Going solo: ‘Ohitorisama’ or the Japanese art of doing it alone

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 favouring 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 realised that some 30 per cent 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 speciality karaoke parlours 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. 22 women. That ratio is now one in four and one in seven respectively.

The demographic shift comes as Japan also grapples with a rapidly ageing population, with nearly 28 per cent of Japanese people over the age of 65.

And the pace of modern life with ubiquitous social media is also pushing this trend, experts say, as fatigued people seek relief from round-the-clock contact.

“Our data show sociable individuals tend to... seek solo activities,” said Matsushita, a married mother-of-two, who says she too is partial to a spot of solo karaoke.