Downbeat

Downbeat outside.jpg
Miyamoto Bldg, 2F 1-43 Hanasakicho, Naka-Ku, Yokohama-Shi
Naka-ku Hanasakichō 1 Chome 47 Yokohama-shi Kanagawa-ken JP

Downbeat in Yokohama is one of the classic jazz spots in the entire Kanto (Tokyo Metropolitan) area. It first opened in 1956 and is now on its third owner, then young and friendly Yoshihisa-san who took over the joint in April 2017. (He assured me he’s keeping the place as is, and even adding to the 3700+ jazz records already behind the counter.)

DB is a hardcore cafe/bar where the music comes first; the volume is loud and in your face, making conversation difficult if not impossible in the main area by the speakers on the left, though the seats on the right side by the bar counter are a bit removed and thus quieter. (The bar seats are also non-smoking)  The music selections are varied; you’ll hear anything from classic swing to Pharoah Sanders and all in between.

It’s kind of difficult to capture in words the vibe of such a classic old Japanese jazz joint, with the faded posters and dark lighting. Check the pictures here for a taste, but be sure to visit there at least once. It’s a treasure for jazz fans and a place that captures the old time port style of Yokohama.

DB is in the historical port side block neighborhood of Noge, across from the main Sakuragicho-station front plaza. Lots of little drinking dens, old karaoke pubs and some other jazz joints to visit around here if you have a night.

Size
21-30
Directions

Station: Sakuragicho – JR Lines

Exit: 2

Distance from station: 6-9

Date published
03/01/2010, UPDATED DEC 2017
Chigusa+2-5.jpg
2-94 Noge-cho Naka-ku, Yokohama,Kanagawa 231-0064 0.07 km
Chigusa is the the gold standard of jazz cafes in Japan. It was first opened in 1933 in the rough...
Jazz House Five Stars Records inside.jpg
Hanasaki-cho 1-16-1, Naka-ku, Yokohama-Shi 0.18 km
Jazz House Five Star Records is a unique little place in the Noge neighborhood, next to Sakurag...
Kamome outside.jpg
Sumiyoshi-cho 6-7-6, Naka-Ku, Yokohama-Shi 0.41 km
Kamome means “seagull” in Japanese; it’s an apt name for a venue in the port ...
photo(15).JPG
3-11 Yoshidamachi, Naka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken 231-0041, Japan 0.43 km
Ad-Lib is an old club in Yoshida-cho, a block of dingy streets between Kannai and Noge in Yokoham...
IMG_6082.JPG
5-60 Sumiyoshicho, Naka Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture 231-0013 0.49 km
Located in the in historic Bashamichi area of downtown Yokohama, Airegin is one of the best live ...
IMG_3977.JPG
231-0033 横浜市中区長者町 9-140 0.62 km
First is an old-school Yokohama jazz bar with a vibe and sound all its own. It’s more spaci...
Yoidore Hakushaku inside.jpg
Suehiro-Cho 2-5, Naka-Ku, Yokohama-Shi 0.66 km
Yoidore Hakushaku (よいどれ伯爵-the name translates as “The Drunken Earl or The Drunken C...
little02.jpg
3-9 Yoshida-cho, Naka-Ku, Yokohama-Shi 0.95 km
Little John is a well known jazz bar/tiny club in the Yokohama scene, yet its erratic opening hou...
IMG_5521.jpeg
Japan, 〒231-0023 Kanagawa-ken, Yokohama-shi, Naka-ku, Yamashitachō, 巴里堂ビル 1.42 km
Marshmallow is a lovely new(ish) cafe located right in the heart of Chinatown, in Yokohama. It wa...
IMG_0934.JPG
Yokohama-shi, Naka-ku, Yamashita-cho 276, Hamada-Bldg 1F 1.65 km
JULY 2022: Minton House has been under threat of closure the last two years, and the owner is sti...
bitchesbrew-shop-logo.jpg
3-152-1 Nishi-Kanagawa, Kanagawa-Ku, Yokohama-Shi 4.25 km
Bitches Brew is yet another only-in-Japan kind of place. It’s a tiny sqaure room on the sec...
Hakuraku 10x10 inside.jpg
Hakuraku 100, Yokohama-shi 4.42 km
045-421-1550045-421-1550
Sadly, 10×10 closed in 2014. A neighboring cafe owner told me that Takeyama-san closed the...
IMG_1849.JPG
〒210 - 0006 川崎市川崎区砂子 2-11-21 深沢ビル3F 11.04 km
Sugar Shack Soul Brothers Bar in Kawasaki is the real deal, a place where soul music fans can sit...
Gi inside.JPG
Gi
416 Imai Minami-Cho, Nakahara-Ku, Kawasaki-Shi 11.21 km
Gi is a tiny dining bar located just about 10 minutes walk from Musashi Kosugi station in Kawasak...
Shin-Yuri Green Plaza B1, Hakusan 4-1-3 Aso-Ku, Kawasaki-Shi 11.21 km
Coming out the station go to Bus Stop #3, take the bus bound for Shin-Yuri Green Town. Get off at...
Pithecanthropus Erectus.JPG
3F, 7-61-8 Nishi-Kamata, Ota-Ku 14.9 km
This is as old school a jazz bar as you will find in the Tokyo metro area. 直立猿人 (Chokuritsu E...
SlowBoat2.jpg
1-chōme-3-16 Minamiyukigaya, Ota City, Tokyo 145-0066 16.79 km
Slow Boat is a beautiful neighborhood jazz cafe opened only in 2019, on the first floor of an oth...
Maze Soul Extension outside.jpg
4-Chome 6-2 Koenji Minami 19.13 km
03-3312-768403-3312-7684
Maze is a very hip soul music bar located right in the middle of the Koenji Pal Arcade ‘s...
Matsu1.jpg
1-11-17 Higashinakanobu, Shinagawa City, Tokyo, Japan 19.3 km
Jazz Snack Matsu sadly closed suddenly due to the neighborhood being torn down for re-development...
IMG_5744.JPG
1 Chome-6-21 Higashiikuta, Tama-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa-ken 214-0031, Japan 19.41 km
044-922-5298044-922-5298
What an unreal treat Garo was to visit. It was first opened in 1967 by the very welcoming Mr. and...
Noise.jpg
JORNA 4F, Hara Machida 6-6-14, Machida-Shi, Tokyo 19.52 km
Noise is one of the more unique jazz cafes still around. It opened in 1980 as the sister shop to ...
Herbie-6.jpg
B1F Fuji Bldg B1, Hara-Machida 6-17-1, Machida-Shi 19.69 km
Herbie is the kind of jazz bar you stumble upon randomly on the way home some night and end up st...
IMG_2402.JPG
Higashi-Ooimachi 5-6-10 1F. Shinagawa-Ku 19.95 km
Jazz Bar Impro is small, even by the incredibly small standards of most Japanese jazz joints. It&...
IMG_0020.JPG
Tokyo-to, Meguro-Ku, Yutenji 1-22-6 21.74 km
Ohio is great, an intimate, friendly bar with a huge collection of soul music. Owner Kin-chan has...
Casa Rosa 2F Seijo 6-16-5, Setagaya-ku 22.03 km
I’ve known Yoshioka-san, owner and sole staff at Cafe Beulmans for several years now, since...
IMG_2694.JPG
Minami Karasuyama 5-17-13 3F, Setagaya-Ku 22.03 km
Ragtime is the ideal jazz cafe in many ways. It’s a small place up on the 3rd floor of a ru...
Hotel Wing International Meguro B1, 1-3-14, Meguro 22.23 km
Blues Alley Japan. is a sophisticated club with great food and an eclectic live schedule. It...
Fat Mama.jpg
5-16-17, Meguro Honcho, Meguro-Ku 22.23 km
Fat Mama is named after the great Herbie Hancock track from his album “Fat Albert Rotunda&#...
IMG_2704.JPG
5-6-14 Daizawa, Setagaya-Ku 23.2 km
Jazz Haus Posy was opened in 1973 by jazz fanatic Misa. She’s a serious enough fan to hav...
IMG_1046.JPG
155-0032 東京都世田谷区代沢5-31-14 23.49 km
Lady Jane has a very cinematic feel to it, the kind of joint that a lot of people outside Japan w...
Masako inside.jpg
2-20-2 Kitazawa, Setagaya-Ku 23.76 km
NOTE: Masako closed in FEB 2010…I’m leaving it here anyways, so people will remember....
wahwah.jpg
Daihachi-Toto Bld. B1 15-19 Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuyaku Tokyo, Japan 150-0031 23.82 km
The Room is one of Tokyo’s best clubs, if not THE best for fans of funky/groovy music. It&#...
JBS (Jazz,Blues,Soul).jpg
1-17-10 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-Ku 23.87 km
There’s a beautiful simplicity about JBS (Jazz,Blues,Soul). Owner Kobayashi-san has more th...
IMG_5335.jpeg
東京都渋谷区桜丘町 17-10 23.88 km
Music Bar 45 is a small 2nd floor joint located just a few minutes walk from the south exit of Sh...
B1 26-6, Utagawa-cho, Shibuya-Ku 24.29 km
Modern jazz specialty shop, more than 8000 records on sale from the 50s & 60s. Been open sinc...
Pres Jazz Bar.jpg
Utagawacho 30-4, Shibuya-Ku 24.29 km
03-3463-284803-3463-2848
Pres Jazz Bar is located up near the end of “Center Gai” street in Shibuya, not the...
bar bossa.jpg
41-23 Udagawa-Cho, Shibuya-Ku 150-0044 24.42 km
Bar Bossa in Shibuya is a quiet gem of a place, perfect for bossa nova fans and/or couples lookin...
koendori.png
Shibuya-ku, Udagawacho 19-5 24.43 km
Koen-Dori Classics is a small performance space located underneath a church in the heart of Shibu...
Seabird inside.JPG
〒150-0002 東京都渋谷区渋谷2丁目3−4 24.43 km
03-3499-189003-3499-1890
Seabird is a lovely old cafe next to Aoyama Gakuin University, between Shibuya and Omotesando sta...
IMG_0139.jpg
Shibuya Parco B1, Udagawa-Cho 15-1 24.45 km
The central streets of Shibuya often conceal some cool little music spots amidst the brand stores...
Swing-6.jpg
16-4 Kamiyamacho, Shibuya, Tokyo 24.47 km
Despite its old-world cafe atmosphere, Swing only opened in 2014 and is one of the newer jazz spo...
Screen Shot 2019-12-16 at 9.35.19.png
〒150-0002 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Shibuya, 1 Chome−5−6 B1F 24.52 km
INC Cocktails opened in late 2018 just a short walk from Shibuya Station. It’s a very large...
IMG_1033.JPG
Matsubara 1-37-14, Setagaya-Ku 24.58 km
03-3321-943103-3321-9431
Miles is a treasure. It opened in 1960 and is one of the few remaining neighborhood jazz bars fro...
Mary Jane outside.jpg
Fuji Shoji Bldg. 2F, Sakuragaoka 2-3, Shibuya-Ku 24.65 km
Many years back I found  Mary Jane by accident, as I had been  looking for the wonderfully named ...
Himawari Bldg. 2F, Dogenzaka 2-26-5, Shibuya-Ku 24.65 km
Very small place that is really just a bar with live music every night of the week. I’ve go...
IMG_0284(1).JPG
Azeria Bldg 1F, 1-3-6 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-Ku, Tokyo 25.09 km
Vanilla Mood is a cool little jazz bar/club just across from Roppongi Hills. It has been open for...
IMG_0276.JPG
東京都 港区 六本木 7-18-16 川久保ビル 1F・4F 25.24 km
03-3401-626203-3401-6262
Bar Spice is a classic little Soul music bar overlooking Roppongi-Dori, right across from the Rop...
IMG_0291.JPG
Chiyo Bldg, B1, 5-9-22 Dai 2, Roppongi 25.51 km
Electrik Jinja opened in April 2012 and quickly became the hippest  spot in Roppongi. It’s ...
IMG_5232.JPG
Hama Roppongi Bldg. 5F, 6-2-35 Roppongi, Minato-Ku 25.51 km
Opened in May 1980 and now in its 41st year, Alfie is simply one of the best live jazz spots in ...
Jingumae, 3 Chome−5−2 25.52 km
Gekko Sabou (月光茶房 “moon-light-tea-chamber”, a wonderful name) is not a jazz cafe/...
Annex Bldg. 4F, Ropoongi 4-11-5, Minato-Ku 25.57 km
Very supper-club type place, most nights featuring vocal-led bands. The food is good, the service...
IMG_5231.JPG
6-13-9 Minami Aoyama, Minato-Ku 25.68 km
Body & Soul is one of the most historically important jazz clubs in Tokyo. Featuring many of ...
Haikara-Tei inside.jpg
Toyo Bldg. B1, 2-20-19 Yoyogi, Shibuya-Ku 26.03 km
03-3370-180103-3370-1801
Haikara-Tei is another Shinjuku jazz bar that somehow never popped up on my jazz radar after all ...
1−28−9, Shibuya, Yoyogi 26.62 km
Music Bar is part of the new development Yoyogi Village (read more about it here. It’s no...
ct_image.jpg
5-1-2 Akasaka Engel Bldg 2F, Minato-Ku, Tokyo 26.79 km
Volontaire moved to its current location in Akasaka a few years ago after more than three decades...
1-36-12 Yoyogi Shibuya 26.87 km
Sister-branch of Naru in Ochanomizu.
IMG_4040.JPG
3-7-15 Akasaka, Minato-Ku 26.91 km
Hashi no Shita (橋 の下 means “Under The Bridge” in Japanese) is in Akasaka-Mitsuke...
B-Flat.jpg
6-6-4, Sakae Bldg B1, Akasaka, Minato-ku 26.93 km
The B Flat in Akasaka is a great straight-ahead jazz club in an area without many other options f...
Ribbon outside.jpg
Watanabe Bldg B2 Ginza 8-6-19 27.27 km
The Ribbon is what most people would think of when hearing the words “Ginza Jazz”. It...
Stardust inside.JPG
Minami Bldg B1 Asagaya-Kita 2-13-5 27.27 km
03-3337-132503-3337-1325
Masuda-san sadly passed away in 2012. Stardust is an old bar, first opened in Asagaya in 1971 ...
Tom inside.JPG
Inaba Bldg , 2F Asagaya-Minami 3-28-31 27.27 km
03-3220-127503-3220-1275
吐夢 (Pronounced “To-mu” or just “Tom”) is unique in a couple of ways. ...
Cafe Ellington outside.jpg
Asagaya 3-37 27.27 km
Note: Closed in early 2015. I guess he couldn’t get many customers after all… Cafe El...
Scratch inside.JPG
Marco Polo Bldg 2F, 1-8-14 Hon-Chi, Kichijoji 27.27 km
Scratch is a quiet cafe/bar that’s been in heart of Kichijoji since 1974. They open durin...
Small Hours Cafe & Bar outside.jpg
Wako Bldg 1F 1-62-4 Kanda Jimbocho Chiyoda-Ku 27.27 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 27.27 km
Jazz, Funk & Soul are on tap at Miles’ Cafe. The Ikebukuro area is not known for having...
Jazz Spot Dolphy.JPG
2F Dai Ichi Nishimura Bldg. 2F, 2-17-4 Miyagawa-cho, Naka-Ku 27.27 km
Jazz Spot Dolphy opened in 1980 but moved to its current location in 1990 and has kept up a ste...
Pearl Bar outside.JPG
Higashi Shin Bldg , 4F, 3-21-7, Shinjuku, Shunjuku-Ku 27.36 km
Pearl Bar is a real sleek “grown up” jazz bar in the center of Shinjuku. Lots of cock...
Genius.jpg
スズノビル1F, 3 Chome-2-10 Honchō, Nakano-ku 27.43 km
03-3372-347103-3372-3471
Genius was one of Shibuya’s more famous jazz cafes for more than 20 years before increasing...
Kashiwagi Mura2 7-20-12, Nishi-Shinjuku 27.44 km
Swanky live club, heavy on the vocalists. Enjoyable but a bit soft for my tastes. It’s the ...
Samurai inside.JPG
Mori Bldg. 5F, 3-35-5, Shinjuku-Ku 27.52 km
Samurai is located in the building that used to house the Shinjuku Pit-Inn before they moved to t...
IMG_2862.JPG
B1, 3-35-12 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-Ku 27.56 km
Jazz Pepe is as old school as it gets. Opened in 1969 by the now 77 year old Okuma-san, Pepe is a...