If you had asked me 3 years ago to go to a karaoke booth with some friends — let alone write a whole blog about my myriad experiences in doing so — I probably would have responded with something akin to the Japanese「むり!」(muri), or “no way!”
Yet here we are. The introvert in me did succumb to peer pressure one fine evening, and I’m not exaggerating when I say that I’ve since experienced some of the most riveting karaoke sessions with peers from across distinct cultures and age groups. I’ve heard songs in more languages than I can count, witnessed some of the most mellifluous — almost ethereal — covers of my favorite tracks, and also endured a fair share of ear-splitting renditions. Admittedly, a decent portion of the latter probably emanated from my own larynx. But hey, if there’s one golden rule to Japanese カラオケ (karaoke), it’s that we always listen and we don’t judge!
While karaoke was born right here in Japan in the 1970s, it has since spread around the world as a popular recreational activity, often offered in nightclubs and bars. Yet karaoke culture in Japan remains distinctly unique — with cheap ヒトカラ (hitokara, or solo karaoke) offerings being a major stress buster for students and office workers alike. In fact, karaoke serves as an excellent choice for 二次会 (nijikai, or the 2nd rounds / after-parties that follow a significant meeting at one’s office). Apparently, there are strict social hierarchies at play — for instance, you must always let the boss sing first! I have heard that lab parties at our university, too, often culminate in a karaoke round, with certain folks attempting to impress their professors by mastering Japanese classics from the 80s.
Karaoke venues are almost always fully booked during 忘年会 (bōnenkai, year-end party) and 新年会 (shinnenkai, New Year party). And even if you’re lucky enough to secure a room in time, such festive periods are typically accompanied by a holiday price hike (sometimes twice as expensive as a regular sesh, if not more!)
A fun concept you might come across is the 十八番 (ohako), a person’s signature or go-to karaoke song. The etymology for this word is quite fascinating, tracing back to the legendary Kabuki (a Japanese performing art) actor Ichikawa Danjūrō I. Initially, 十八番 was read as jūhachiban, referring to the Ichikawa family’s “greatest hits,” a curated set of 18 celebrated kabuki plays. And over time, these became synonymous with the actor’s “speciality.” The alternate reading ohako is believed to have emerged through an association with 箱 (hako, box), tending to that which is meticulously reserved or maintained — one’s latent abilities, if you will. Thus, 十八番, literally “the eighteen,” evolved colloquially into ohako: one’s magnum opus or signature performance.
Personally, I’d associate the iconic first opening of One Piece — きただにひろしの「ウィーアー!」 (“We Are!” by Hiroshi Kitadani) — as my ohako. Not only has One Piece become my most beloved work of fiction to date, but “We Are!” also happens to be the very first Japanese song whose lyrics I managed to fully memorize by heart. I can now sing the complete version, opening narration included, without so much as glancing at the lyrics — a feat I doubt I could replicate for any other song!
Frequenting karaoke with a close group of friends comes with an added benefit: you get to create your own “subculture” while you’re there! For instance, by our 3rd or 4th round of karaoke, my GSEP buddies and I had decided that we couldn’t really end a session without singing 残酷な天使のテーゼ (A Cruel Angel’s Thesis), the opening theme to Neon Genesis Evangelion, a well-known anime series. Gradually, it turned into our flagship “final song,” one we wouldn’t cue up unless we were drop-dead exhausted, absolutely certain that we had had enough for the day.
I remember this one time when the entire room broke into hysteria as we just so happened to orchestrate the most perfect rendition of The Lion Sleeps Tonight, a song someone had cued up “just for the memes.” Or when a friend haphazardly screeched into the microphone what sounded like words describing random directions in Japanese, which, apparently, turned out to be a Vocaloid song he had stumbled upon at the local arcade. I also recall being witness to the most visceral cover of Miley Cyrus’s Wrecking Ball, as one of my friends took to the stage, dropping to his knees and squatting dramatically, unleashing weeks of pent-up emotion after he barely scraped through an exam. There are so many more moments like these — random memories that came from us simply messing about.
Some of the exchange students that I’ve gone to karaoke with have since returned to their home countries. However, we still exchange texts from time to time whenever someone comes across a song reminding us of a particularly fun moment we once shared in those karaoke booths. And parting ways comes with its own unspoken promise — that one day, if either of us finds ourselves in the other’s country, we’ll meet again for yet another round of karaoke!
To those of you who’ve never been to karaoke before, I’d highly, highly recommend it! And if you need people to go with, there are several student groups — such as the Science Tokyo International Student Association (S-TISA) — whose members would be more than happy to join you and guide you through your very first session.
If there’s one final message I’d like to leave readers with, it’s this: consider this blog your sign to stop what you’re doing, text some friends, and organize your very own karaoke sesh! And if everyone around you is busy, a round of hitokara wouldn’t hurt anybody. Besides, you can always hit me up! So go out there, and have the time of your life!
