We’re near the end of the Toronto trip stories! (Amazing, how long can I really drag this one weekend out?)
So, after successfully conquering hanami, purikura, and yakiniku, there was really only one thing left to do to be truly Japanese: karaoke. Now, out of all of the things I use to do in Japan, karaoke was perhaps the staple thing. I’d been to karaoke with EVERYONE, I would go by myself if I was bored enough, it was simply something I REALLY enjoyed. And really, it’s quintessentially Japanese.
Now, when people in the West think of karaoke, what comes to mind is a dark bar, a microphone set up in front of a drunken audience, and a television with lyrics. Really, when all my friends are terrified of the idea of karaoke, I don’t blame them. I don’t think that sounds enjoyable at ALL. Especially when all you want to do is sing your favourite songs! So let me set the scene for you.
A standard karaoke booth in Japan: television, machine, couches and your favourite people
We went to Bar+ Karaoke Lounge on Yonge street. The original plan was to go to Twister karaoke, but this one was right around the corner from our hotel. Even from the moment I walked in, I felt like it was as close as we might get in Toronto for karaoke, especially down town. When you go into a karaoke place like this, or anywhere in Japan, you’ll be surprised at how quiet it seems at first. There will be some kind of front desk, a lounge for people to wait, and in this case, a bar as well. Next time I go, I will bring buckets of money and do it up right. Anyways, you tell the person at the front desk how many people are with you, and how long you plan on being (My rule of thumb = one hour per person). If you plan on using any other languages, this is when you ask for the language books as well. The person will then take you to your room. In these rooms are some couches, a table, a TV, and the machines to run the karaoke.
Word to the wise? At least in Toronto, or if you’re going to this karaoke place? Know Korean! 
Or be so familiar with this style of karaoke that you could work a machine in Korean with no problems. I found that all of the newer songs and the ones I wanted to sing were on the Korean machine, while older classics had been put into the English language machine.
After a bit of fiddling about, we were able to get the machines up and running. Unlike karaoke in North America, there are no breaks between songs. This isn’t the scenario where you pick your best song. You could be going for a few hours, so have a good collection of songs you can sing comfortably, or at least songs that you love enough that you’re willing to look like an ass singing along to, even if you don’t know all of the words trying to rap along with Sakurai Sho (a fate I often met). Also be sure to smuggle a bottle of water in with you or something. Drinks at karaoke places will always and forever be expensive, and so smuggling in what you can is standard, no matter what country you’re in.
Overall, I really enjoyed our time at Bar+. It was $25 an hour for up to 5 people. With only 2 of us, this seemed really expensive. However, if you were to max this out to the full 5, and come in at a prime time, like a Saturday, the rates would actually be cheaper than if you were to go somewhere in downtown Tokyo (which can be ~300ï¿¥ per 30 minutes in a lot of places, about $6 each an hour.) I also really liked the fact that drinks weren’t mandatory at this place, like they are in most places I went to in Japan. The song selection left much to be desired, but I was still able to fill a solid hour and a half of singing of just Japanese songs. Had I really wanted to, we could have gone forever in the English book! The selection was good enough that we didn’t even look at the English songs.
For anyone who is looking for that moment of Japan in their normally Western lives, be it a flash of homesickness for those who have lived there, or those who yearn to travel overseas, booth karaoke would be the one thing I would recommend that, to me, is the most common and most real feeling part of Japanese culture available here, even if you have to hunt.
Karaoke Places in Toronto
Know of any others to add to the list? How about a list for other cities in Canada/US? If you know of other Karaoke Box places worth visiting, let me know in the comments and I can add it to the list here. 
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