Gekko Sabou (月光茶房 “moon-light-tea-chamber”, a wonderful name) is not a jazz cafe/bar in the traditional sense, advertising itself as featuring “jazz, free music, improvised music, tribal & trad music, voice and singing”.
It is a small place with only ten seats at a long counter. It has been through several changes in design and outlook since it opened and now functions as a coffee and tea specialty cafe. The menu for both is extensive, but you have to read Japanese.
The room is sleek, modern and dark with a really nice collection of tea and coffee sets above the bar, and framed record sleeves all along the back wall. Owner Harada-san and a regular customer were in the process of changing the albums when I was there, with the new batch consisting entirely of French records. I didn’t catch the name of what was playing at the time but it was some really minimal, improvised electronic music which fit the atmosphere perfectly. Gekkou Sabou is a beautiful, contemporary update on the classic jazz kissaten, a quiet place, good for either an afternoon tea or a beer at night.
Size
1-10
Food
Yes
Directions link
Directions
Station: Omotesando – Hanzomon/Ginza Lines
Exit: A2
Distance from station: 6-9
Date published
02/17/2009 Updated May 2021
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03-3351-271403-3351-2714
Curtis is one of my favorite bars in Tokyo. As the name gives away, this is a soul music bar with...
1-19-11 B1F Shinjuku, Shinjuku-Ku 2.52 km
03-3351-485603-3351-4856
Jazz Tweeter was opened a couple of years ago by long-time hotel restaurant chef Ishizuka-san. He...
B1, 3-35-12 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-Ku 2.53 km
Jazz Pepe is as old school as it gets. Opened in 1969 by the now 77 year old Okuma-san, Pepe is a...
3-26-2 Shinjuku Shinjuku Tokyo 2.67 km
03-3354-935403-3354-9354
The Old Blind Cat in Shinjuku has a long and fascinating history, as much as any jazz bar in town...
FS Bldg 4F, 3-20-6 Shinjuku 2.8 km
03-3354-477403-3354-4774
This is a quiet piano bar with live music nightly though more BGM style, not really a live club. ...
1 Chome−1−10, Kabukicho, Shinjuku 2.85 km
How can I describe this place? It’s small, dark and old; owner Otsuka-san was surly and u...
3 Chome−22, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku 2.88 km
Jazz Room Stick is a great old jazz joint in the heart of Shinjuku, located almost directly beh...
Ebisu Kaikan Bldg, 4F Kabukicho 1-10-5. Shinjuku, Tokyo 2.88 km
03-6273-843503-6273-8435
In 2013 Black Sun moved from it’s long time home in Nishi-Shinjuku to the heart of Kabukich...
2-4, Dai Kyo Machi, Shinjuku-Ku 2.88 km
03-3351-790403-3351-7904
Kissa Sakaiki gives me hope that the spirit of the Japanese jazz-kissaten will survive. Owner F...
Royal Mansion B1, Shinjuku 5-1-1, Shinjuku-Ku 2.88 km
03-3354-033503-3354-0335
Old basement club, lots of vocalists on the schedule. Mellow vibe and not too expensive.
Maruha Bldg. B1, 1-1-7 Kabukicho, Shinjuku 2.89 km
03-3204-202803-3204-2028
200 types of Bourbon, cool jazz playing on the system. That about sums it up. Small place, go alo...
Nishi-shinjuku 1-4-20, Shinjuku-Ku 2.95 km
03-3348-910903-3348-9109
The Vagabond is a classic joint right next to the West Exit of Shinjuku station. I think the revi...
Watanabe Bldg B2 Ginza 8-6-19 2.95 km
The Ribbon is what most people would think of when hearing the words “Ginza Jazz”. It...
Minami Bldg B1 Asagaya-Kita 2-13-5 2.95 km
03-3337-132503-3337-1325
Masuda-san sadly passed away in 2012. Stardust is an old bar, first opened in Asagaya in 1971 ...
Inaba Bldg , 2F Asagaya-Minami 3-28-31 2.95 km
03-3220-127503-3220-1275
吐夢 (Pronounced “To-mu” or just “Tom”) is unique in a couple of ways. ...
Asagaya 3-37 2.95 km
Note: Closed in early 2015. I guess he couldn’t get many customers after all… Cafe El...
Marco Polo Bldg 2F, 1-8-14 Hon-Chi, Kichijoji 2.95 km
Scratch is a quiet cafe/bar that’s been in heart of Kichijoji since 1974. They open durin...
Wako Bldg 1F 1-62-4 Kanda Jimbocho Chiyoda-Ku 2.95 km
03-5283-711703-5283-7117
Closed 2015 Small Hours is a new cafe/bar located in the back streets between Ochanomizu, Jimbo...
Ikebukuro Roudou Kijun Kyoukai Bldg B2, Ikebukuro 1-8-8 2.95 km
03-5951-680703-5951-6807
Jazz, Funk & Soul are on tap at Miles’ Cafe. The Ikebukuro area is not known for having...
2Ｆ Dai Ichi Nishimura Bldg. 2F, 2-17-4 Miyagawa-cho, Naka-Ku 2.95 km
045-261-4542045-261-4542
Jazz Spot Dolphy opened in 1980 but moved to its current location in 1990 and has kept up a ste...
2F, 1 Chome−13−6, Kabukicho, Shinjuku 2.99 km
I found this tiny gem of a jazz cafe amidst the chaos that is Kabukicho in Shinjuku. It is a smal...
Daikan Plaza B-306, 7-10-17 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku 3.12 km
03-3364-157703-3364-1577
It’s all about vinyl at Hal’s Jazz. Owner Ikeda-san keeps a few racks of cds in the c...
Hotel Wing International Meguro B1, 1-3-14, Meguro 3.31 km
03-5496-438103-5496-4381
Blues Alley Japan. is a sophisticated club with great food and an eclectic live schedule. It...
5-16-17, Meguro Honcho, Meguro-Ku 3.31 km
Fat Mama is named after the great Herbie Hancock track from his album “Fat Albert Rotunda&#...
Kashiwagi Mura2 7-20-12, Nishi-Shinjuku 3.53 km
Swanky live club, heavy on the vocalists. Enjoyable but a bit soft for my tastes. It’s the ...
6-13-9 Minami Aoyama, Minato-Ku 3.74 km
03-5466-334803-5466-3348
Body & Soul is one of the most historically important jazz clubs in Tokyo. Featuring many of ...
Tokyo-to, Meguro-Ku, Yutenji 1-22-6 3.87 km
Ohio is great, an intimate, friendly bar with a huge collection of soul music. Owner Kin-chan has...
New Gold Bldg, 2F, 3-6-10 Shinjuku-Ku 3.91 km
03-5367-236603-5367-2366
Houdenasu (ほうでなす) is a small 2nd floor bar located right in the heart of Shinjuku 3-Chome,...
155-0032 東京都世田谷区代沢5-31-14 4.17 km
TEL 03-3412-3947TEL 03-3412-3947
Lady Jane has a very cinematic feel to it, the kind of joint that a lot of people outside Japan w...
2-20-2 Kitazawa, Setagaya-Ku 4.21 km
NOTE: Masako closed in FEB 2010…I’m leaving it here anyways, so people will remember....
スズノビル1F, 3 Chome-2-10 Honchō, Nakano-ku 4.26 km
03-3372-347103-3372-3471
Genius was one of Shibuya’s more famous jazz cafes for more than 20 years before increasing...
5-6-14 Daizawa, Setagaya-Ku 4.32 km
03-3412-594503-3412-5945
Jazz Haus Posy was opened in 1973 by jazz fanatic Misa. She’s a serious enough fan to hav...
1-14 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku 4.49 km
03-3267-842303-3267-8423
UPDATE: Found out just yesterday that the lovely Matsuura-san passed away just about two years ag...
東京都千代田区有楽町2-3-6 マスヤビルB1F 4.49 km
03-3575-031503-3575-0315
Kiri is a wonderful little basement spot in between Hibiya, Ginza and Yurakucho stations. It̵...
1-17-4 Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku-Ku 4.54 km
03-3200-373003-3200-3730
Jazz Nutty opened in 2009 next to the campus of Waseda University. The wonderful Mr.& Mrs. ...
1-11 Kanda-Jimbocho, Chiyoda 4.65 km
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...
Fujimi Yoshida Bldg. B1, Fujimi 2-2-11, Chiyoda 4.65 km
Cafe Ragtime has live music every Thursday and Friday nights, usually piano and sax or vocalist d...
2-24 Jimbocho Kanda, Chiyoda-Ku 4.65 km
Kissa Ko is one of the older cafes in town but had a facelift in 2012 so now has an all new decor...
2F 1-52-1 Jimbocho, Kanda, Chiyoda-Ku 4.65 km
03-3294-362103-3294-3621
All used records (and a few CDs) here with vocals & swing jazz being the specialty. Lots of o...
Sasaki Bldg, B1, 2-8-3 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-Ku 4.82 km
03-3200-145203-3200-1452
Gate One is a small bar run by the husband and wife guitar-vocal duo Hashimoto-san and Kajiwara-s...
4 Chome−3−1, Higashinakano, Nakano 4.86 km
03-3365-057203-3365-0572
Neighborhood cafe/bar/small live club. This is the kind of place you really only find in Japan; i...
2-14-8 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-Ku 4.92 km
03-3200-439603-3200-4396
Jazz SPOT Intro in Takadanobaba is a tiny basement bar about 2 minutes walk from the station. I...
Igari Bldg., 1-23-9 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-Ku 5 km
03-3200-451303-3200-4513
Milestone sadly closed its doors at the end of July, 2019 after 45 years in business. As the nam...
B1, 3-23-5 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-Ku 5 km
03-3367-123303-3367-1233
Hot House is the world’s smallest jazz club! Maybe 8 or 10 customers max in this place. Mak...