Karaoke is popular with foreigners visiting Japan, but the rules of Karaoke are surprisingly difficult.
Karaoke features anime songs famous overseas as well as songs by foreign artists, so please take the chance to enjoy Karaoke during your trp to Japan.
Most karaoke places are open 24 hours a day, so some people enjoy karaoke all through the night until dawn, while other people enjoy singing while eating in a party atmosphere. There are many ways to enjoy Karaoke.
Now let me introduce the rules of Karaoke.
Most major karaoke places require membership registration. There are apps for registering, but mostly only available in Japanese, so going through your registration procedure with a clerk is recommended.
Most karaoke places charge an hourly rate, but two hours is the standard length for karaoke in Japan. Of course, there are unlimited free time plans as well, but since you have come all the way out to Japan, you’ll want to leave some time for enjoying sightseeing.
Karaoke places offer a menu about as varied as a restaurant’s, and they also offer a wide selection of alcoholic drinks, so having fun while enjoying a meal is encouraged.
At the front desk there are free goods you can borrow to add spice to your karaoke experience. Borrow tambourines and maracas, and get into the rhythm while someone else is singing.
The first thing you should do when you enter the room is to dim the lights. Mood and atmosphere is important for karaoke, so the darker, the better. Just be sure to keep it bright enough so that you can see the food and drinks delivered to your room. Inside your karaoke room there will be a large remote control you can use to easily select songs or adjust the volume.
If you use the points scoring function, the computer will even precisely judge your singing, so there’s something for everyone.
When there are only 10 minutes remaining, the phone in the room will ring. After picking up and confirming, its time to clean up. Or better yet- trying to squeeze out a last two songs after the call is the true Japanese Karaoke experience. The last two songs should be something everyone can sing together in chorus, and that’s the end of the karaoke experience. Finally, all that is left is to pay the bill at the front desk. If you come to Japan, please be sure to give karaoke a try.