Players Bar R

‘Modern Jazz’ Players Bar R started in June 2022 in the existing Players Bar R, with a bit of a complicated back story, but basically now is open three times a week as a vinyl jazz spot and is a must visit both for jazz fans with a deeper interest in audio equipment, but also new fans who may be unfamiliar with the jazz cafe and bar culture in Japan.

Owner Tuskamoto-san, like many small business owners, faced many challenges as the pandemic hit in 2020, considering ideas of how to keep the bar open during very difficult economic times. Over the years he has been friends with several of the regular customers at nearby Jazz Bar Charmant, Tokyo’s oldest remaining jazz spot open since 1955. Upon hearing the news that Charmant would sadly be closing its doors, Tsukamoto-san along with Charmant regulars Mr. Sakashita and Mr. Hayasaka decided to refurbish ‘R’ into a more jazz oriented listening bar, a place where the spirit of Charmant could be carried on and the customers could hopefully move to make their new jazz bar home.

Sakashita-san brought his own audio system from home to install along with 1500+ records, while the others set up the new decor and shop ‘guidelines’. Unlike the old style jazz kissaten of the 1960s and 70s which often had a ‘no talking’ rule in the daytime and could be very forbidding spaces for young customers, women and new jazz fans, ‘R’ makes clear that not only are novice jazz fans welcome, the staff are eager to take questions and requests. Talking about the music is a main goal of all the staff, and customers can even bring in a record or two to play on the phenomenal sounding audio system (featuring JBL 2135 speakers). On my recent visit there one customer had brought a Modern Jazz Quartet Live in Japan album from 1966, then pulled out the concert program to show us as he had attended the gig while still a student. (This kind of thing happens often in Japanese jazz joints, and is always wonderful!)

While the menu is still a bit limited (you can order food from the Chinese joint downstairs, and there is lunch available on Saturdays) the bar has a unique take on the ‘bottle keep’ system that is still common in Japan. Customers can bring their own preferred bottle of liquor and pay a one time ¥5000 (about USD 45) to store it on the shelf. On each subsequent visit there is only a ¥1000 charge for ice and and a mixer.

There have been all too many jazz spot closures the last few years, for both predictable but also unexpected reasons. Having ‘R’ take on a successor role to the historic Charmant is great news, and while it can’t capture the charm of that historic shop, it very capably fills in the void in the northern areas of Tokyo.

Open Thursdays 1800-2200, Fri & Sat 1100-2200