The Enka genre distills Japanese tradition into a melancholic yearning for simpler times. Inspired by classical Japanese music, legendary Enka crooners such as Hibari Misora and Hiroshi Itsuka defined the form following World War II by penning emotional ballads buttressed by strings and horns. Singers deliver deeply sentimental lyrics about lovelorn hearts or a romanticized view of bygone culture while applying virtuosic vibrato and melismatic pitch runs across single words. While the genre has evolved—contemporary Enka sometimes features faster tempos and hip-hop-inspired beats—the nostalgic core of Enka remains intact.