Gifu Prefecture Karaoke Box Association Invites 50 Single-Parent Households (124 People) for Free

The Gifu Prefecture Karaoke Box Association (Chairman: Yoshitaka Anzawa) held its social contribution event, "Free Karaoke Day for Single Families," for four days from June 20-21 and June 27-28, 2026, with the cooperation of 8 member stores in the prefecture, targeting single-parent households.

The event received a significant response, with all 50 slots for households filling up just 20 minutes after applications opened. Over the four days, 50 households, totaling 124 people (including 74 children), participated.

Operational Support: Single-Parent Peer Support Group "Single Parent Cheers"

Providing "Time for Smiles for Parents and Children" to Families Who Tend to Give Up on Leisure

In single-parent households, prioritizing daily life often limits opportunities for parents and children to spend quality time together or enjoy leisure activities.

This event was planned with the desire to provide a safe and enjoyable time for parents and children in such families.

Participants were eligible for one parent and up to four children (high school age or younger), for a maximum of five people per household. Karaoke rooms and soft drinks were provided free of charge for 90 minutes at 8 stores across the prefecture.

"Cross-Industry Cooperation" Made Possible by an Industry Association

A unique aspect of this event was that competing karaoke chains, which normally vie for business, joined forces as an industry association to make it happen.

Participating stores included:

Big Echo

Karaoke Kan

Karaoke JB

Karaoke BanBan

AC Grand

and 6 other stores in the prefecture.

Gifu Prefecture Karaoke Box Association, Chairman Yoshitaka Anzawa

Chairman Anzawa told Gifu Broadcasting in an interview,

"Through Rotary Club activities, I learned that single-parent families often lack opportunities for various experiences. Some children were experiencing karaoke for the first time. I wanted them to have a fun time with their parents and get a taste of how enjoyable karaoke can be."

While individual companies have engaged in social contribution activities before, this initiative, where an industry association with multiple competing member companies collaborated on a single social contribution project, marked a significant undertaking.

124 People from 50 Households Participated; Applications Filled in 20 Minutes

All 50 reservation slots were filled within just 20 minutes of applications opening, highlighting the high level of interest in this project.

One participating parent commented,

"I don't usually have much time to spend with my children due to work, so I was happy to be able to have a fun time with them."

Participant 1

Participant 2

Yuga Iwata, Representative of the Single-Parent Peer Support Group "Single Parent Cheers"

Yuga Iwata, representative of "Single Parent Cheers," which jointly managed the event, commented,

"When finances are tight, leisure and enjoyment are the first things to be cut. We are truly grateful for this support."

Featured on Gifu Broadcasting; High Interest from the Community

This activity was also featured on Gifu Broadcasting as a new form of community-based social contribution.

The broadcast included scenes of parents and children enjoying singing together and an interview with Chairman Anzawa, widely disseminating the purpose of the project to the local community.

About the Gifu Prefecture Karaoke Box Association

The Gifu Prefecture Karaoke Box Association is an industry organization composed of karaoke box operators in the prefecture.

Member companies cooperate to promote safe and secure store operations and engage in activities that value connections with the local community.

Through this initiative, we hope many people will come to realize that karaoke boxes are not just "places to sing" but also venues that foster smiles between parents and children and create community connections.

[Contact Information]

Gifu Prefecture Karaoke Box Association

Hirakawa-cho Fushimi Building 5F, JKBA, 1-4-3 Hirakawa-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Contact: Ueda

E-mail: [email protected]