About 50 years ago, the trendy music in Japan was called kayo-kyoku (popular songs). A style derived from these popular songs is enka (popular ballad), which later went on to become an original music genre in its own right. Typically, enka singers will wear kimono and sing in the distinctive way with kobushi (tremolo). Many of the songs feature themes of painful love, or nostalgia for one’s hometown. In modern Japan, you’ll find many elderly people listen to enka, rather than the pop music typically favored by the younger crowd.

In modern Japan, various “idols” who can sing and dance have been cropping up one after another. Even local idols have become a popular phenomenon. Their catchy songs and fun dance moves excite many fans across Japan.

Every area has its own folk songs handed down through generations. If you have a chance to go to Okinawa, listen to Ryukyu folk songs. Folk-song pubs often hold live concerts of Ryukyu folk songs. There is nothing like enjoying Okinawa cuisine while listening to Okinawa folk songs, tipsy with Awamori (Okinawa liquor). If you have the chance, try it to create a memory you won’t forget.

Recently, high resolution audio has been receiving a lot of attention in terms of the dynamic range of the sound. It provides a high quality of sound that is greater than CD, and you can even catch the singer's breathings and applauses and shouting voices of live recordings. The numbers of download of high resolution audio music in Japan has been increasing and it is likely to become more and more popular.