演歌，是日本獨有的歌曲種類。是基於日本人的情感或感覺所演唱出具有娛樂性質的歌曲。基於歌手獨特的唱法或歌曲所表達的意思，又有在日語中同音的艷歌、怨歌等稱呼。演歌起源於明治時代，並一度在日本流行。Enka is a popular Japanese music genre considered to resemble traditional Japanese music stylistically. Modern enka, however, is a relatively recent musical form which arose in the context of such postwar expressions of modern Japanese nonmaterial nationalism as nihonjinron, while adopting a more traditional musical style in its vocalism than ryūkōka music, popular during the prewar years.Modern enka, as developed in the postwar era, is a form of sentimental ballad music. Some of the first modern enka singers were Hachiro Kasuga, Michiya Mihashi, and Hideo Murata.The revival of enka in its modern form is said to date from 1969, when Keiko Fuji made her debut.（摘自維基百科）
