Karaoke

THE EVOLVING WORLD OF KARAOKE
Market Expands as Companies Diversify Services

A karaoke room with a jet bath.
Karaoke was born in Japan over 30 years ago. As singing is something that can be easily enjoyed by everyone, karaoke quickly gained popularity and is now a well-known part of popular culture. There are more and more karaoke establishments that, in addition to allowing patrons to have fun singing, have expanded their services through such means as presenting customers with delicious food in a lavish space or giving them the opportunity to soak in a hot bath. In addition to technological advances, these innovations in the environments offered by karaoke establishments are driving the industry forward.The Advent of "Karaoke Boxes"
The word "karaoke" comes from the Japanese word for "empty" (kara) plus the first part of the word "orchestra," suggesting an "empty orchestra." When it was invented over 30 years ago, and the machines of the early 1970s used eight-track tapes containing just 40 songs. These machines were rented out and were equipped with a microphone and a coin-operated timer.

One of the first major technological developments was the display on a video monitor of the song's lyrics a few seconds before the words are to be sung, as karaoke machines had originally provided only sound. Images befitting the mood of the song were added, and more recently some karaoke machines have been equipped with technology that allows them to judge the singer's performance and rank it against the thousands of others singing nationwide. Perhaps another secret to their popularity is the fact that karaoke machines also let users employ echo and other sound effects to make their singing sound better.

Karaoke was originally popular mainly at drinking establishments, but its user base kept broadening, leading to the appearance of home karaoke machines and "karaoke boxes"—small rented private rooms equipped with a karaoke machine—which are now the dominant venue for karaoke. At a karaoke box, customers can sing their favorite songs in a room with just their friends, without having to worry about what anyone else might think of their tunes.

Karaoke Establishments Expand Services
In addition to these technological advances, karaoke facilities are expanding the range of services offered, with many devising new ways of entertaining customers. While it has long been possible to order food and drinks in most karaoke boxes, the food has improved in quality and variation, with many establishments offering their own specialties cooked with exclusively chosen ingredients and some operating buffet-style services.

Some places provide rooms individually designed around different themes or extravagant, luxurious spaces; some even feature foot baths or jet baths. What could be more relaxing than soaking your feet in a warm foot bath while singing your favorite songs? Other karaoke boxes boast such features as DVD players, game consoles, home-cinema systems, and nostalgic retro interiors. A visit to a karaoke establishment is a great way for guests to see Japan, letting their hair down as well as experiencing Japanese hi-tech entertainment.

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Cute Garbage bags

People generate a significant amount of garbage as they go abouttheir daily lives. In Japan, people separate their garbage into different types, such as burnable and nonburnable, and place it into semi-clear or transparent bags for disposal. The garbage is collected on particular days of the week in each community, and on these mornings garbage is placed in the appropriate locations on street corners or roadsides. Until the garbage truck comes around to pick them up, mounds of garbage bags on the streets are a common sight in Japan.
GARBAGE BAG ART WORK (C) MAQ inc

But what if neighborhoods got together and decided to use special bags for their garbage? For example, burnable garbage could be placed in bags decorated with pictures of red flowers, and nonburnable garbage in bags decorated with pictures of blue fish. Every week on garbage days, flower gardens and ocean scenery would appear on street corners instead of plain garbage bags. If garbage were sorted in this way, it might actually look cheerful.
A famous Japanese illustrator designed a garbage bag featuring a picture of Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street. The bag is being used by the Eco Kids Project that began in August 2008 in Japan. These garbage bags are not available for purchase but are provided free of charge to schools and other organizations that request them.

garbage bags from the "Mottainai" ("What a waste") environmental campaign, meanwhile, feature pictures of animals with tearful faces. Part of the proceeds from the sale of these bags is donated to tree-planting activities.

GARBAGE BAG ART WORK (C) MAQ inc.

If you need to carry garbage or plastic bottles back home after spending time outdoors, there’s the rabbit-shaped Love It Manner Bag. The bag has extra long plastic handles, so that when they’re tied together they look like the ears of a rabbit. The rabbit’s face is designed simply, with two dots for eyes and an x for its nose, and can be skinny or plump depending on how much garbage is put inside. With a unique rabbit face all your own, you may find that you actually enjoy carrying this bag around.

GARBAGE BAG ART WORK (C) MAQ inc.
The official trash bag for Picnic Expo 2007 featured a grasshopper motif. This bag was designed to be used as a mat for sitting on when having a picnic, so it has a special non-slip surface; once you have finished your picnic, of course, you can use it to pack up your garbage.

All of these cute garbage bags were made in Japan. If you put some thought into it, maybe you could decorate garbage bags by drawing cute pictures on the front?

When putting out garbage in Japan, though, be sure to follow the rules of each community.

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