Japan

Karaoke Anyone? The Origins of This Much-Loved Activity

Who doesn’t love a fun night out enjoying karaoke? How many of us, however, know where the idea for karaoke came from, or who invented it? Now we will, as the inventor of the original idea for karaoke has died, and his legacy is being revealed.

The invention of the karaoke machine traces its origins to 1967 with Shigeichi Negishi’s pioneering “Sparko Box” in Japan. This early prototype, among the first to allow singers to accompany pre-recorded music with their own vocals, started the onset of Japan’s karaoke craze. Negishi, an entrepreneur who initially ran a company assembling car stereos, innovated by connecting a microphone to a tape deck, inspired by a singalong radio show popular at the time.

Negishi’s creation was first tested with an instrumental tape of the 1930s song “Mujo no Yume” by Yoshio Kodama. The success of these initial experiments led to the commercial production of the Sparko Box, which Negishi sold alongside lyric cards. About 8,000 units were installed across Japan, predominantly in bars and restaurants, introducing a novel entertainment mode that encouraged social singing in public venues.

Although Negishi stopped producing the Sparko Box in the 1970s, the concept had taken root. Competitors soon entered the market, including musician and businessman Daisuke Inoue, who is often credited with commercializing the technology with his 8 Juke machine. The 1970s saw a proliferation of karaoke machines, none of which were patented, leading to widespread production by various electronics manufacturers.

By the 1980s, the trend had evolved into “karaoke boxes,” private singing rooms that became more popular than traditional bar setups in Japan. This format, along with later innovations like video karaoke and networked systems, helped spread karaoke throughout Asia and eventually worldwide. Today, Japan alone hosts over 8,000 karaoke box venues, with a combined market value exceeding 387.9 billion yen ($2.6 billion) in 2022, according to the All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association. This enduring legacy of the karaoke machine showcases its transformative impact on global entertainment.

Soy Sauce Ice Cream Supports Tsunami-Damaged City

A collaboration of professionals has recently developed a new ice cream flavor in support of Rikuzentakata- a Japanese city that was destroyed by the 2011 tsunami.

Kunihiko Shirokawa of Hirota, a confectioner involved in the project, explained:

“It’s a mixture of soy sauce and ice cream, producing a well-balanced salty, yet sweet, ice cream which is perfect for the summer.

“We’re planning another product for autumn.”

Hirota, based in Tokyo, joined forces with Takata’s Yamani Soy Sauce to create the ice cream, which looks like your typical vanilla but tastes salty and vaguely nutty, according to Reuters.
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Seki Kinya, the leader of a Tokyo entrepreneurial consulting company, initiated the plan.

“I was in Takata during the clean-up efforts, and happened to meet an associate of Yamani,” Kinya explained. “Afterwards, the mayor talked about his hopes of revitalizing local businesses and creating job opportunities. It was all a coincidence, really.”

The new ice cream has been added to trademark cream puffs to create a populsr summertime treat. These morsels are now going for $1.92 each, and a percentage of the proceeds are donated to several organizations involved in revitalizing the city.

Valentine’s Day Globally

Today is Valentine’s Day which dates back to 496 AD when it was established by Pope Gelasius I. By the 15^th century it had become a time for lovers to express their love toward one another through flowers, candied goods and greeting cards (known as “valentines”). However, in 1969 Pope Paul VI obliterated it from the German Roman Calendar. But that hasn’t seemed to stop people all around the world – including those in Italy and Germany – from marking the day in some romantic way. Let’s take a look.

Thailand

Getting married on this day has taken on some interesting traditions in Thailand like saying “I do” underwater; sky-diving or hanging off cliff-sides. But if you’re going to go popular, you’ll need to get wed at Bangkok’s Village of Love. For those seeking something a bit more spiritual, it is traditional to lay candles, incense and red roses at the Trimurti shrine and pray for a husband at the Hindu deity’s feet.

Germany

Although we get the impression Germans don’t know how to do romance, it’s actually not the case. Since the end of the Second World War, Valentine’s Day (known as Valentinstag in Germany) has become increasingly popular with Germans making heart-shaped gingerbread cookies for their loved ones.

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Japan has two celebratory days for Valentine’s. On February 14^th women usually give their boyfriends chocolate as part of the “giri choco” tradition; indeed, they can give up to 20 boxes without seeming weird! This dates back to the 1950s when the holiday started and a wise Japanese chocolate manufacturer saw a chance to boost the economy and make a nice tidy profit at the same time. Soon enough, everyone jumped in and tons of chocolate was being sold on this day. According to a Bloomberg report, half of all chocolate sold each year in Japan is on Valentine’s day.

But it doesn’t end here for the egalitarian Japanese. On March 14^th – White Day – men shower their ladies with chocolate (of course) as well as jewelry and lingerie.

Italy

Of course Italy has to have something huge on Valentine’s Day, being known as one of the most romantic countries in the world. Couples go to Verona for “Verona in Love” at which a variety of Shakespeare-themed events are held like tours to retrace Romeo and Juliet’s footsteps; a competition to choose the best love letter to Juliet or a moment with Juliet’s statue for good fortune. As well, one can enjoy the gorgeous city for what it has to offer: vineyards; boutique hotels and tons of candle-lit eateries to bring out the romantic in everyone.

UK

The British do the traditional stuff of cards, flowers, chocolates and hearts, but one might be curious as to what the newly-wed Royals will be doing on their first Valentine’s Day as a married couple. Unfortunately nothing all that romantic since William is deployed at the Falkland Islands today. However, not to want to waste a day on frivolity, his bride Kate will be spending time with children at a medical facility run by one of her charities of choice – Action and Addiction. Perhaps she’ll get a bouquet sent to her by her loved one anyway…

“The Magic Tree House” Premieres in Japan

Many parents are familiar with “The Magic Tree House” series, written by Mary Pope Osborne nearly two decades ago. In the books, brother and sister Jack and Annie venture through time to visit everywhere from ancient Egypt to the Titanic.

Coming Soon To Theaters

Now, after years of persuading, Japanese filmmakers are finally bringing the books to theaters. Osborne was opposed to selling the adaptation rights to the books for years, as she felt the educational values of the books would be lost in the films. Known for their benefits in reading, history and geography, Osborne felt the books were best left to children’s imaginations.

The Heart of the Story Remains Intact

Filmmakers visited Osborne and her husband in the U.S., and impressed them with their script and illustrations. Osborne felt that Media Factory’s vision would do a good job adapting the stories, and finally agreed to sell the rights.
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At the film’s premiere in Japan, Osborne told Reuters “We thought they totally captured the spirit of the brother and sister in the story. The heart of the story was so intact to me, it was just prefect in that way.”