Karaoke in Japan

Karaoke is very popular in Japan and other Asian countries. ‘Karaoke’ is actually a Japanese word originally meaning ‘empty orchestra’. The term spread quickly and is now widely used all over the world, even though its pronunciation and meaning suffer slight changes from culture to culture. In Japan, karaoke is a place people go to with their friends to have fun, or, less commonly, on their own to practice their singing skills; it’s also possible to eat and spend the night at a Japanese karaoke! I enjoy every minute I spend there: it’s like an alternate reality where shy people are not afraid of letting their voice out, where literally tone-deaf people get pumped up by their friends’ sincere claps, and where people with beautiful singing voices bring the room to religious silence, which culminates in incredulous amazement. It might not be the cheapest way to spend your leisure time, but the overall experience is worth the money big time.

What are some of your favorite karaoke moments?