• Welcome to ASR. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Tokyo / Kyoto - Cocktail Bar / Listening Lounge Recommendations

amirm said:
The only type of establishment I know of as that type is for guys only and is called a hostess bar. ;) :)
Click to expand...
It's actually quite a phenomenon in Japan, they are called Jazz Kissa. Based on (IIRC) a post-war surge in interest in listening to good quality recordings but many homes / individuals not having a place or money for a proper stereo. So, collectively listening to music at bars became a thing. (anyone with a better recollection of this history please correct me)

I got to visit a few when I went to Japan in 2023:

Hachi in Kyoto is also a tiny record shop, very fun.
Beatle Momo in Kyoto is the quintessential experience, but it's become somewhat famous over the past couple years and you will want to get a reservation.

I also got to visit Little Soul cafe in Tokyo, which also epitomizes the "bar owner / DJ / vinyl collector / audiophile with a truly massive collection" experience.

A10 in Tokyo had B&W 802s (I think) when I went there, but it's more of a normal "craft cocktail bar" in the American style with a better sound system and music selection.

My last suggestion is to try and spend some time in Osaka if you are into food.
 
mdsimon2 said:
Thank you @kemmler3D! Exactly what I was looking for. I learned about the Japanese listening bar thing via Dante's Hifi in Miami and am looking forward to the real thing.

Michael
Click to expand...
Have fun and take pictures! There are a lot of good, similar bars that I wasn't able to get to, there are various lists online. The ones I listed are ones I managed to visit, but don't take my recommendations as definitive.

My last LAST recommendation if it sounds good to you: take a food / bar tour with a local, you get to check out a lot of places that (unless you speak Japanese) you might not find, or find yourself in a position to patronize. Not an audio thing, just a local color thing.

I went on a tour with the guy in the main picture on this listing, (Ken) - pretty fun!
 
Last edited:
kemmler3D said:
My last LAST recommendation if it sounds good to you: take a food / bar tour with a local, you get to check out a lot of places that (unless you speak Japanese) you might not find, or find yourself in a position to patronize. Not an audio thing, just a local color thing.
Click to expand...

Good suggestion, we already have that planned! We did a walking food tour in Vietnam last year with a local and it was great as it gave us a good lay of the land and tried tons of places / dishes we wouldn't have otherwise. Definitely looking forward to it.

Michael
 
How does a business offer copyright music that is not supposed to be sold or used for profit do this?
 
Trouble Maker said:
This place was fantastic.
maps.app.goo.gl

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
maps.app.goo.gl maps.app.goo.gl

I love a good yokocho, and it's in a great one.

Don't eat of drink too much at one place, just bar and restaurant hop through that area one night.
Click to expand...
Another great one, got a beer or two there, and agree that the whole area has lots to offer. On the night I was there, this was more of a typical lively bar than a listening bar, very fun spot if that's of interest, though.
 
kemmler3D said:
Another great one, got a beer or two there, and agree that the whole area has lots to offer. On the night I was there, this was more of a typical lively bar than a listening bar, very fun spot if that's of interest, though.
Click to expand...
With the number of bars, shops and restaurants there, it's awesome someone else here has been to this same one.

It's definitely less of the 'fancy' cocktail jazz bar than the stereotype of Japanese music bars, but I usually like places that are a big grungier. I could see it getting busy/loud in there. The night we went there was maybe only one other group there, super laid back at that time and the bar tender (probably owner) was an amazing host.

The great thing about that area is if they have one drink and don't like the drinks, vibe or music in the place, they can just walk 10 steps in either direction and find another. :)
 
Some threads:
www.audiosciencereview.com

Listening Bars Around the World

Not everyone has a big or exotic system at home. So there is the listening bar phenomenon. They are social. There are 2 near me. Those also host live shows, one more classical, and the other more electronic. From my understanding they emerged in Japan in the 1950s. Japanese apartments are...
www.audiosciencereview.com www.audiosciencereview.com
www.audiosciencereview.com

Holiday in Tokyo, recommendations and drinks?

My partner and I will be on holiday in Tokyo in the last 2 weeks of May. We like our booze, and we like craft too. Anyone have any recommendations? Also, if any ASR users happen to be there during the same period, let's do a meal or drinks. Cheers!
www.audiosciencereview.com www.audiosciencereview.com

In Tokyo is https://www.ntticc.or.jp/en/. They have a one-person anechoic chamber with sound art you need to book in advance.

TeamLab https://www.teamlab.art/e/ has some art environments with ambient music.

I follow several visiting Japan FB groups in English, including very reasonable priced homes for sale. You probably know about the Japan Rail Pass, and https://www.japan.travel/en/us/. Report back on your experience.
 
Doodski said:
How does a business offer copyright music that is not supposed to be sold or used for profit do this?
Click to expand...

Grok says:

"JASRAC stands for the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers

Most bars pay JASRAC’s blanket license to avoid hassle—it’s standard practice. Playing your own CD doesn’t exempt you; the law cares about public use, not ownership.

Role in Bars
  • Licensing: Bars need a JASRAC license to legally play recorded music (CDs, streaming, radio) publicly. It’s a blanket deal—covers JASRAC’s catalog (~15 million works, per their 2024 report).
  • Fees:
    • Base rate: ¥30,000/year ($200 USD) for small venues (<100 sq m, ~1,076 sq ft).
    • Scales up: ~¥60,000 ($400) for 100-200 sq m; higher for karaoke or live music add-ons.
    • Monthly options exist (~¥2,500-$17). Calculated by floor space and usage type (JASRAC fee schedule, 2024).
  • Process: Apply via JASRAC’s site (jasrac.or.jp), pay annually or monthly, get a sticker to prove compliance.
Enforcement
  • JASRAC inspectors visit businesses. Unlicensed play risks warnings, then lawsuits—fines up to ¥2 million (~$13,000 USD) or 2 years jail (Copyright Law, Article 119, post-2012)."
 
I just returned from Osaka and Kyoto, where I visited 2 Jazz Kissas and 2 which provided live music. Most use vintage, and I mean old, speakers, and the sound is hardly SOTA, but always fun. Many cafes play jazz and classical music, but the best sound I heard anywhere during the trip was a live, tenor quartet at Proust in Osaka. The food was good; so too the atmosphere. Just a thought. Enjoy your trip!
 
Here is a documentary on Jazz Kissa


 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Power Pop 23
Greater Seattle - 'Shibuya HiFi' Vinyl Listening Lounge
Replies
0
Views
430
Power Pop 23
Power Pop 23
J
Oscar Peterson Trio At Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, The Complete Recording- Jazz sacrificed to the loudness war: the end of high-quality jazz editions?
Replies
1
Views
279
Ahmonge
Ahmonge
KPC
Under $1,000 Listening Chair
2
Replies
21
Views
2K
KPC
KPC
D
Home cinema options for later this year
Replies
17
Views
1K
davmol
D
R
Better TV sound with Kali LP-8 V2 or Kali In 8 V2 or Focal Shape 65
Replies
19
Views
966
RaymondFromThePyrénéés
R
Back
Top Bottom