Enka (演歌) music is a combination of Jazz, Blues and traditional Japanese music. Enka music is especially popular with the postwar generation in Japan. To this generation, Enka songs bring back some of the nostalgia of the “good old days” as well as memories of hardship and poverty.

Hachiro Kasuga (春日八郎) is considered the first Enka singer. His hit song was “Wakare no Ipponsugi” (別れの一本杉,) which means “Farewell One Cedar”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HMTin1P4Cw

Hibari Misora (美空ひばり) is the queen of Enka music. My favorite song sung by her is Ringo Oiwake (リンゴ追分) or Apple Forked Road.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kQvvbroSWE

Jero (ジェロ) is an African American of Japanese descent. He’s dressed like a rapper, but as you can see in “Umiyuki” (海雪) (Ocean Snow), he has the “Enka voice”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmf1oyo6_WI

You may not like Enka music, but at one time Enka music dominated the Japanese music industry. So historically, it was an important pop culture phenomenon.