What is any holiday without a jazz bar? It’s the ambiance that gets ya. The mood lighting, the cool atmosphere and the endlessly talented musicians who take over the place with their skills. Tokyo’s an especially great place to enjoy it seeing as the country’s relationship with jazz dates back to the 1920s, when the genre was introduced by Americans and it’s been flourishing ever since. And without further ado, here are 4 of our favorite Tokyo jazz bars:
Park Hyatt Hotel – The Peak Bar
This is the big one. But with that comes a big price. You pay 4,000 yen for entry here and canapes for a room at twilight – and boy is this the room with a view! From the Metropolitan Building to the Tokyo Tower, you see a lot of Tokyo hot spots from these windows all in the gorgeous evening light. The bar is just so damn sexy and of course was made famous by the film Lost in Translation, adding an even more special element to it. The performances are outstanding here, so it’s well worth the arguably hefty price.
Blue Note
This is another great option for jazz in Tokyo. It is a small franchise of jazz venues which are located across Europe, the US and of course Asia. The original Blue Note opened in New York City in 1981 and ranks top among global jazz venues. It is one of the priciest jazz venues in the capital of Japan, but with its high-quality performers there’s no need to doubt going in. This place attracts local and tourists too, so provides a great and mixed atmosphere.
Jazz Spot Intro
This is definitely one of those cool jazz bars, known for its chilled out vibe with its Saturday jam session. This can typically run into the early hours of the following morning too, so if you want a late night and some good music, this is the place for you. What’s great about this place is that everyone is encouraged to perform—from seasoned musicians to amateur jazz fans. With musicians sometimes experimenting with their music on the spot, this venue has a fantastic atmosphere. There are other live performances on Mondays and Thursdays here.
Rooster
This place hosts live performances nearly every day. A bartender who works here sometimes performs magic tricks, so you get two types of entertainment at this place. Most of the time it’s jazz, but there’s also blues that is played here. There is a laid back and relaxed atmosphere to the place, which proves perfect. Enjoy looking at all the vinyl posters on the walls too. Nearly all of the performers here are Japanese and are highly skilled and incredibly talented. There is a snack menu with options such as pizza, sausages, salad and cheese for 500 yen per dish. Acts start from 7pm and entrance is between 2,500 and 3,000 yen.
Jazz, jazz, jazz. It’s all you need on holiday. Jazz bars are a fantastic type of place to visit to really get a feel of the music of the city you are visiting. With fantastic vibes and a chilled out atmosphere, jazz bars are a go-to. Tokyo, being famous for jazz of course, really does have a great array and range of bars for you to have a look at. Enjoy the music and the atmosphere— you’ll be inspired, for sure. It’s not all J-Pop and K-Pop in this town. Music lover or not, a jazz bar really is top for any time spent in Tokyo.
Any of your favorite jazz bars we missed? Let us know!
