Igari Bldg., 1-23-9 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-Ku
Takadanobaba 3 Chome 12-10
Shinjuku-ku
Tōkyō-to
JP
03-3200-451303-3200-4513
Milestone sadly closed its doors at the end of July, 2019 after 45 years in business.
As the name gives away, you’re going to hear a lot of Miles Davis at this place. Milestone is another classic jazz cafe perfect for when you have two hours to kill. Master Orito-san is a soft-spoken, kinono-wearing, really nice guy who keeps the vibe there mellow but swinging.
What really stands out about Milestone is the wall of books and magazines on the right side as you walk in. Although most are in Japanese, there are enough jazz photo books that even if you can`t read Japanese you can still spend a fun hour or so doing some browsing. Orito-san keeps the place open fairly late and there’s booze on the menu so it’s also a great spot for a few early drinks in the evening.
Takadanobaba is a “student town” so there’s always a few college kid jazz fans in here, along with a few random salarymen. I spent a lot of my student days at Waseda University “studying” at places like this in Tokyo, and Milestone is one of the best.
Tokyo Jazz Joint photos of Milestone are here.
Size
11-20
Food
Yes
Directions
Station: Takadanobaba -JR/Seibu Shinjuku/Tozai Subway Lines
Exit: Waseda Exit
Distance from station: 4 minutes
Milestone is easy to find if you know where Ben’s Cafe is; just look left before the Library for the Blind, and you’ll see the sign on the right side. If it’s your first time in Baba, come out of the JR station and turn right at the ‘Big Box’. Head up the street and turn left on the street past Peacock supermarket. Walk down and take the right at the end of the street and walk up about 100 meters. Then on the left side you’ll see a big grey building with odd chains on it; that`s the library for the blind. Milestone is easy to spot by looking left.
Date published
02/16/2009, UPDATED July 2015
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Numabukuro 1-34-4 B1, Nakano-Ku 3.33 km
03-3388-204003-3388-2040
Organ Jazz Club: the name gives it away, doesn’t it? One of the few places in town with a r...
B-113 Lions Mansion Nakano Dai-5 B-113, Arai 1-14-16, Nakano-Ku 3.33 km
I found this small-even-by-Tokyo-standards “piano bar” while lost in Nakano one nig...
1−28−9, Shibuya, Yoyogi 3.46 km
03-6300-523103-6300-5231
Music Bar is part of the new development Yoyogi Village (read more about it here. It’s no...
1-8 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-Ku 3.88 km
03-3357-985703-3357-9857
Eagle is really the prototypical jazz cafe. It opened in 1967 in Yotsuya, right down the street...
Toyo Bldg. B1, 2-20-19 Yoyogi, Shibuya-Ku 3.94 km
03-3370-180103-3370-1801
Haikara-Tei is another Shinjuku jazz bar that somehow never popped up on my jazz radar after all ...
1-14 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku 4.06 km
03-3267-842303-3267-8423
UPDATE: Found out just yesterday that the lovely Matsuura-san passed away just about two years ag...
3-1-12 Koenji-Kita, Suginami-Ku, Tokyo 4.73 km
080-3496-3883080-3496-3883
S.U.B. Store (Small Unique Bookstore) is a very hip new hybrid cafe/bar/gallery/bookstore/records...
Bunkyo-Ku, Hakusan 5-33-19 4.82 km
03-3811-893203-3811-8932
The Eigakan (映画館 “Movie Theater) is a jazz cafe for both jazz lovers and cinephiles. Own...
Jingumae, 3 Chome−5−2 5 km
03-3402-753703-3402-7537
Gekko Sabou (月光茶房 “moon-light-tea-chamber”, a wonderful name) is not a jazz cafe/...
6-6-4, Sakae Bldg B1, Akasaka, Minato-ku 5.25 km
The B Flat in Akasaka is a great straight-ahead jazz club in an area without many other options f...
1-11 Kanda-Jimbocho, Chiyoda 5.26 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 5.26 km
Cafe Ragtime has live music every Thursday and Friday nights, usually piano and sax or vocalist d...
2-24 Jimbocho Kanda, Chiyoda-Ku 5.26 km
Kissa Ko is one of the older cafes in town but had a facelift in 2012 so now has an all new decor...
2F 1-52-1 Jimbocho, Kanda, Chiyoda-Ku 5.26 km
03-3294-362103-3294-3621
All used records (and a few CDs) here with vocals & swing jazz being the specialty. Lots of o...
Yoshino Bldg B101, NIshi-Ogikubo, Kita 5.37 km
03-3395-950703-3395-9507
Aketa No Mise (“The Open Store”) is out in west Tokyo, not far from Nishi-Ogikubo s...
3-7-15 Akasaka, Minato-Ku 5.39 km
Hashi no Shita (橋 の下 means “Under The Bridge” in Japanese) is in Akasaka-Mitsuke...
5-1-2 Akasaka Engel Bldg 2F, Minato-Ku, Tokyo 5.4 km
Volontaire moved to its current location in Akasaka a few years ago after more than three decades...
Fuji Shoji Bldg. 2F, Sakuragaoka 2-3, Shibuya-Ku 5.42 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 5.42 km
Very small place that is really just a bar with live music every night of the week. I’ve go...
16-4 Kamiyamacho, Shibuya, Tokyo 5.53 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...
41-23 Udagawa-Cho, Shibuya-Ku 150-0044 5.61 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...
Shibuya Parco B1, Udagawa-Cho 15-1 5.65 km
03-6455-300103-6455-3001
The central streets of Shibuya often conceal some cool little music spots amidst the brand stores...
Shibuya-ku, Udagawacho 19-5 5.68 km
Koen-Dori Classics is a small performance space located underneath a church in the heart of Shibu...
Japan, 〒101-0051 Tōkyō-to, Chiyoda-ku, Kanda Jinbōchō, 1 Chome−2−9 ウェルスビル 5.69 km
The Adirondack Cafe is a unique jazz cafe and bar just off the main road through the Jinbocho are...
2 Chome-43-2 Sendagi, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 5.75 km
‘Modern Jazz’ Players Bar R started in June 2022 in the existing Players Bar R, with ...
〒150-0002 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Shibuya, 1 Chome−5−6 B1F 5.78 km
INC Cocktails opened in late 2018 just a short walk from Shibuya Station. It’s a very large...
Utagawacho 30-4, Shibuya-Ku 5.79 km
03-3463-284803-3463-2848
Pres Jazz Bar is located up near the end of “Center Gai” street in Shibuya, not the...
2 Chome−1−10, Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku 5.8 km
03-3291-232103-3291-2321
Naru in Ochanomizu first opened in 1969 as the sister live spot to the Naru jazz cafe in the Yoyo...
B1 26-6, Utagawa-cho, Shibuya-Ku 5.81 km
03-3461-825603-3461-8256
Modern jazz specialty shop, more than 8000 records on sale from the 50s & 60s. Been open sinc...
1-6-12 Minami-Koenji, Suginami-Ku 5.94 km
Kissa Seikatsu (喫茶生活 “Cafe Lifestyle”) is a gem of a place a few mins walk from...
1-35-21 Minami-Asagaya, Suginami-Ku 5.94 km
Misty is a small cafe located in the heart of Asagaya’s old style “shotengai” (...
2-12-5-2F Kita-Koenji, Suginami-Ku 5.94 km
03-03339-621103-03339-6211
Nadja is a great little cafe in Koenji that stands out for its tasty lunch menu, especially the M...
Inoue Bldg (井上ビル) B1, 5-16-15, Ogikubo, Suginami-Ku 5.94 km
03-5347-736903-5347-7369
Rooster is a great little live-house that features jazz, blues, funk, New Orleans..basically all ...
Ogawamachi 3-24, Kanda, Chiyoda-Ku 5.96 km
03-3259-005503-3259-0055
Jazz Olympus was opened by the very friendly Komatsu-san in 2009. It’s a sleek cafe/bar t...
〒150-0002 東京都渋谷区渋谷２丁目３−４ 5.97 km
03-3499-189003-3499-1890
Seabird is a lovely old cafe next to Aoyama Gakuin University, between Shibuya and Omotesando sta...
2 Chome−2−7, Asagayakita, Suginami 5.97 km
03-3336-796103-3336-7961
Tiny club in jazz rich Asagaya, Manhattan is always worth stopping by. All-night jam sessions thr...
Chiyo Bldg, B1, 5-9-22 Dai 2, Roppongi 6.02 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 6.02 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 ...
Azeria Bldg 1F, 1-3-6 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-Ku, Tokyo 6.13 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...
2F 3-20-13 2F, Ogawamachi, Kanda, Chiyoda-Ku 6.15 km
03-5577-482603-5577-4826
Grauers is a new cafe/bar opened August, 2011. Owner Furusho Shinjiro is a long time jazz journal...
1-17-10 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-Ku 6.2 km
There’s a beautiful simplicity about JBS (Jazz,Blues,Soul). Owner Kobayashi-san has more th...
東京都 港区 六本木 7-18-16 川久保ビル １Ｆ・４Ｆ 6.23 km
03-3401-626203-3401-6262
Bar Spice is a classic little Soul music bar overlooking Roppongi-Dori, right across from the Rop...
3-14-10 Nishi-Nippori, Arakawa-Ku, Tokyo 6.24 km
Charmant opened in 1955 and certainly looks and feels its age. It’s a tiny bar on the secon...
東京都渋谷区桜丘町 17-10 6.28 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...
2 Chome-17 Kanda Tsukasamachi Chiyoda-ku 6.37 km
Jazz Bar Gugan is a small bar in the east side of Tokyo, near both the Ochanomizu and Jimbocho ...
2-20-2 Kitazawa, Setagaya-Ku 6.5 km
NOTE: Masako closed in FEB 2010…I’m leaving it here anyways, so people will remember....
Annex Bldg. 4F, Ropoongi 4-11-5, Minato-Ku 6.51 km
03-3401-308003-3401-3080
Very supper-club type place, most nights featuring vocal-led bands. The food is good, the service...
Matsubara 1-37-14, Setagaya-Ku 6.56 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...
Makita Bldg B1, 2-4-8 Ueno, Taito-Ku 6.7 km
Aries is a very local jazz live-house in the back streets of Ueno. By “local” I mea...
Tsuji Bldg B1, 3-14-12 Ueno, Taito-Ku 6.7 km
Every Swing is a small friendly club in the barren back streets east of Ueno Station. This is n...
155-0032 東京都世田谷区代沢5-31-14 6.7 km
TEL 03-3412-3947TEL 03-3412-3947
Lady Jane has a very cinematic feel to it, the kind of joint that a lot of people outside Japan w...
30 Konya-Cho, Kanda, Chiyoda-Ku 6.92 km
03-3252-498203-3252-4982
Root Down moved down the street just 30 meters from it’s original spot, it’s now Tō...
5-6-14 Daizawa, Setagaya-Ku 6.99 km
03-3412-594503-3412-5945
Jazz Haus Posy was opened in 1973 by jazz fanatic Misa. She’s a serious enough fan to hav...