Solo karaoke boxes sing to Japan’s ‘solo market’

Every so often, 33-year-old Masaki Kitakoga slips into a tiny booth with a desk and a chair and belts out karaoke tunes for 90 minutes – completely on his own.

Kitakoga is part of a growing trend in Japan favoring solo activities that is now so widespread it has its own name: “ohitorisama” or “on your own.”

Analysts say that Japan’s demographic make-up – more than one third of households contain just one person – makes it perfect for the solo market, with many also craving “me time” in a fast-paced, interconnected and workaholic society.

Karaoke, in many ways the archetypal social activity, is a case in point.

Six years ago, the Koshidaka karaoke chain realized that some 30 percent of its customers in certain locations came on their own, so it set up “1Kara”, tiny booths for solo singers.

Now the firm runs a network of eight specialty karaoke parlors that each sees “tens of thousands” of crooners flock to its solo booths, according to Daiki Yamatani, a spokesman for the chain.

“It’s a truly liberating experience,” said Kitakoga. “I like to sing. But beyond that, this lets me shake off stress.”

As demand for such services grows, the stigma of doing activities alone has decreased, added Kitakoga, who also sings karaoke occasionally with friends.

Many lone karaoke singers say they like singing just the songs they want to, without bowing to peer pressure for sing-along classics that everyone else knows.