While in Japan, a group of SJMC Japan students got to experience Japanese culture outside of their itinerary by giving it their all at a karaoke bar in Kyoto.
A favorite nightlife tradition among both foreigners and locals is karaoke, with it being an easy way to continue your night out. All you need is a group of friends who want to join you in booking a room and are also interested in singing their hearts out.
The group of students stopped by Karaoke Manekineko the night of their first full day in Kyoto.
How it works & pricing
Karaoke Manekineko, which opens at 6 p.m. and closes at 7 a.m., is Japan’s largest karaoke chain, even having locations outside of Japan in Malaysia and Thailand. It has four courses you can choose from that vary in pricing depending on the time you book.
Course A is called the soft drink course, Course B is the alcohol course, Course C is the soft drink and food combo and lastly, Course D is the “alcohol and food combo. The pricing for each course goes up as you add more services to each course.
SJMC Japan students decided to go with Course B, which includes room fees and both all-you-can-drink beverages. The pricing starts at $8 per person for 30 minutes, $16 per person for an hour and $31 per person for free time. The payment for your room is paid before your time starts.
Experience
Karaoke is extremely popular in Japan as it provides people with a social outlet where they can be silly with their friends while also giving them a space to escape the stress of everyday life.
As students were feeling the pressure of their assignments and packed itinerary, it only felt right to indulge in a pastime that many Japanese people enjoy.
When walking into Karaoke Manekineko, you are welcomed by bright colors and lights before being directed to the many course options they offer for your visit.
Although there was a slight language barrier between our group and the karaoke worker, with the help of Google Translate, we were able to understand how the process worked.
Once your group decides on what course you will take, they lead you to an available room that has a table and chairs for everyone to sit. From there, you can look through the tablet they provide that has an English song section with varying artists like SZA and Michael Jackson.
Advertising sophomore Valeria Cerecer-Vargas was surprised by how much fun she had at karaoke.
“It was a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be,” she said. “Once you have a good little group going on, it makes it a lot more fun and entertaining.”
You can queue up as many songs as you like, passing around the two microphones they provide to others in the room.
Additionally, even if you did not purchase the food course at the front, you are still able to order any food you would like by going to the front desk to place your order.
How it compares
In comparison to American karaoke, Japanese karaoke is a lot more secluded and provides more options, whether that involves drinks or food.
Typically, American karaoke occurs at a bar with all the patrons there, whether or not they plan on taking part. Typically, they can hear and see whoever is performing. This might be one of the reasons that deters some people from karaoke because of embarrassment or nerves of having to sing in front of people they do not know as well.
Digital media innovation senior Cadyn Perkins is someone who is not new to the karaoke scene.
“I have been to a karaoke place in America before, but I don’t think it was solely dedicated to karaoke,” she said.
In Japan, karaoke is a bit like singing at home or in the car with your friends. You can control who is in your room, hearing you sing your heart out to Whitney Houston or Amy Winehouse.
In addition to the privacy, the services like drinks and food are a lot less expensive than in America since you can get the all-you-can-drink/eat options.
I would definitely recommend going to karaoke with your friends when in Japan, even if you think you do not like karaoke. You do not even need to hold the mic to enjoy this iconic part of Japanese culture.
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