1-6-12 Minami-Koenji, Suginami-Ku
Asagayaminami 1 Chome 15-1
Suginami-ku
Tōkyō-to
JP
Kissa Seikatsu (喫茶生活 “Cafe Lifestyle”) is a gem of a place a few mins walk from Higashi-Koenji station on the Marunouchi Subway Line. It’s very tiny with less than 10 seats at the counter and two small tables. A lot of floor space is taken up by the huge bags of coffee beans from Ethiopia, Brazil, Indonesia and other spots round the world. Opened in 1998, owner Toda-san is a bit of a coffee specialist and has on offer a bewildering number of blends.
There are a lot of nice album covers on the wall, a rack of magazines, books and board-games for customers to use at will, and the place is non-snoking so it smells gorgeous from all the coffee beans. Kissa Seikatsu is a great joint for some quiet reading or thinking time, just don’t expect much conversation from Toda-san. His direct quote to me was a polite but firm “I don’t really communicate with the customers. Just make the coffee and put on records.” And he does that with no days off as the place is open from 10am to midnight every day of the year.
Size
1-10
Directions link
Directions
Station: Higashi Koenji – Marunouchi Line
Exit: Exit 1
Distance from station: 2 minutes
Date published
11/14/2011 Updated Feb 2015
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How can I describe this place? It’s small, dark and old; owner Otsuka-san was surly and u...
Shinjuku-Ku, 3-chome 8-5 6.4 km
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 6.42 km
03-3351-485603-3351-4856
Jazz Tweeter was opened a couple of years ago by long-time hotel restaurant chef Ishizuka-san. He...
2-14-8 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-Ku 6.48 km
03-3200-439603-3200-4396
Jazz SPOT Intro in Takadanobaba is a tiny basement bar about 2 minutes walk from the station. I...
Shinjuku 2-12-4, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo, 160-0022 6.48 km
The Pit Inn remains near, or at the top, of any list of live jazz venues in the Tokyo area. 2015 ...
New Gold Bldg, 2F, 3-6-10 Shinjuku-Ku 6.56 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,...
16-4 Kamiyamacho, Shibuya, Tokyo 6.58 km
03-5790-954403-5790-9544
Despite its old-world cafe atmosphere, Swing only opened in 2014 and is one of the newer jazz spo...
Sasaki Bldg, B1, 2-8-3 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-Ku 6.66 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...
Chome 34-8, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku 6.73 km
03-3359-677703-3359-6777
Someday is a nice, spacious club in Shinjuku, well known for their various big band and Latin jaz...
41-23 Udagawa-Cho, Shibuya-Ku 150-0044 6.75 km
03-5458-418503-5458-4185
Bar Bossa in Shibuya is a quiet gem of a place, perfect for bossa nova fans and/or couples lookin...
Fuji Shoji Bldg. 2F, Sakuragaoka 2-3, Shibuya-Ku 6.84 km
03-3461-338103-3461-3381
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 6.84 km
Very small place that is really just a bar with live music every night of the week. I’ve go...
Shibuya Parco B1, Udagawa-Cho 15-1 7.02 km
03-6455-300103-6455-3001
The central streets of Shibuya often conceal some cool little music spots amidst the brand stores...
Utagawacho 30-4, Shibuya-Ku 7.03 km
03-3463-284803-3463-2848
Pres Jazz Bar is located up near the end of “Center Gai” street in Shibuya, not the...
Shibuya-ku, Udagawacho 19-5 7.09 km
Koen-Dori Classics is a small performance space located underneath a church in the heart of Shibu...
B1 26-6, Utagawa-cho, Shibuya-Ku 7.13 km
03-3461-825603-3461-8256
Modern jazz specialty shop, more than 8000 records on sale from the 50s & 60s. Been open sinc...
1-17-10 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-Ku 7.22 km
There’s a beautiful simplicity about JBS (Jazz,Blues,Soul). Owner Kobayashi-san has more th...
東京都渋谷区桜丘町 17-10 7.56 km
03-5784-456503-5784-4565
Music Bar 45 is a small 2nd floor joint located just a few minutes walk from the south exit of Sh...
Toshima-Ku, Nishi-Ikebukuro, 1-15-6, Toshima Kaikan B2F 7.57 km
Absolute Blue is a new club opened in Feb 2015 by Ayumi Hoshikawa, previously a club owner in New...
〒150-0002 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Shibuya, 1 Chome−5−6 B1F 7.61 km
INC Cocktails opened in late 2018 just a short walk from Shibuya Station. It’s a very large...
Jingumae, 3 Chome−5−2 7.66 km
03-3402-753703-3402-7537
Gekko Sabou (月光茶房 “moon-light-tea-chamber”, a wonderful name) is not a jazz cafe/...
Dai 2 Okumura Bldg, B1, 1-47-13 Ikebukuro, Toshima-Ku 7.69 km
03-6914-349903-6914-3499
Montgomery Land opened up a couple of years ago just a short walk from Ikebukuro Station. It̵...
Umimoto Bldg (梅本) , 4F, 3-29-2 Nishi-Ikebukuro 7.69 km
03-3985-024003-3985-0240
Paper Moon (ぺーぱーむーん) is a 15 seat L-shaped counter bar opened and run by the friendly Ya...
Parkside Fuki B1, 3-22-8 Nishi-Ikebukuro 7.69 km
03-5960-225203-5960-2252
Jazz Live Bar Independence is another great joint located in the surprisingly hip neighborhood ...
1-17-4 Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku-Ku 7.69 km
03-3200-373003-3200-3730
Jazz Nutty opened in 2009 next to the campus of Waseda University. The wonderful Mr.& Mrs. ...
Palace Garden Milano Bldg, 1F, Ikebukuro 2-63-6 7.79 km
Kenny’s Bar is by far the hippest place in not-so-hip Ikebukuro. It’s a small, dark j...
〒150-0002 東京都渋谷区渋谷２丁目３−４ 7.9 km
03-3499-189003-3499-1890
Seabird is a lovely old cafe next to Aoyama Gakuin University, between Shibuya and Omotesando sta...
Toshima-Ku, Higashi-Ikebukuro 1-28-1 Takuto T.O. Bldg 2F 7.95 km
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...
1-8 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-Ku 8.44 km
03-3357-985703-3357-9857
Eagle is really the prototypical jazz cafe. It opened in 1967 in Yotsuya, right down the street...
Tokyo-to, Meguro-Ku, Yutenji 1-22-6 8.45 km
Ohio is great, an intimate, friendly bar with a huge collection of soul music. Owner Kin-chan has...
Hotel Wing International Meguro B1, 1-3-14, Meguro 8.53 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 8.53 km
Fat Mama is named after the great Herbie Hancock track from his album “Fat Albert Rotunda&#...
Azeria Bldg 1F, 1-3-6 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-Ku, Tokyo 9.04 km
03-5770-384303-5770-3843
Vanilla Mood is a cool little jazz bar/club just across from Roppongi Hills. It has been open for...
Chiyo Bldg, B1, 5-9-22 Dai 2, Roppongi 9.28 km
Electrik Jinja opened in April 2012 and quickly became the hippest spot in Roppongi. It’s ...
Hama Roppongi Bldg. 5F, 6-2-35 Roppongi, Minato-Ku 9.28 km
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 ...
東京都 港区 六本木 7-18-16 川久保ビル １Ｆ・４Ｆ 9.32 km
03-3401-626203-3401-6262
Bar Spice is a classic little Soul music bar overlooking Roppongi-Dori, right across from the Rop...
6-6-4, Sakae Bldg B1, Akasaka, Minato-ku 9.38 km
The B Flat in Akasaka is a great straight-ahead jazz club in an area without many other options f...
5-1-2 Akasaka Engel Bldg 2F, Minato-Ku, Tokyo 9.47 km
Volontaire moved to its current location in Akasaka a few years ago after more than three decades...
3-7-15 Akasaka, Minato-Ku 9.54 km
Hashi no Shita (橋 の下 means “Under The Bridge” in Japanese) is in Akasaka-Mitsuke...
1-14 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku 9.59 km
03-3267-842303-3267-8423
UPDATE: Found out just yesterday that the lovely Matsuura-san passed away just about two years ag...
Annex Bldg. 4F, Ropoongi 4-11-5, Minato-Ku 9.96 km
03-3401-308003-3401-3080
Very supper-club type place, most nights featuring vocal-led bands. The food is good, the service...
4-Chome 6-2 Koenji Minami 10.49 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...
Yoshino Bldg B101, NIshi-Ogikubo, Kita 10.57 km
03-3395-950703-3395-9507
Aketa No Mise (“The Open Store”) is out in west Tokyo, not far from Nishi-Ogikubo s...
1-11 Kanda-Jimbocho, Chiyoda 10.6 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 10.6 km
Cafe Ragtime has live music every Thursday and Friday nights, usually piano and sax or vocalist d...