by Shirelle White
People, I'm here today to talk to you about karaoke. I know what you're thinkin: I've been there and done that! I've been in Japan for a year already ... two years already! Who does this girl think she is? I am the Karaoke Queen/King/Deity of your Choice!!! But you're wrong. You haven't done karaoke, I mean true karaoke myf riends, until you have tripped on down to the shiny (North) side of Shin-Yokohama Station. There, just out the exit and to the left, before you even leave the station parking lot, looking suspiciously inconspicuous next to a mega pachinko parlour, is OPERA.
Now gather in close babies. Shirelle's about to learn ya somethin'. You go up the elevator to the OPERA floor. When you step out, you will be in another world. Jungly plants and vegetation. Upholstered walls. Plush comfy chairs. And that's just the entrance lobby! Now the price list at first seems a bit daunting, I know. But this isn't like other karaoke spots. Most places you go, they charge per person, per hour. Here at OPERA they charge per room per hour. So show up with 5 or 10 or more of your favorite peeps and pick a room boys and girls! Once you divi it all up at the end of the nite, it's all about the same as usual.
Next you will be led to your room. I can tell you from my experience, I had a tame room. Let me describe for you the tame room (about 6000 yen per hour if memory serves ... and there were 15 of us): The nice man opens the door to the tame room. I see a huge, flat, plasma screen for my karaoke line reading/video viewing pleasure. I see a massage chair. Lemme say it one mo'gain: I see a massage chair. I see comfy upholstered sofas and chairs. I see glass-topped tables that light up from underneath. (Honestly, at this point, I was surprised not to see gangsters doing illicit things with mind-altering substances off the table tops ... it looked like a gangster movie where that sort of thing would have happened.) And the music selection! Okay kids: you know that song that you always wanna do at karaoke, but the book has every song that artist has ever done except the one you want? Not at OPERA, babies. They have that song! And a bunch of other songs that you haven't even though about in years, let alone been given the chance to let loose to in the wholesome goodness of a karaoke setting.
We went in thinkin': two hours should be fine! And four hours later ... when the weaker ones had already passed out, we decided that we should go. Cuz I hate doin' the walk of shame back to my apartment on Sunday morning ... when I'm still wearing Saturday night's outfit. Do not, lemme say it one mo'gain, DO NOT leave Japan without experiencing the Pimptastic Love that is OPERA karaoke! Osusume!