Karaoke (カラオケ) is the singing of songs to music accompaniment synchronized with lyrics displayed on-screen. It originated in Japan and is now popular around the world, especially in Asia. Karaoke is a well-liked pastime enjoyed by people of all ages in Japan, and also makes an interesting activity for tourists to Japan, especially those looking for some night entertainment. Karaoke establishments usually open from around 11:00am to 3:00am the following morning, with longer operation hours on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Modern karaoke establishments consist of multiple private rooms (karaoke boxes) that are each equipped with a karaoke player and microphones. Besides countless Japanese songs, a reasonable selection of English songs is usually available. Songs in Chinese, Korean and other languages may be available to a lesser degree.

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