Japan

Shimokitazawa, Tokyo, Japan Editor verified

Music Weekday jazz record selections from a roughly 2,000-record collection, with live jazz scheduled on weekends.

Policy Small-room jazz bar atmosphere; better suited to seated listening and cocktails than loud group drinking.

P.M. Sounds

Speakers JBL Project K2 S9500

Kyoto, Japan Listed

Music Wide music bar programming at comfortable volume, from golden-age jazz records to J-pop, with vinyl, CD, and high-resolution digital playback.

Policy Small evening music bar for close listening with craft beer and Japanese whisky; reservations accepted, closed Sundays.

Quattro Labo

Speakers Main speaker system handmade by Haruo Nomura; Tannoy Autograph Mini sub speaker system

Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Centred on 1960s and 1970s vintage rock, with soul, jazz, roots music, Japanese records, contemporary music, and selector nights.

Policy Cafe by day and music bar by night. Built for relaxed listening with drinks and food rather than strict silent-room etiquette.

Cafe Bar Eagle

Music Jazz-focused listening cafe and bar, with recorded jazz selected for close listening.

Yotsuya, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Speakers JBL 4344 Mark

Policy Quiet listening is requested from opening until 6pm. After 6pm, the room becomes a more relaxed jazz bar.

Jazz Bar Samurai

Music Jazz-focused vinyl and CDs, with free jazz, improvised music, straight-ahead jazz, and occasional sessions or events.

Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Speakers JBL speakers

Policy Low-key jazz bar listening room. Ask politely for requests, settle in with a drink, and keep the room's small scale in mind.

Speakers Tannoy Westminster Prestige speakers

THE MUSIC BAR -CAVE SHIBUYA-

Sophisticated

Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Eclectic selector-led programming from a library of more than 3,000 analog records.

Policy Bistro and cocktail bar setting; music selectors are central, but the room also handles food, drinks and groups.

Bar ahiru-sha

Speakers High-end sound system; exact speaker models not publicly specified

Kagurazaka, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Jazz, soul, pop, indie, classical and related records from a large vintage vinyl collection.

Policy Cocktail-bar atmosphere with music close to the foreground; better suited to small groups and low conversation.

JBS (Jazz, Blues, Soul)

Speakers Altec Lansing speakers

Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Owner-selected vinyl from a large jazz, blues, soul, funk, and hip-hop collection, with album sleeves displayed while records play.

Policy Small, music-first room where low voices and attentive listening are part of the appeal.

Speakers High-end record bar system; exact speaker models not publicly specified

MUSIUM

Sophisticated

Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Analog records selected from a large archive, with rare records, music selectors and record-bar programming.

Policy Upscale record bar setting with music at the centre of the room; best for seated listening and small groups rather than loud bar-hopping.

Speakers Vintage Altec speakers

RECORD BAR analog

Lively

Dogenzaka, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Customer-request record bar format with vinyl selections from the house collection.

Policy Walk-in record bar with a request system; relaxed, lively and small enough that the music stays close.

Basie

Speakers Large JBL speakers in custom cases; exact model not publicly specified

Ichinoseki, Japan Listed

Music Jazz-first listening room centred on records, high-volume playback, and Shoji Sugawara's selections.

Policy Quiet, attentive listening. Conversation is difficult and generally secondary to the music. Public access appears limited or uncertain; call ahead before travelling.

Speakers Three-meter custom 3D speaker system installed in the 1950s

Meikyoku Kissa Lion

Silent

Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Classical music only, with regular staff-selected concerts at 15:00 and 19:00 and requests accepted outside those sessions.

Policy Quiet listening room. Phones should be silent, calls are taken outside, photography and video are prohibited, loud conversation is discouraged, and outside food is not allowed.

Spincoaster Music Bar

Speakers KOON 400NT for hi-res playback; musikelectronic geithain RL904 for analog records

Yoyogi, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Spincoaster-curated selections across hi-res digital playback and analog records, with guest music requests available from the in-house library.

Policy Small music bar setting. Suits attentive social listening, format comparison, and requests rather than silent kissa-style discipline.

epulor

Music Jazz, rock, electro, classical and related analog records.

Nakameguro, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Speakers Tannoy speakers

Policy Cafe and wine bar atmosphere; low conversation works better here than loud group drinking.

King Biscuit

Cozy

Shinjuku Sanchome, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Blues-focused records, with jazz and related music around the bar's whisky-led format.

Policy Quiet, seated bar atmosphere; suited to drinking slowly and listening rather than loud bar-hopping.

record bar 33 1/3rpm

Dogenzaka, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Analog records only, centred on 1960s-1980s rock and pop, with related soul, jazz, film music and older rock and roll.

Policy Read the house rules before visiting. First-time walk-ins are not generally accepted, and the room is built for listening rather than photography.

nova

Speakers Vintage analog speakers; exact models not publicly specified

Ikejiri-Ohashi, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Vinyl-focused cafe and bar selections, including classic R&B and related records.

Policy Cafe by day and listening bar by night; relaxed enough for drinks and conversation, with music still central.

Studio Mule

Speakers Vintage audio system; exact speaker models not publicly specified

Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Eclectic vinyl selections connected to Mule Musiq, with natural wine and label-adjacent listening culture.

Policy Conversations are expected to stay at a respectful volume because many guests visit specifically for the music.

Upstairs Records & Bar

Cozy

Shimokitazawa, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Rare groove, disco, funk, house, dance records, plus rock, folk and other used vinyl finds.

Policy Record-shop bar format; small, late-night and best for drinkers who want the records to lead the room.

Little Soul Cafe

Shimokitazawa, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Soul, funk, jazz, dance music and related records selected from a collection of more than 14,000 analog records.

Policy Relaxed music bar; intimate enough that the selected record remains central to the room.

Paper Moon

Ikebukuro, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Jazz records from the owner's collection.

Policy Traditional jazz bar atmosphere; suited to quiet solo visits, whisky and focused listening.

Bar Martha

Music Jazz and vinyl-centred bar listening, with the sound system treated as the main event.

Ebisu, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Speakers 1960s Tannoy

Policy Strict quiet-listening etiquette; no photography and no phone use are part of the house culture.

Bar record

Ginza, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Vinyl-led bar selections and DJ sessions.

Policy Intimate cocktail-bar setting; best for small groups who want drinks with records up front.

Cafe Independants

Kyoto, Japan Listed

Music Cafe, gallery and event space with DJs, live music and art programming.

Policy More arts-cafe than silent listening room; best for casual music-led evenings and events.

Jazz in Rokudenashi

Kyoto, Japan Listed

Music Jazz bar programming with records, live sessions and event listings.

Policy Informal Kyoto jazz bar; music is central but the room is not a silent temple.

Jazz Spot Yamatoya

Kyoto, Japan Listed

Music Jazz-focused cafe and bar, with records moving from bebop and hard bop into freer material.

Policy Small jazz room; conversation should stay below the music.

Speakers Vintage Vitavox CN191 Corner Horns and Tannoy Westminster Royal

Baja Bluet

Cozy

京都市, Kyoto, Japan Listed

Music Strictly Jazz on Vinyl; extensive collection of over 5,000 records.

Policy Respectful low voices; deep reverence for the music and vintage equipment.

Ginza Music Bar

Speakers High-fidelity sound system; specific speaker models not publicly confirmed

Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music Over 3,000 vinyl records covering rock, jazz, soul, disco, new wave, indie rock, hip hop, techno, minimal, and soundtracks

Policy Refined listening-focused cocktail bar; more attentive than rowdy, but not a strict no-talking kissa

SHeLTeR

Speakers Bozak CMA-10-2DL Custom

Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan Listed

Music House, techno, ambient, and avant-garde electronic.

Policy Deep listening. Focus on the DJ and the sonic journey.