and 針土竜 in kanji while they are usually katakana words.

[@maryankorr3319]

"Either a.." WHAAAT!!!

[@giantred]

Wow, this was very interesting and informative; sharing it around now so like Enka it can have a resurgence of popularity.

[@supadragonyoshi1084]

Using music to rebel against the government's influence is an interesting concept. Nice to showcase music styles that are not represented as much s the others. Awesome video!

[@microze33]

This video definitely deserves more views, thank you for this!

[@KATinBLACK]

I tend to love jrock singers that use a lot of vibrato if not kobushi, but I didn’t know what the exact terms for them , I just knew it was used in enka a lot Those who can use that are so talented and it adds something some unique and tangible to the music. This was a very informative video, thank you

[@koungendo6371]

Japanese Enka and Vietnamese "old people's music" bolero are somewhat similar to each other in one way or another. In fact, there are a lot of Enka songs had been covered or rewrite with Vietnamese lyrics, and the infamous Diễm Xưa by Trịnh Công Sơn sung by Khánh Ly had been covered a lot of time on Enka stages in Japanese translated lyrics by the name of "美しい昔 - Utsukushi Mukashi"

[@KenKobayashiRasmussen]

This was very normal across Asia, South Korea also has a style called Trot music that is very clearly their version of Japanese enka. This also happened in Europe in the old days, original Italian songs would be translated into German, French, Danish and so on

[@elliaustr017]

Learned one of Love Live's seiyuu's, Mari's seiyuu, is professionally trained in enka and adds it to her songs. And thats how I ended up here.

[@s0litud333]

honestly, you deserve much more views and subscribers

[@taiwansivispacemparabellum9546]

Amazing video, appreciate the knowledge you've imparted.

[@MT_keyboards]

I think there’s some similarities with Enka and Finnish ”old people music” aka iskelmä/schlager too: - mostly in minor key - chord structures and melodies based on old, traditional music - themes of love, longing and melancholy

[@davidfromamerica1871]

Special Note: I found the Teresa Teng concert. I posted the link is in the continuation of the comments. I have that concert playing on my phone right now.

[@YoukaiFofo]

I am here after listening to the eurobeat versions of some enka songs and am truly fascinated by this genre I wish to have been alive during this era. 🙏🙏

[@davidfromamerica1871]

My two favorite ENKA singers. Mori Masako. Hibari Misora

[@davidfromamerica1871]

I don’t know if KZbin links will work here. These two concerts of ENKA singer Mori Masako would be difficult to find on KZbin. The first one 1986 at the NHK theatre in Tokyo. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4Gbn5-Bo7-EoKs The second one is also at the NHK theatre in Tokyo 2 months later in 1986. It’s Mori Masako’s final concert before she gets married and retired for 20 years to raise a family. It’s her goodbye concert. kzbin.info/www/bejne/apC3imhofqeokMU On a side note. The band ONE OK ROCK. The lead singer in that band, Taka, is Mori Masako’s son. He started his band in high school. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hWaToaCMpayUaNk kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKmmdoCvZZdletE

[@enjoylifemusic9199]

Both of them were/are wonderful singers! I wish I was born during that time to hear Mori Masako's music in person. I know that she retired, but I'm still hoping that one day she will have another concert. Yeah! I'm a big fan of ONE OK ROCK, so it's nice to see musical talent passed down to the next generation! Also, thank you for the the links! I've been working on a Mori Masako video, but I need to finish my research. These links are great for my research.

[@davidfromamerica1871]

Enjoy Life Music I only understand the English language but I can feel some singers emotional voices. Mori Masako spent many years on television shows since she was a kid singing. I have a large collection of those in my KZbin playlist. You are welcome to save and share as many as you like. Sadly numerous ones were deleted over the years from my collections as private from the uploaders. One in particular was Mori’s final TV appearance in 1986. Unfortunately I never copied that KZbin video. Another singer you and others might be interested in is Teresa Teng. Teresa sang some ENKA songs. I have a large collection of Teresa Teng albums, concerts and TV appearances on external hard drives. You can find those on my KZbin channel playlist. Teresa Teng’s 1985 Tokyo concert at the NHK theatre is no longer on KZbin do to copyright. I have it on external hard drives. There are a few KZbin video clips of Teresa’s 1985 concert still available on YT. Another Singer, Hibari Misora, I have several of her albums as well as video clips, concerts. You can find some of those in my KZbin channel playlist as well. My KZbin channel playlist is rather disorganized. I have videos scattered throughout that playlist.

[@davidfromamerica1871]

Enjoy Life Music This is one of my favorite Teresa Teng clips. Teresa sings with a lot of emotions. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3mcYaOLj9OWaaM This is a playlist of Teresa Teng Japanese songs. I highly recommend people save this playlist. Trust me on this. These would be nearly impossible to find independently. Take advantage of it. kzbin.info/aero/PL1A59027D93AD4BA9

[@davidfromamerica1871]

Enjoy Life Music This are a couple more playlist of Teresa. kzbin.info/aero/PLtRU2HA-d32VD9omqgnsVsRyNJZmbfieh kzbin.info/aero/PL1F53649775B2C72D

[@nai6350]

anyone know the name of the song played at 1:53 ??

[@darkemperor2286]

しのぶの渡り鳥

[@hermes8258]

Who's my favourite Enka singer? A guy in his fifties I saw performing on the street in Sapporo in 1991.

[@kieranbyfield6358]

I quite like Enka.❤😊

[@scurtei]

I've came here because of anime cartoons, specifically Naruto 😂 (but there are many). Ive heard about enka rap from Killer Bee, a character in Naruto Shippuden 😂. Aaaaaaand I like your patatoe-face 😂!

[@BowBow168A]

I also love and like Japanese Enka song too in Cambodia

[@bkenji441]

Very good video.

[@VictorianMaid99]

excellent video !

[@prizmendez3186]

one of my fav music genres

[@edwardhayes6113]

Try searching the lyric on an engine

[@arseinccookies861]

1:53 song name?

[@Karcsi75]

I am French and I live enka. Miyako Harumi😍

[@KenKobayashiRasmussen]

I understand that your video is over two years old, but I just wanted to ask you a question about Enka. Do you believe that Korean Trot music is directly inspired by Japanese Enka?

[@ijansk]

Yes, it is.

[@JiubeiKibagami]

Who is the singer from 1:54? Please....and Thank You!

[@さんささやく]

name of song in 2:11 plz

[@shannabenton5710]

Name of the song at 1:58 pls!! ❤️❤️

[@pocarimi7870]

Shinobu no wataridori by Shinobu Otowa

[@andre.79]

Enka é bom demais!! Além da Meiko Kaji você tem outras indicações de cantores e cantoras Enke?

[@callmela7528]

Hiroshi itsuki

[@junrosamura645]

Very nice and informative video on the history of Enka. Could be better without the animated peanut head or last remove the pimples.

[@jessewu2967]

what was the song lady gaga was singing?

[@anmolk1784]

I love Hiroshi Miyama and Midori Oka

[@Ultradude604]

i recently discovered this type of music. Enka. It is now my favorite music genre, although I don't understand a single word of Japanese. 😂 It feels like.... country music, but it's Japanese. It's the best way I can describe. It feels good, and I love the singers vibe. They dress modestly and not overly flamboyant. They seem more relatable.

[@peterstrianus1790]

Keiko Fuji is still my absolute favourite!

[@jonazWC]

Utada Hikaru is one of your favorite singers of all time? Kingdom Hearts fan detected 😎

[@gdash170]

teh best song i've listen is yoko nagayama and sayuri ishikawa

[@MansMan42069]

Could you cover Malay jiwang rock?

[@Schoolacount16]

Inka Singing , Behold !

[@edwardhayes6113]

I love Enka and an off shut Matatabi music which arise in the 50s and 60s sadly Enka singers the female great ones die young or have no luck in marriage, or both. As a side note for rap Enka is if you can not hum it it ain’t ENKA

[@scurtei]

Why enka females are dying young? What's the medical reason? I'm thinking on the notes how you sing and the emotional part, but what are the reasons?

[@5anjuro]

The story of Enka would be incomplete without its role in cinema and mentioning some offbeat "not 100% Enka" stars like Meiko Kaji and Momoe who helped keep the genre alive throughout the 1970s and 1980s, by bringing in modern influences (and international audiences). Even the great Teresa Teng dabbled into Enka during her "Japan period".

[@icecreammm665]

I didn't know Idols werent that good at singin, I assumed they get picked because of their voice first.

[@zerir.3726]

NO TERESA TENG???

[@tim3tRav3l3RR60]

Old people did it better. I'm 27

[@monsterhunter30001]

Good for you!

[@khoocheepeng6030]

Enka is the culture of Japanese....it has no influences from the west....it is a pure Japanese spirit....it should go on.

[@leechandler3411]

???

[@MaoRuiqi]

演歌の物の哀れ?

[@DrMARDOC]

Nice effort but it’s wrong. Racist. And wildly disingenuous. Enka has its other roots in old Taiwanese music, Okinawan music and 1920’s -30’s-40’s Shanghainese club music. We must remember that Japanese love to “ borrow” from older Civilizations into their own culture as they have for ages. The two greatest Enka Singers with the most powerful talent ranges and abilities are not Japanese at all!!! That honor goes to the Two Queen’s of Enka for all Eternity; Miss TENG LI JWIN ( aka “ Teresa TENG). And the Queen of Taiwanese Soul Enka Miss JIANG HUAI ( aka Jody Jiang). Nobody in Japan can even come close to them in talent. Ever.

[@enjoylifemusic9199]

Thank you for you comment. I’ve read quite a few books about Enka as a whole, and from everything I’ve read, the main roots of Enka came during the Meiji Period. From my understanding, when Taiwan was under rule by Japan (1985 - 1945), Taiwan music was influenced by Enka. As for Shanghai club music, I tried doing some research on this, but could not find any information. Do you have any links that you could provide backing up this information? If I am missing any valuable information, I would love to share it with others. I am aware of Teresa TENG. As I’m sure you are aware of, she sang a wide variety of music. And while I do think she is a excellent singer, in these kind of videos I prefer to keep my own bias out of the videos. As for Jody Jiang, I was not aware of this singer. My focus is on Enka in Japan.

[@edwardhayes6113]

Pretty opinionated Teresa was wonderful but can not compare to power Shimazu Aya , Shima Mika

[@claire4212]

@@enjoylifemusic9199 You’re doing a good job. There’s a lot of misinformation in the comment section. I can’t believe they called you racist out of nowhere lololololol.

[@KenKobayashiRasmussen]

First of Taiwan was not even a nation when the first Enka songs came out, and from 1895 Taiwan experienced industrial growth and became a productive rice and sugar exporting Japanese colony. During the Second Sino-Japanese War it served as a base for launching invasions of China, and later Southeast Asia and the Pacific during World War II. Japanese imperial education was implemented in Taiwan and many Taiwanese fought for Japan in the last years of the war. This was taken out of Wikipedia, and is backed by history books, so you mean to tell me that it makes more sense for you that Enka came from a nation that did not exist, and even when Japan ruled the nation of Taiwan for over 49 years, you still want to believe that Taiwan invented Enka?! By the way, every nation “borrows” from other nations, the letters we are writing in now is Roman letters, they came from The old Roman Empire and they probably got it from Sumerian. Songs from Italy usually where “borrowed” and translated into versions English and European languages. Food, Swedish meatballs is most Definitely NOT Swedish of origins, they most likely come from southern Europe, should I keep on going? The way of creating avenues in Europe all comes from France. Culture, food, music is not owned, it always evolve and change. Enka also reached Korea and became Trot music. This is how the world works. Japan did not “borrow” anything, they are inspired and they pay respect to their origins by giving it a katakana name, Chinese food is most often named as such, Korean food is also named as such. You are using a computer now to read and write your comments, they would not exist if it was not for the Japanese, does this mean Taiwan stole computer technology from japan? The emoji’s that you use in sms or anywhere online are Japanese, emo (is short for emotion) ji (means drawing), this is why the emoji register is full of Japanese postboxes, food and traditional stuff like temples, masks and Sakura threes, does this mean you stole emoji from Japan? NO! Get over yourself and wake up to the real world, stop calling people racist…

[@DrMARDOC]

@@KenKobayashiRasmussen no. Taiwan people did not invent ENKA. I never ever said that. That was twisted by your unhealthy racist mind. Japanese are the first to admit that they are racist and exclusionist. Live here, which you probably do NOT, and they will honestly tell you so. I live here, for over 45 years and they all tell me that. You will never, ever be within the circles that I am-a Doctor and very Highly Ranked Martial Arts of the Elite of the Elites of Japanese and Taiwanese Societies. YOU ARE WRONG AND DELUDED. JAPANESE SAY QUITE HONESTLY THAT THEY ARE A RACIST EXCLUSIONARY SOCIETY AND THEY MOSTLY REGRET IT! In Japan proper, REAL aficionados will acknowledge the sublime level of artistry of TENG LI JWIN and JIANG HUAI. And yes, the Chinese DID invent paper, the written characters used by Japanese, Chinese Traditional Medicine, brush painting, the art of tea, architecture, Feng Shuai, metallurgy, and virtually everything that Japanese consider to be Japanese culture.