Guide to Karaoke in Tokyo

By Roungnak Praem | March 8th, 2021

For people of all ages, karaoke is a good stress reliever. Who doesn’t like to sing along loudly with their favorite songs be it alone or in a group? Karaoke bars in Japan are so much more than just singing. Do not worry we will mostly talk about karaoke in Tokyo but throughout Japan, the experience should be more or less the same!

This guide is part of our series on Life in Tokyo. In this guide, you will learn everything there is to know about karaoke in Tokyo.

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Karaoke in Japan

What is Karaoke (カラオケ)?

As the name implies karaoke has its roots in Japan. it’s split up in kara (空) which means empty and ōkesutora (オーケストラ ) which stands for orchestra. But what is karaoke now actually? To put it simply it is just entertainment but good entertainment: you sing along with your favorite song, the song of course has no vocals because you are the one that is providing it! It is just an instrumental version of the song that gets played back. For a lot of people, karaoke is a good way to destress from hectic life.

The story goes that a Japanese drummer by the name of Daisuke Inoue was the inventor of the karaoke machine that we know today. He was asked a lot of times by his guests if it was possible to provide a recording of his music so that the clients could sing along at home or a party.

Sunakku Bars (スナックバー)

Sunakku is the place where karaoke originally became popular. The term Sunakku is borrowed from the word snack in English. But what are these Sunakku bars? They are pubs that are usually run by one woman who clients call Mama. These Mamas prepare various dishes for their customers while also keeping the customers engaged through conversations and singing along karaoke with the clients. It was a big thing for salarymen and older-aged men to go there. Now it still is a place where these groups go but the popularity has decreased. Unless your Japanese is not good enough and you don’t want to sing out your heart’s content with older people we don’t recommend going to Sunakku Bars for karaoke.

Hitokara (ヒトカラ)

Shy people or introverts that would like to experience the karaoke culture should not be afraid of losing out. You can go to a Hitokara to still sing out your lungs at these establishments. They are just like any karaoke bar but they are for people that prefer to go alone because of multiple reasons. These Hitokara’s are not necessarily for shy people or introverts. Maybe you just enjoy going to the karaoke alone or maybe you’d like to learn and practice some new songs before hitting up the karaoke bar with your group so you don’t need to feel “ashamed”. Maybe you’d like to sing a song you like 10 times in a row without bothering your friends!

Karaoke bars in Japan

You should know that the bars in Tokyo or elsewhere in Japan are not the same as in the Western world. A karaoke bar in the western world is a typical bar that has a DJ that accepts song requests from the people drinking at the bar. Some of them have a stage and a mic where you can perform live. Western-styled karaoke bars do exist in Japan but they are less popular. In Japan, the most common styled karaoke bars are called karaoke boxes. These are establishments that have multiple rooms which you can hire solo or with a group of friends, they are fully equipped with karaoke equipment. Many karaoke bars also offer drinks and food. As you see these bars are not the same as in the Western world and in this article, I will explain to you the workings of how a karaoke bar works in Japan

Want to know more about life in Tokyo? Also check out on BFF Tokyo: Check out our guides for tips in Japan

How does Karaoke in Japan Work?

Becoming a member

A lot of the Karaoke bars require you to become a member before you can rent a room. Sometimes signing up and becoming a member is free and other times it costs money. It is not a lot of money and averages around ¥300. Luckily when you do become a member you can get huge discounts!

Prices

The prices are not the same everywhere of course some karaoke bars have different prices. Big chains with various locations even have different prices. Weekdays before evening are times where prices are the cheapest, evenings, weekends, public holidays, and the day before a public holiday is when the prices are the highest.

Renting a room

Renting a karaoke room is quite easy, you enter the establishment and the first thing you will see is usually the reception where someone will happily greet you. They will ask you some questions like how many people are you renting a room for and how long you would like to rent the room for. Most of the time they will also ask you to register and become a member. Do note though that rooms are rented in time slots of 30 minutes and that at most places they will send you a warning 10 minutes (usually by calling the phone in the room) notifying you that your time is almost up. You are welcome to ask to extend your time provided that no one has booked the room after you. When you go over your time slots you will have to pay a higher fee.

Drinks

A lot of the establishments offer drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, and most of the time there will be an extra charge (about ¥500 ) and you can have an all-you-can-drink deal for soft drinks. They also have a more expensive alcohol all-you-can-drink deal which is usually around ¥1,000 - ¥1,500. Be sure to take these deals when booking a room as taking the deal afterward may increase the price. The karaoke bars are mostly self-serve so there will be a corner somewhere that you can get your drinks from. Alcohol is mostly not self-serve and these will need to be ordered with the staff.

Food

These karaoke bars also offer a variety of foods! Most of the time these are just finger-foods like Karaage ((唐揚げ) or French fries but more expensive bars even offer full meals. When entering your room look for a menu and see what they have to offer, there will be a phone most of the time near your door which you can call the staff at the reception and place your order. It is that simple you call and order the food, and wait and sing your lungs out till they bring you your food.

It might be tempting to bring your own food and drinks but do not do this. Getting caught will be penalized with a heavy fine!

Free time

No, no, we do not mean your free time! Karaoke bars in Japan have this special deal called “free time”. This deal is only available when there are plenty of rooms free. It is usually during the weekdays or after midnight when it is much quieter. Free time means you can stay as long as you would like for a fixed rate. You can stay there for five minutes or up to three hours. It does not matter how long you stay, the price stays the same!

Want to know more about life in Tokyo? Also check out on BFF Tokyo: Check out our guides for tips in Japan

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Popular Karaoke Bars

You have gone through this article, and now you are looking forward to going to a karaoke bar yourself or with your friends, but where can you go?

We will list some great spots for you to experience the karaoke in Tokyo.

Aside from Karaoke, Tokyo at night offers much more! Check out our The best things to do in Tokyo at night or Top 16 Unique Bars in Tokyo

Karaoke Kan

One of the most famous karaoke chains in Tokyo. There is a Karaoke Kan near every major station in Tokyo. You will recognize the establishment easily by its blue neon lights and its red neon lights. The staff also wear sailor costumes for their uniform. It is not only one of the most famous karaoke chains but also one of the cheaper ones available for what they offer.

Famous Place(s)

Karaoke Kan Shibuya:

How can I not list this as one of the most popular places? The movie Lost In Translation was filmed here! If that does not make you want to go there and sing, then what does? The rooms where the movies were shot are room number 601 and 602.

〒150-0042 東京都渋谷区宇田川町２５−6

Karaoke Kan Roppongi

The establishment in Roppongi is very popular among tourists because it is Roppongi after all, the place where most of the tourists go for a night out. Because of this, the staff here knows a little more English. Making it a lot easier if it is your first time doing karaoke in Japan as they could explain to you how the system works.

〒106-0032 Tokyo, Minato City, Roppongi, 5 Chome−1−6 六本木B&Vビル

Prices for 30 minutes

Monday to Friday
09:00 a.m. to 19:00 p.m.
¥80 with one drink order required.

Saturday and Sunday
09:00 a.m. to 19:00 p.m.
¥225 with one drink order required

Monday to Friday
19:00 p.m. to 09:00 a.m.
¥475 with one drink order required.

Saturday to Sunday
19:00 p.m. to 09:00 a.m.
¥680 with one drink order required.