Mary Jane - CLOSED Oct 2018

Mary Jane outside.jpg
Fuji Shoji Bldg. 2F, Sakuragaoka 2-3, Shibuya-Ku
Udagawachō 1 Shibuya-ku Tōkyō-to 150-8306 JP

Many years back I found  Mary Jane by accident, as I had been  looking for the wonderfully named ‘Hardbop Cafe’ (sadly now closed). Discovering MJ has been open for 40+ years and that it has its own distinct rustic vibe was a nice consolation prize.

MJ serves food all day, unusual for a jazz kissaten, and the owner Matsuo-san seems to really like Scandanavian jazz so you`ll hear a lot of the Nordic ECM label players here. I asked why it was called Mary Jane and he said ‘it’s just a name’ with no smirk or wink, so I don’t think it’s a marijuana reference. (Matsuo-san is not the original owner however so he may not know.)

The room is square shaped with many flyers and jazz books spread around, a very relaxing space for coffee and the tasty cheese cake on the menu. It’s very near Shibuya station but on the much quieter South Exit side away from the manic crowds of shoppers, meaning it’s a good place for a pit stop if you’re stuck in Shibuya.

Check the web page for his current, extensive playlist of new cds.

Pics of Mary Jane over at Tokyo Jazz Joints.

 

Size
21-30
Food
Yes
Directions

Station: Shibuya – JR(many), Ginza & Hanzomon Subway Lines

Exit: South Exit

Distance from station: 4 minutes

Date published
02/17/2009 UPDATED Jan 2016
Himawari Bldg. 2F, Dogenzaka 2-26-5, Shibuya-Ku 0 km

Very small place that is really just a bar with live music every night of the week. I’ve got it in the “Club” section because the vibe is more like a club than a bar where you can sit and chat while drinking; at KoKo the live music dominates the space. There are often jam sessions on Weds and Sundays.

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