Carrie Oakey

No, this post isn't about a person, but KARAOKE! :D

So I just want to say right now that Japanese karaoke is AWESOME!! Like American karaoke doesn't even compare, though rightly so since the karaoke machine is a Japanese invention.

So how does it work in Japan? Well you can sing alone or with friends; it's more fun with friends but sometimes it's nice to sing alone too. You go the counter tell them how long you want to sing for (anywhere from 30 minutes to all night long) and they give you everything you need plus your room number. The price varies depending on place and time, but it's usually very reasonable. There are even drink bars included at most places, and one place I went to in Takatsuki has all you can eat ICE CREAM (which makes the American in me happy! ;P)

Once you get into the room, there is a touch device with a screen on it near the machine. You use it to select the songs. If you don't know Japanese, prepare to spend lots of time fiddling on it xD For this reason, I suggest going with friends the first time you go. Once you get the hang of it, picking songs is really easy, and there are thousands and thousands of songs to choose from. Not only is there JPOP, but there's also a lot of foreign music, anime/video game music, and KPOP and other genres. Once you pick a song, it'll appear on the screen and you can start singing! You can queue up songs too, so you can have a long list of songs that play one after another.

If you pick Japanese songs, don't be afraid of kanji because there are furigana readings for most if not all kanji on the screen :) Also, if you pick any foreign song, there will ALSO be furigana above the words. Some songs have backup and some don't, it all depends.

 Karaoke place in Takatsuki

 Kawaii ne ;)

Bottom line: If you come to Japan, do karaoke! It's a lot of fun for groups, easy on the wallet, and a big part of Japanese culture! The worst part about it for me is when I go back home to the US because there is nothing as good as this...at least where I live.