An absolute must on the hit list of things to do when in Japan, karaoke never fails to entertain and anyone can participate regardless of their singing ability. Kutchan town is about 10 minutes’ drive from Hirafu village and offers authentic Japanese karaoke at several spots around the town. My personal favorite being Utaya Karaoke located within the popular restaurants and bar district in Kutchan.
You can take a bus to and from Kutchan and if you do miss the last bus never fear, taxis are always near and the karaoke staff will be happy to call you a taxi too.
Going with a group of friends after a satisfying Japanese dinner is the way to go. There are many interesting restaurants serving delicious authentic Japanese food dotted all around the area. Try and get into Kutchan a little earlier to get a bite to eat before hitting up the karaoke booth. My personal recommendation would be either Kan restaurant specializing in all you can eat and drink or Enya which is a yakitori/ izikaya pub both off the main street, aånd great for well-priced, fulfilling food.
Utaya karaoke booth is as authentic as it gets to any mainland equivalent in comparison to Tokyo or Kyoto. Utaya offers private rooms where you and friends can kick back and enjoy your own personal space. An all you can drink or service is provided when booking your booth, for one hour it is 1000yen and for two hours 2000yen per person. Utaya operates from 4pm-till the early hours of the morning and offer cheaper deals if you get there earlier (4-9pm). Our group managed to sing and party for three and a half hours and only paid 3000pp for the booth and endless drinks amongst the six of us. Utaya also offers food, dessert and several soft drink options.
Utaya Karaoke offer a large range of choice with their up to date database of songs and many different sized rooms to choose from. Our night included songs such as Wannabe by the Spice Girls to Wonderwall by Oasis with plenty of laughs and everyone joining in with their separate melodies.For a truly authentic, Japanese night on the town try out karaoke, it doesn’t have to be a serious singing contest and makes for a fun night out with friends and family.
