The Japanese concept of the jazz kissa, a café-bar where you can hear records played on astonishingly fine sound systems in the company of other enthusiasts, dates back a century. But the phenomenon peaked in popularity after World War II, spurred by European films with jazz soundtracks and touring bands from the US. Back then, most Japanese couldn’t afford hi-fi gear or jazz records, so they got their fix in public. In recent years these spaces have begun popping up in cities like London, Paris, and New York, but Tokyo’s remain the most immersive and original. Here are three to know.
On a Slow Boat To…
Walking through Ochanomizu, a quiet neighborhood known for its musical instrument shops and one of the city’s oldest universities, you might happen upon a hard-to-spot door and a sign that reads “On a slow boat to….” Inside, you will probably find young couples lingering over strong coffees and customers engrossed in books at the bar. Named after a 1948 Frank Loesser standard, the place has tidy shelves full of vinyl records, gleaming TEAC turntables, and vintage Altec Lansing loudspeakers, each the size of a refrigerator.
Studio Mule
Located on the third floor of a nondescript building in Shibuya, this kissa features a wraparound granite bar, the work of renowned designer Koichi Futatsumata. There are also close to a thousand kinds of wine, mostly from Italy and France, and a resident Shiba Inu, who spends most nights perched on the bar. Tokyo’s kissaten have evolved to encompass nearly every type of music, and this one shares an owner with one of Japan’s best electronic music labels, but what you’re likely to hear pouring out of the vintage Klipsch speakers is Brazilian pop and bossa nova.
Eagle
This moody wood-paneled bar near Yotsuya Station in Shunjuku has been a decidedly serious place to listen to jazz since 1967. Its owner and masuta—or kissa proprietor—is Masahiro Goto, one of Japan’s most acclaimed jazz critics. Talking isn’t allowed until 6 p.m. Even in the evenings there are often customers poring over jazz books as music old and new emanates from half-century-old JBL studio monitors. The sound is superb and loud. Sit at one of the widely spaced tables and take in a Dexter Gordon recording played on the original Blue Note vinyl.
This article appeared in the May/June 2025 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.