Tokyo Jazz Nights

Clubs, Restaurants & Bars

Good music is where you find it... In addition to well-known places like Shinjuku Pit-Inn and Blue Note Tokyo, you might also want to visit:

Jazz Bird: http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/~jazzbird (used to be Do-Do Bird): English page(s):; Owner: Miyo Suzuki (vocal, piano); Address: Kobayashi Bldg., 3-13-1 Minami-aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0000; Phone: +81 3 5474 2702, Fax: +81 3 5474 2703; Note: Open sessions held once a month or so (Be sure to call before you sit in); Note: The place used to be called "Do-Do Bird."

Apple Jump: http://applejump.net: English page(s):; Owner: Hiroshi Seki (guitar); Address: Tōbu Nishi-Ikebukuro Sunlight Mansion Bldg.
3-33-17 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0021; Phone: +81 3 5950 0689; Note: Open jam sessions held once a month or so (be sure to call before you sit in)
Hot Pepper: http://www.qurie.ne.jp/hotpepper: English page(s):; Owner:; Address: Nishikata Bldg. 5th floor, 1-37-15 Nishi-ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0021; Phone: +81 3 3971 8669

He's Bar: http://www15.ocn.ne.jp/~he_s_bar/ (web pages gone!): English page(s):; Owner: Haruo Kuge (ds); Address: Studio D 102, 4-5-7 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032; Phone: +81 3 3408 4888

JZ Brat: http://www.jzbrat.com/: English page(s): http://www.ceruleantower.com/english/tower_jz.html; Owner:; Address: Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel 2nd floor, 26-1 Sakuragaoka-chō, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0031; Phone: +81 3 5728 0168
Tableaux Lounge: http://www.lounge.tableaux.jp: Address: 11-6 Sarugaku-chō, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (a few minutes' walk from Daikan-yama St.); Phone: +81 3 5489 2202
Jazz Bar Daikan-yama Lezard:: English page(s):; Owner: Kazue Maeoka; Address: Satō Estate Bldg. 2nd floor, 2-5 Sarugaku-chō, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0033; Phone: +81 3 3496 1374; Note: An open jam session held once a month, on Friday during the first week of each month (Call before you sit in)
Nanakamado:: English page(s):; Owner: Hiromichi Shiroishi (drums); Address: 1-42-2 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0053; Phone/Fax: +81 3 3379 9738
San Marino: ~~http://www.h6.dion.ne.jp/~jazz/sanmarino/~~
** Closed shop in 2007: English page(s):; Owner:; Address: 1-12-12 Ebisu-nishi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0021; Phone: +81 3 3496 5115 (for reservations only)
Shibuya Mura:: *Shop closed*; English page(s):; Owner: Tadaoki Yoshida (trumpet, WU-MJG alumnus); Address: Shibuya KK Bldg., 2-12-11 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0002; Phone: +81 3 3407 6908

Black Sun: http://blacksun.jazznet.jp/: English Page(s): http://blacksun.jazznet.jp/index_2_e.html; Owner: Ujiie, Natures Corp.; Address: Tsunohazu Bldg. 2nd floor, 1-3-10, Nishi-shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023; Phone:
Café Cotton Club: http://www.momenya.jp/~cotton/: English Page(s):; Owner: Kuniaki Mogushi (drums); Address: 1-17-14 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0075; Phone: +81 3 3207 3369; Note: See also Jazz Spot Intro.
Jazz Spot “J”: http://www.jazzspot-j.com/: English page(s): http://www.jazzspot-j.com/english.html; Owner: Minoru “Birdman” Kōda (alto saxophone), N. W. E.
Note: Kazuyoshi “Tamori” Morita (trumpet) is the public relations manager.; Address: Royal Mansion Bldg., 5-1-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0022; Phone: +81 3 3354 0335
Sunny Side: http://www.sunny-side.jp/: English page(s):; Owner:; Address: Rikōsha Bldg., 3-28-1 Nishi-waseda, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0000; Phone: +81 3 5272 6119; Note: Yasuo Kimura, the Rikōsha owner and landlord of the place, is also a jazz pianist.

Jazz Piano Club Joe: http://www.jk-music.com: English page(s):; Owner: Takeshi "Joe" Kamachi (piano); Address: Royal Plaza Bldg., 2-13-8 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo; Phone: +81 (0)3-3584-1141; Note: Jam sessions held occasionally. Be sure to call before you decide to sit in. See also http://www.jazz.co.jp/LiveSpot/joe.html.
Akebonobashi Jazz Bar Fill-In: http://fillin.hiciao.com: English page(s):; Owner: Yasu (drums); Address: ICL Bldg., 19-23, Aizumi-chō, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Phone: +81 (0)3-3358-4885; Note: This fine establishment specializes in vocal music. Jam sessions are hosted occasionally, but only vocalists are supported. The web page says, "Vocalists only. Instrument players, please do not sit in."
Jazzy: http://homepage1.nifty.com/barjazzy/: English page(s):; Owner: (bass); Address: Morichu Bldg., 1-8-8 Bakuro-chō, Nihombashi, Chūō-ku, Tokyo 103-0002; Phone: +81 3 3639 8671
Meguro Sonoka:: Closed shop on Aug 29, 2004; Note: Sonoka regulars seem to have moved to somewhere in Shibuya, now known as "Shibuya Ko-Ko."
Red Pepper: http://www31.ocn.ne.jp/~redpepper/: English page(s):; Owner:; Address: Shimbashi URE Bldg., 1-2-15 Higashi-shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0021; Phone: +81 3 3574 6067
Tokyo TUC: http://www.tokyouniform.com/tokyotuc/: English page(s):; Owner: Tokyo Uniform; Address: 2-16-5 Iwamoto-chō, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0032; Phone: +81 3 3866 8393

Aketa's Place: http://www.aketa.org/: English page(s):; Owner: Sōsuke Aketagawa (piano, ocarina, etc.); Address: Yoshino Bldg., 3-21-13 Nishiogi-kita, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 167-0042; Phone: +81 3 3395 9507
Sometime: http://www.sometime.co.jp/sometime/: English page(s):; Owner: Mugi Group; Address: Ishikawa Bldg., 1-11-31 Kichijōji-honchō, Musashino-shi, Tokyo 180-0004; Phone: +81 422 21 6336

To add to the list, send e-mail to @DVOI.COM, or post a message to the Tokyo Jazz Nights bulletin board.

Last updated: Mar 2011