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Photos| Going solo: ‘Ohitorisama’ or the Japanese art of doing it alone

"Ohitorisama" or "on your own," is a rapidly growing trend in Japan which favours doing solo activities. The country’s demographic make it perfect for solo markets, with many also craving for their personal time in a fast-paced, interconnected and workaholic society. Signs of the ohitorisama are everywhere in Japan, from cinemas offering seats with partitions to theme parks to grocery stores selling condiments and vegetables for single diners while travel agents designing itineraries aimed at the solo voyager.

Updated on: Nov 15, 2018 12:02 PM IST

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Every so often, 33-year-old Masaki Kitakoga slips into a tiny booth with a desk and a chair and belts out karaoke tunes for 90 minutes -- completely on his own. Kitakoga is part of a growing trend in Japan favouring solo activities that is now so widespread it has its own name: “ohitorisama” or “on your own.” (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

Updated on Nov 15, 2018 12:02 PM

Every so often, 33-year-old Masaki Kitakoga slips into a tiny booth with a desk and a chair and belts out karaoke tunes for 90 minutes -- completely on his own. Kitakoga is part of a growing trend in Japan favouring solo activities that is now so widespread it has its own name: “ohitorisama” or “on your own.” (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

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Kitakoga poses next to tiny booths after singing, at a karaoke parlour in Tokyo. Analysts say that Japan’s demographic make-up -- more than one third of households contain just one person -- makes it perfect for the solo market, with many also craving “me time” in a fast-paced, interconnected and workaholic society. Karaoke, in many ways the archetypal social activity, is a case in point. (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

Updated on Nov 15, 2018 12:02 PM

Kitakoga poses next to tiny booths after singing, at a karaoke parlour in Tokyo. Analysts say that Japan’s demographic make-up -- more than one third of households contain just one person -- makes it perfect for the solo market, with many also craving “me time” in a fast-paced, interconnected and workaholic society. Karaoke, in many ways the archetypal social activity, is a case in point. (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

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A woman pays for a solo booth at the reception of a karaoke parlour. Six years ago, the Koshidaka karaoke chain realised that some 30% of its customers in certain locations came on their own, so it set up “1Kara”, tiny booths for solo singers. Now the firm runs a network of eight speciality karaoke parlours that each sees “tens of thousands” of crooners flock to its solo booths, said Daiki Yamatani, a spokesman for the chain. (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

Updated on Nov 15, 2018 12:02 PM

A woman pays for a solo booth at the reception of a karaoke parlour. Six years ago, the Koshidaka karaoke chain realised that some 30% of its customers in certain locations came on their own, so it set up “1Kara”, tiny booths for solo singers. Now the firm runs a network of eight speciality karaoke parlours that each sees “tens of thousands” of crooners flock to its solo booths, said Daiki Yamatani, a spokesman for the chain. (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

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“It’s a truly liberating experience,” said Kitakoga. “I like to sing. But beyond that, this lets me shake off stress.” As demand for such services grows, the stigma of doing activities alone has decreased, added Kitakoga, who also sings karaoke occasionally with friends. Many lone karaoke singers say they like singing just the songs they want to, without bowing to peer pressure for sing-along classics that everyone else knows. (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

Updated on Nov 15, 2018 12:02 PM

“It’s a truly liberating experience,” said Kitakoga. “I like to sing. But beyond that, this lets me shake off stress.” As demand for such services grows, the stigma of doing activities alone has decreased, added Kitakoga, who also sings karaoke occasionally with friends. Many lone karaoke singers say they like singing just the songs they want to, without bowing to peer pressure for sing-along classics that everyone else knows. (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

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A view of tiny booths at a karaoke parlour. Signs of the “ohitorisama” are everywhere in Japan, from cinemas offering seats with partitions to theme parks that let singles jump the queue at certain rides. Grocery stores sell condiments and vegetables for single diners while travel agents design itineraries aimed at the solo voyager. The “super solo society” has become a buzzword among social scientists and marketing gurus. (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

Updated on Nov 15, 2018 12:02 PM

A view of tiny booths at a karaoke parlour. Signs of the “ohitorisama” are everywhere in Japan, from cinemas offering seats with partitions to theme parks that let singles jump the queue at certain rides. Grocery stores sell condiments and vegetables for single diners while travel agents design itineraries aimed at the solo voyager. The “super solo society” has become a buzzword among social scientists and marketing gurus. (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

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Surveys shows Japanese consumers -- especially younger ones -- rate quality time alone above hours spent with family and friends. Official data also showed the ratio of households with parents and children is gradually shrinking as fewer adults form relationships. The demographic shift comes as Japan also grapples with a rapidly ageing population, with nearly 28% of Japanese people over the age of 65. (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

Updated on Nov 15, 2018 12:02 PM

Surveys shows Japanese consumers -- especially younger ones -- rate quality time alone above hours spent with family and friends. Official data also showed the ratio of households with parents and children is gradually shrinking as fewer adults form relationships. The demographic shift comes as Japan also grapples with a rapidly ageing population, with nearly 28% of Japanese people over the age of 65. (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

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Restaurants are also cashing in. At the “Ichiran” ramen noodle chain, it is possible to enjoy a meal with barely any human interaction whatsoever. Customers order from vending machines and then sit in a partitioned booth to slurp down their noodles, unlike the experience at many ramen joints, where orders are shouted by teams of chefs behind greasy counters. (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

Updated on Nov 15, 2018 12:02 PM

Restaurants are also cashing in. At the “Ichiran” ramen noodle chain, it is possible to enjoy a meal with barely any human interaction whatsoever. Customers order from vending machines and then sit in a partitioned booth to slurp down their noodles, unlike the experience at many ramen joints, where orders are shouted by teams of chefs behind greasy counters. (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

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A customer waits in a partitioned booth after ordering ramen noodles. “We were doing this even before the solo activities trend started. This ‘personal space’ concept has been well received in foreign markets too” said Satomi Nozaki, spokeswoman at the popular chain, which also has outlets overseas. (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

Updated on Nov 15, 2018 12:02 PM

A customer waits in a partitioned booth after ordering ramen noodles. “We were doing this even before the solo activities trend started. This ‘personal space’ concept has been well received in foreign markets too” said Satomi Nozaki, spokeswoman at the popular chain, which also has outlets overseas. (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

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Karaoke fan Kitakoga also enjoys solo travel, taking himself off alone to a remote island in southern Japan last year. “Sure, it would have been fun to travel with friends too. But I knew what I wanted to do there and it was fantastic because I was able to do everything I wanted to do at the pace I wanted to do it,” he said. (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

Updated on Nov 15, 2018 12:02 PM

Karaoke fan Kitakoga also enjoys solo travel, taking himself off alone to a remote island in southern Japan last year. “Sure, it would have been fun to travel with friends too. But I knew what I wanted to do there and it was fantastic because I was able to do everything I wanted to do at the pace I wanted to do it,” he said. (Behrouz Mehri / AFP)

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