Root Down

Root Down moved down the street just 30 meters from it’s original spot, it’s now Tōkyō-to, Chiyoda City, Kanda Konyachō, 30−1 S-Grace101. Although a slightly smaller room, it’s laid out almost exactly the same as the original spot with the same incredible audio. (Updated June 2021)

Root Down is worthy of its funky name. (For those who don’t know look up the song “Root Down” by Jimmy Smith.) It’s a small bar opened about eight years ago by the very friendly Yoshikawa-san. The place is dark but cozy with several thousand records and CDs, and two speakers that just..I don’t have the technical audio vocabulary to describe how good these speakers sound. When you sit at the bar, the speakers are up high behind you meaning the sound comes down and surrounds you from the back. Listening to Ba obby Hutcherson record there, the sound of his vibes was like nothing else.

Double extra points for the brass plaque next to the bar with a quote from Sam Cooke. Yoshikawa-san plays a lot of different styles of jazz to please all kinds of tastes, all on vinyl, and his happy to talk about the music despite the late-night atmosphere.   Check his Twitter feed for a real-time update of what’s being played. Root Down is dark and expensive so is best experienced late at night for an extended drinks session.  Cash only. See pics of Root Down over at Tokyo Jazz Joints.