Tokyo Jazz Cafes

Kissaten` (喫茶店) in Japanese simply means a tea/coffee shop. `Jazz kissa`(Jazz cafes) sprung up in the 1950s and 60s as imported records in Japan were quite expensive, if available at all. Young jazz fans could go to these cafes, order one drink and then spend hours listening to the latest records. There were hundreds of these places all around the country and they played a huge part in making Japan the jazz-loving nation that it is. (For Japanese readers, look for the book `Red Roses for Jazz Cafes` by Murai Koji (`ジャズ喫茶に花束を).

Jazz kissa have varied opening hours, with some closing early and others open until the late evening. The larger ones offer light snacks, and almost all will serve beer and whiskey. Most will have a good vinyl and cd collection behind the counter reflecting the owner`s individual taste. (I have heard of one jazz kissa where the owner has 2000 swing albums from the 1940`s, but have been unable to confirm its existence, will keep searching...) The decor in these places is consistent; old, dark, photos and album covers on the walls, old jazz magazines in the cabinet for browsing. There may or may not be a `table charge` from 300-500. Be careful not to confuse a jazz kissa with a regular old style kissaten however. Though you may hear some quiet jazz in the background at a regular kissa, these places are more meeting places for old people in the neighborhood, and won`t have a collection beyond a few cds (and often only a vintage 1960`s transistor radio, which is kind of cool in its own way too...)

For many reasons these cafes are not nearly as popular as they once were, and it can be a struggle for owners to keep them open. Chain coffee shops offer better and cheaper drinks and can be found in abundance near any train station. (Jazz kissa coffee is also rather expensive, averaging about 500-600 a cup, and nothing to write home about taste-wise.) Obviously another reason is the ease with which music fans can now access albums from the internet or larger record chains. The atmosphere of a jazz kissa remains wholly unique though, and thankfully there has been a small resurgence of college students in Japan having `jazz clubs` where students will meet at a cafe in the afternoon to hang out and talk about the music. The collective listening experience is something all music fans enjoy, and therefore the jazz kissa still have a vital function in Japan.

On this site I generally classify a place as a "Cafe" if it's open during the day. Most cafes also function as bars in the evening, serving alcohol and hosting the occasional live gig.