Aketa No Mise

Aketa no Mise inside.jpg
Aketa no Mise inside.jpg
Aketa no Mise outside.jpg
Yoshino Bldg B101, NIshi-Ogikubo, Kita
Ōjihonchō 1 Chome 15-5 Kita-ku Tōkyō-to JP

Aketa No Mise (“The Open Store”) is out in west Tokyo, not far from Nishi-Ogikubo station. The Ogikubo area was well known in the 1960s as a gathering spot for hippies, artists, political dissidents and drop-outs and you can get a taste of this scene at Aketa no Mise. It’s a great basement jazz club with no pretensions or care for current trends, a space solely concerned with creative expression via music. The live acts they book are on the experimental/free side, which is unfortunately all too rare these days. Owner Aketagawa-san, who runs the ocarina-shop across the street as well as overseeing the Aketa Discs independent label, keeps the schedule diverse and interesting; last time I dropped by in the afternoon there was a trio rehearsal going on between a tympani drummer, electric guitarist and a female vocalist.

That’s not to say there aren’t some unpleasant things about the club. It’s down in the basement and as a result is very dark and damp, and the cans of Sapporo beer were kind of warm..never acceptable, even a place devoted to free jazz! But those minor points aside, I love this joint. There are too many jazz clubs around Tokyo that feature the same vocal + quartet singing the same standards, night after night. Knowing there is a place like Aketa no Mise still in business is comforting to all jazz fans who want to keep the spirit of improvisation alive.

Size
21-30
Directions

Station: Nishi-Ogikubo – JR Chuo Line

Exit: North Exit

Distance from station: 5 minutes

Date published
02/08/2009 UPDATED 2016

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