1-11-17 Higashinakanobu, Shinagawa City, Tokyo, Japan
03-3785-487703-3785-4877
Jazz Snack Matsu sadly closed suddenly due to the neighborhood being torn down for re-development...
1-chōme-3-16 Minamiyukigaya, Ota City, Tokyo 145-0066
03-6421-819303-6421-8193
Slow Boat is a beautiful neighborhood jazz cafe opened only in 2019, on the first floor of an oth...
2 Chome-43-2 Sendagi, Bunkyo City, Tokyo
‘Modern Jazz’ Players Bar R started in June 2022 in the existing Players Bar R, with ...
Tsugurudai 3-3, Kanda, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo
Donato has the look, feel and sound of a classic old Japanese jazz kissaten, yet is a relatively ...
2-4 Nishiasakusa, Taito-Ku, Tokyo
03-3845-107803-3845-1078
Located in the back streets on the west side of Asakusa, the most popular tourist neighborhood in...
Choujamachi 8-136-8 Naka-Ku, Yokohama-Shi
Even by Japanese bar standards, Shelter People is an intimate drinking experience. Located in the...
3-7-15 Akasaka, Minato-Ku
Hashi no Shita (橋 の下 means “Under The Bridge” in Japanese) is in Akasaka-Mitsuke...
Jingumae, 3 Chome−5−2
03-3402-753703-3402-7537
Gekko Sabou (月光茶房 “moon-light-tea-chamber”, a wonderful name) is not a jazz cafe/...
2-4, Dai Kyo Machi, Shinjuku-Ku
03-3351-790403-3351-7904
Kissa Sakaiki gives me hope that the spirit of the Japanese jazz-kissaten will survive. Owner F...
Shibuya Parco B1, Udagawa-Cho 15-1
03-6455-300103-6455-3001
The central streets of Shibuya often conceal some cool little music spots amidst the brand stores...
Igari Bldg., 1-23-9 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-Ku
03-3200-451303-3200-4513
Milestone sadly closed its doors at the end of July, 2019 after 45 years in business. As the nam...
Japan, 〒231-0023 Kanagawa-ken, Yokohama-shi, Naka-ku, Yamashitachō, 巴里堂ビル
045-401-6516045-401-6516
090-2202-3293090-2202-3293
Marshmallow is a lovely new(ish) cafe located right in the heart of Chinatown, in Yokohama. It wa...
1124-1 Masuo, Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture
04-7139-926504-7139-9265
Nefertiti lives up to its very lofty name as it’s one of the finest jazz spots in the entir...
3-15-12 Shinjuku
03-3354-777603-3354-7776
The ‘New Dug’ in Shinjuku is a cafe/bar with a complex back story. It was the annex...
Minami Karasuyama 5-17-13 3F, Setagaya-Ku
03-3309-146003-3309-1460
Ragtime is the ideal jazz cafe in many ways. It’s a small place up on the 3rd floor of a ru...
Miyamoto Bldg, 2F 1-43 Hanasakicho, Naka-Ku, Yokohama-Shi
Downbeat in Yokohama is one of the classic jazz spots in the entire Kanto (Tokyo Metropolitan) ...
1-18-1 Midori-Cho, Tokorozawa-Shi, Saitama-Ken, Japan
042-924-4230042-924-4230
Jazz & Coffee Swan first opened in 1965 and still retains every bit of ambiance from that gol...
Marco Polo Bldg 2F, 1-8-14 Hon-Chi, Kichijoji
Scratch is a quiet cafe/bar that’s been in heart of Kichijoji since 1974. They open durin...
Tokyo, Mitaka, Inokashira, 3 Chome−32−16
090-9332-9070090-9332-9070
トムネコゴ (Tomunekogo) is a small, cozy and rustic cafe alongside the entrance to Inokashira-Koe...
5-16-17, Meguro Honcho, Meguro-Ku
Fat Mama is named after the great Herbie Hancock track from his album “Fat Albert Rotunda&#...
3-1-12 Koenji-Kita, Suginami-Ku, Tokyo
080-3496-3883080-3496-3883
S.U.B. Store (Small Unique Bookstore) is a very hip new hybrid cafe/bar/gallery/bookstore/records...
JORNA ４F, Hara Machida 6-6-14, Machida-Shi, Tokyo
042-725-5797042-725-5797
Noise is one of the more unique jazz cafes still around. It opened in 1980 as the sister shop to ...
16-4 Kamiyamacho, Shibuya, Tokyo
03-5790-954403-5790-9544
Despite its old-world cafe atmosphere, Swing only opened in 2014 and is one of the newer jazz spo...
1-31-8 Kita-Senju, Adachi-Ku, Tokyo
Birdland is a beautifully decorated cafe and bar located in the north-east part of Tokyo, just a ...
スズノビル1F, 3 Chome-2-10 Honchō, Nakano-ku
03-3372-347103-3372-3471
Genius was one of Shibuya’s more famous jazz cafes for more than 20 years before increasing...
Bunkyo-Ku, Hakusan 5-33-19
03-3811-893203-3811-8932
The Eigakan (映画館 “Movie Theater) is a jazz cafe for both jazz lovers and cinephiles. Own...
Kichijoji Honcho 1-31-3, Musashino-shi
0422-21-14210422-21-1421
Meg is a small cafe/club in Kichijoji, western Tokyo that is a vibrant part of the local scene...
Musashino, Kichijoji Honcho, 1−11−31
SOMETIME Kichijoji (they use all caps..) opened in 1975 and still packs people in every night o...
2-94 Noge-cho Naka-ku, Yokohama,Kanagawa 231-0064
045-315-2006045-315-2006
Chigusa is the the gold standard of jazz cafes in Japan. It was first opened in 1933 in the rough...
Japan, 〒101-0051 Tōkyō-to, Chiyoda-ku, Kanda Jinbōchō, 1 Chome−2−9 ウェルスビル
The Adirondack Cafe is a unique jazz cafe and bar just off the main road through the Jinbocho are...
1-11 Kanda-Jimbocho, Chiyoda
03-3233-434303-3233-4343
Big Boy is a tiny cafe/bar on a side street off the main road through Jinbocho, the old book shop...
Fuji Shoji Bldg. 2F, Sakuragaoka 2-3, Shibuya-Ku
03-3461-338103-3461-3381
Many years back I found Mary Jane by accident, as I had been looking for the wonderfully named ...
1-8 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-Ku
03-3357-985703-3357-9857
Eagle is really the prototypical jazz cafe. It opened in 1967 in Yotsuya, right down the street...
3-10-12 Inage-Higashi, Inage-Ku, Chiba-Ken
043-246-7726043-246-7726
Jazz Spot Candy is a gem, one of the finest jazz joints in the entire Tokyo metro area. It opened...
Toshima-Ku, Higashi-Ikebukuro 1-28-1 Takuto T.O. Bldg 2F
03-5391-738803-5391-7388
The Owl cafe in Ikebukuro was a great mystery to me as the first three times I went by it was clo...
Mori Bldg. 5F, 3-35-5, Shinjuku-Ku
03-3341-038303-3341-0383
Samurai is located in the building that used to house the Shinjuku Pit-Inn before they moved to t...
2F, 1 Chome−13−6, Kabukicho, Shinjuku
I found this tiny gem of a jazz cafe amidst the chaos that is Kabukicho in Shinjuku. It is a smal...
1-17-10 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-Ku
There’s a beautiful simplicity about JBS (Jazz,Blues,Soul). Owner Kobayashi-san has more th...
東京都杉並区西荻南2-25-4
03-5344-970103-5344-9701
Opened in 2010, Juha is a small but lively coffee shop about 5 minutes walk from Nishi-Ogikubo St...
5-1-2 Akasaka Engel Bldg 2F, Minato-Ku, Tokyo
Volontaire moved to its current location in Akasaka a few years ago after more than three decades...
102 Dai-Ichi Mitomi Bldg 102, 1-30-6 Arai, Nakano-Ku
03-6454-028303-6454-0283
Rompercicci is a fairly new jazz cafe/bar just a short ten-minute walk from Nakano Station. It...
3-11 Yoshidamachi, Naka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken 231-0041, Japan
045-262-8111045-262-8111
Ad-Lib is an old club in Yoshida-cho, a block of dingy streets between Kannai and Noge in Yokoham...
Casa Rosa 2F Seijo 6-16-5, Setagaya-ku
I’ve known Yoshioka-san, owner and sole staff at Cafe Beulmans for several years now, since...
Asagaya 3-37
Note: Closed in early 2015. I guess he couldn’t get many customers after all… Cafe El...
1-35-21 Minami-Asagaya, Suginami-Ku
Misty is a small cafe located in the heart of Asagaya’s old style “shotengai” (...
1-19-11 B1F Shinjuku, Shinjuku-Ku
03-3351-485603-3351-4856
Jazz Tweeter was opened a couple of years ago by long-time hotel restaurant chef Ishizuka-san. He...
2-12-5-2F Kita-Koenji, Suginami-Ku
03-03339-621103-03339-6211
Nadja is a great little cafe in Koenji that stands out for its tasty lunch menu, especially the M...
1-6-12 Minami-Koenji, Suginami-Ku
Kissa Seikatsu (喫茶生活 “Cafe Lifestyle”) is a gem of a place a few mins walk from...
Ogawamachi 3-24, Kanda, Chiyoda-Ku
03-3259-005503-3259-0055
Jazz Olympus was opened by the very friendly Komatsu-san in 2009. It’s a sleek cafe/bar t...
Wako Bldg 1F 1-62-4 Kanda Jimbocho Chiyoda-Ku
03-5283-711703-5283-7117
Closed 2015 Small Hours is a new cafe/bar located in the back streets between Ochanomizu, Jimbo...
2F 3-20-13 2F, Ogawamachi, Kanda, Chiyoda-Ku
03-5577-482603-5577-4826
Grauers is a new cafe/bar opened August, 2011. Owner Furusho Shinjiro is a long time jazz journal...
1-17-4 Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku-Ku
03-3200-373003-3200-3730
Jazz Nutty opened in 2009 next to the campus of Waseda University. The wonderful Mr.& Mrs. ...
Shin-Yuri Green Plaza B1, Hakusan 4-1-3 Aso-Ku, Kawasaki-Shi
044-989-4666044-989-4666
Coming out the station go to Bus Stop #3, take the bus bound for Shin-Yuri Green Town. Get off at...
Hakuraku 100, Yokohama-shi
045-421-1550045-421-1550
Sadly, 10×10 closed in 2014. A neighboring cafe owner told me that Takeyama-san closed the...
2-24 Jimbocho Kanda, Chiyoda-Ku
Kissa Ko is one of the older cafes in town but had a facelift in 2012 so now has an all new decor...
Minami-Shinozaki-cho 3-2-12, 2F, Edogawa-Ku
03-3698-218603-3698-2186
European style cafe, heavy on female vocalists and piano jazz.
Fujimi Yoshida Bldg. B1, Fujimi 2-2-11, Chiyoda
Cafe Ragtime has live music every Thursday and Friday nights, usually piano and sax or vocalist d...
2-20-2 Kitazawa, Setagaya-Ku
NOTE: Masako closed in FEB 2010…I’m leaving it here anyways, so people will remember....