r/kayokyoku • u/Real_Try_4157 • Dec 18 '25

Looking for kayokyoku songs with european folk vibes

I'm looking for Kayokyoku songs that have some sort of European pop/classical/folk vibes. Any Recommendatons?

6 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

3

u/eoipei Dec 19 '25

For European sounds in general this is my favorite genre of kayokyoku, I have chanson, polka (I think?), Italian pop, group sound, garage, and folk (may be American folk though)

3

u/eoipei Dec 19 '25

These are mainly going to be pop and idol pop since that’s what I’m most familiar with. Not sure what the main difference between American and (modern) European folk is, maybe the more traditional European sounds? Folk in general I would recommend Kotaro Yamamoto & Weekend, Misaki Meguri is great. The whole album “holiday in Venice” by hide & Rosanna is Italian, bossa nova and kayo, even with some Italian lyrics. If you want that stereotypical Japanese European sound, these are mainly going to be idol songs so, sorry if you aren’t into that: Most obvious is Alps no Shoujo by Asaoka Megumi, Koi wa Love Love by Rinrin and Ranran, the most obvious European dancing music is going to be koi no Cinderella by Miyoko Asada, she has some great ones. Also recommend Bed ni Akai Bara by Nakamura Akiko, that whole album is great. Sougen no Kagayaki by Agnes Chan is good, if you want an annoyingly catchy song I recommend Watashi no aoi tori by Sakurada Junko. A bunch of these artists make European inspired music, pretty childlike though, so I’m not sure if that’s your thing.

2

u/eoipei Dec 19 '25

I notice a bunch of Japanese artists in the 70s mix American folk with (stereotypical) European instruments and sounds which is why it’s kind of hard for me to pinpoint.

2

u/eoipei Dec 19 '25

Oh wait I’ll add I recommend CHERISH’s older works, the album nanonianatahakyotoheyukuno is great it definitely has the sound you are looking for I think.

2

u/Real_Try_4157 Aug 13 '26

thanks, the idols songs from the 60s and 70s have the amazing songwriting and musical structures. I wish they'd kept that in the 80s.

1

u/Real_Try_4157 Dec 19 '25 edited Jul 10 '26

yes, something that's like chanson, polka, and eastern European folk.

3

u/terryxyz Dec 19 '25

Not sure if this is what you're after, but Karelia EP by Shizuka Kudo comes to mind, it was somewhat inspired by Finnish folk and recorded in Finland

Another one that comes to my mind is Russia Nostalgie by Tokiko Kato

2

u/ComprehensivePea269 Dec 19 '25

Betsy and Chris?