The major karaoke chains in Japan
Six chains cover most of the country. They differ less in the singing and more in how they price, whether membership is required, and what is bundled into the room charge.
Karaoke Manekineko まねきねこ
The largest chain in Japan by number of stores, and often the cheapest. Note that every branch requires free membership, and you need photo ID to sign up — bring your passport.
721 stores tracked on this site.
Karaoke BanBan カラオケBanBan
A nationwide chain with a lot of suburban and roadside branches. Price sheets are published as images, so we link to the official page for each store.
455 stores tracked on this site.
Big Echo ビッグエコー
Run by Daiichikosho, the company behind the DAM karaoke machines. Found next to almost every major station. Prices are published per store, so they vary a lot even within the same district.
441 stores tracked on this site.
Jankara ジャンカラ
Strongest in Osaka and the wider Kansai region, and usually the cheapest of the big chains there. Many branches include a free soft-drink bar in the room charge.
211 stores tracked on this site.
Karaoke Kan カラオケ館
The chain used in the film Lost in Translation (the Shibuya branch). Prices are published as images on their site, so we link you straight to the official price sheet for each store.
196 stores tracked on this site.
Utahiroba 歌広場
Concentrated in Tokyo and the surrounding prefectures. Known for flat, easy-to-read pricing and all-you-can-drink soft drinks included in most plans.
67 stores tracked on this site.
Which is cheapest?
There is no single answer, and that is the honest one. Manekineko and Jankara are often the cheapest on paper, but the gap between two branches of the same chain in the same district is frequently larger than the gap between chains. Check the specific store rather than trusting a brand.
Karaoke Kan, BanBan and Manekineko publish their price sheets as images or PDFs rather than text, so we cannot read those automatically. For those chains we show the store location and link you straight to the official price sheet instead of guessing.