BandKara is an authentic Japanese live band karaoke restaurant and bar concept from Tokyo. It is a popular activity in Japan that sees individuals get the opportunity to sing popular karaoke songs in front of an audience accompanied by a live band. With over 250,000 songs, everyone will be able to have a chance to stand on the stage and sing to their hearts’ content!

The live band is well equipped to play any song from any genre regardless of language, and they are there to enhance your experience on stage. Customers can go on to play the instruments or bring their own if they’d like to! They can even perform without the karaoke background music to further build up the adrenaline of performing on stage, leaving them wanting to come back for more. BandKara is similar to a collaborative space where music enthusiasts come together to enjoy playing music, performing and simply have fun.

Mr. Nobuhiro Genmei, Chief Operations Officer of Koshidaka Singapore (company which owns Bistro8), believes that everyone can have a good time at BandKara, by reliving their dreams as a superstar, or just by chilling and enjoying the live performances for those not performing.

With that in mind, BandKara invited professional band members from all over Japan with different musical backgrounds to perform and allow the confident singer inside to be unleashed.

Japan-listed lifestyle and entertainment company Koshidaka Holdings, opens its Asian karaoke flagship outlet in Orchard Cineleisure. Termed Ganso (which means Founder or Pioneer), this Manekineko outlet will be the seventh in Singapore and the largest in Asia, with 80 newly furnished karaoke rooms, 5 VIP rooms with pool tables and a 150 pax capacity function hall for holding company and private events. 

Koshidaka Holdings made in-roads into Singapore in September 2015 when it launched its Manekineko Karaoke Chain, after acquiring shares in K Box Entertainment. K Box is a subsidiary of Koshidaka Holdings. By establishing Manekineko in Singapore as a proven business model and showcase, Koshidaka Holdings hopes to springboard its expansion into ASEAN within the coming year, with plans to introduce outlets in Europe and North America as well. Here in Singapore, they will continue to proactively scout for suitable locations to expand the chain. Koshidaka Holdings, which has more than 400 stores from Hokkaido to Okinawa, is the first Karaoke chain from Japan to embark on overseas expansion. Its initial foray was into Korea, where it currently has thirteen outlets. 

Ganso Manekineko Orchard Cineleisure features rooms that are bright and vibrant in four coloured theme zones (orange, green, blue and red), each adorned with illustrations of the mascot cat. Targeted at young adults, families and even senior citizens, prices are kept affordable (from $12 nett onwards for three hours) with free-flow soft drinks, snacks and ice cream included. Manekineko @ Orchard Cineleisure will also be the only karaoke outlet in Singapore to offer a buffet spread for lunch on weekends and dinner daily so that customers will have a more fulfilling experience, singing and eating to their hearts’ content. Its Singapore chef has also come up with a new ala carte menu, to include local favourites such as Laksa, Braised Pork Knuckle and Chicken Rendang, to name a few.