Hama Roppongi Bldg. 5F, 6-2-35 Roppongi, Minato-Ku
Roppongi 7 Chome 12-21
Minato-ku
Tōkyō-to
106-0032
JP
03-3479-203703-3479-2037
Opened in May 1980 and now in its 41st year, Alfie is simply one of the best live jazz spots in Japan. Located in the busy nightlife area (though not a big jazz neighborhood) of Roppongi, Alfie was run by drummer Hino Motohiko and his wife Yoko. Hino was a major figure in the J Jazz community, often playing with his trumpet playing brother Terumasa as well as visiting jazz musicians from America. Hino sadly passed away in 1999 but Alfie is still run by Yoko, with top quality live jazz nightly.
There are lot of different types of jazz featured at Alfie, mostly local acts with the occasional visiting musician from overseas. Popular trumpeter TOKU is a regular each month as is pianist Yoshizawa Hajime, but also keep a look out for special weekend ‘party’ type events.
Alfie is also one of the few jazz spots to stay open for drinks after the gigs end, so if you’re out past midnight you can still drop by for a few drinks. It’s a warm space, and though it may be considered small by guests from outside Japan, Alfie doesn’t feel suffocating the way many Japanese clubs can. It should be on any list of top five Tokyo jazz clubs.
Size
41-50
Directions
Station: Roppongi – Hibiya, Oedo Subway Lines
Exit: 1
Distance from station: 1 minutes
English map on the website, it’s easy to find in Roppongi.
Date published
06/01/2009 UPDATED Aug 2021
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