10 Best Jazz Bars In Tokyo, Japan

1. Apollo

Apollo is everything but a basic Japanese restaurant run by two Australian restaurateurs; this is a Greek restaurant which serves some delicious and authentic Greek food. Think of this as a cosy, modern and fancy jazz venue where you get to eat delicious Greek food, sip on a few drinks and listen to some melodious music. Listen to great live jazz music by local artists as well as from artists across the globe. You can go here for lunch or dinner, the vibe is equally good!

Apollo

Address: Japan, Moth 104-0061 Tokyo, Chuo City, 2, Ginza 5-chome 2-1 Tokyu Plaza Ginza 11F

Website: Apollo

Opening hours: 11am - 11pm (daily)

2. Jazz SPOT Intro

Think of Jazz SPOT Intro as a tiny and intimate jazz bar for real jazz lovers. This is a small bar in a basement, but the music here is so good that you will literally be transported to another dimension! Professional and amateur musicians and artists play together here, at least three or four times a week. This is basically the place where jazz musicians go to jam and you’re lucky enough to get to hear some pretty good music! Ps, this place is open till the wee hours of the morning.

Jazz SPOT Intro

Address: Japan, Moth 169-0075 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Takadanobaba, 2 Chome−14−8 Basement 1st floor NT Building

Website: Jazz SPOT Intro

Opening hours: Sun - Mon: 6:30pm - 12am; Tue - Thu: 6:30pm - 12:30am; Fri: 5pm - 3am; Sat: 6pm - 5am

3. Paper Moon

Paper Moon is a jazz club that has been open since 1975, and you can tell that just by looking at the interiors. It has a few jazz posters, 1 L-shaped 15-seater sofa and just the bare minimum. But, despite the interiors, this is one of the best jazz bars in Tokyo! This is the jazz club for hardcore jazz lovers – the people who just want to listen to jazz without caring about their surroundings. This place even has artists that play Japanese jazz – a rare genre!

Paper Moon

Address: 3 Chome-29-3 Nishiikebukuro, Toshima City, Tokyo 171-0021, Japan

4. The Pit Inn

The Pit Inn is an old-school jazz club which specialises in subterranean jazz. Unlike a basic jazz club or jazz bar, this place hosts a jazz show either in the afternoon or the evening, which goes along with a full dinner and drinks! The Pit Inn basically creates a whole experience for watching and listening to jazz, it isn’t just another band playing music in the background. If you are a hardcore jazz enthusiast who wants to listen to only serious artists play, then this is the place to go to.

The Pit Inn

Address: Japan, Moth160-0022 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Shinjuku Ward, Shinjuku, 2 Chome-12-4 Accord Building

Website: The Pit Inn

5. Salt Peanuts

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tetsuji Katayama (@fabbjohnny)

Salt Peanuts is a jazz bar in Tokyo which is a little far from the city centre, but it is worth the visit. If you happen to love jazz music, but you cannot really afford to pay the high entry and table prices at the other jazz clubs, then Salt Peanuts is the right bar for you. This bar offers entry and drinks at a nominal price which includes all you can eat nuts. The place is small but that shouldn’t matter because jazz music played here is high quality and really good!

Salt Peanuts

Address: Japan, Moth 171-0014 Tokyo, Toshima City, 23, Ikebukuro 2-chome 23-4

Website: Salt Peanuts

6. The Old Blind Cat

The Old Blind Cat is a jazz bar that has been around since 1945! The bar has its own unique charm – it is in the form of railroad car shape with small booths along the side. This bar has no windows – well it is in the basement, so don’t be too surprised. But, contemporary jazz and standard live jazz music that is played here is pretty great! And that is why this is a jazz bar that is loved by die-hard jazz fans.

The Old Blind Cat

Address: Japan, Moth 160-0022 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Shinjuku, 3 Chome−26−3 Konwa Center Building

Website: The Old Blind Cat

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 6pm - 12:30am; Sun: 6:30pm - 12:30am

7. Dug Cafe and Bar

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Yuhei Okawa (@yuhei_xetwbix)

This is not the original Dug which was a famous jazz bar years ago. Dug Cafe and Bar was the annexe bar to the original Dug which then got shut down. And then, this bar became the main jazz bar in the area! Dug Cafe and Bar is an underground jazz bar which has a vast selection of whiskeys and cocktails for you to choose from. Given the history and the years this bar dedicated to jazz, this is one of the best jazz clubs in Tokyo!

Dug Cafe and Bar

Address: 3 Chome-15-12 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0022, Japan

Website: Dug Cafe and Bar

Opening hours: 12pm - 11:30pm (daily)

8. Nefertiti Jazz Cafe and Bar

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Drummer (@ryusakuikezawa)

Nefertiti Jazz Cafe and Bar is a pretty modern and jazzy bar in the heart of Tokyo. Known for some great jazz music, local and international jazz performers and a really good sound system, this cafe and bar is one of the most happening spots in town! Usually, the owner plays old, rare and classic jazz records on the audio system and about twice a week there are live sets and performances that take place here. Jazz fan or not, this bar is worth the visit!

Nefertiti Jazz Cafe and Bar

Address: Japan, Moth 277-0033 Chiba, Kashiwa, Masuo, 1124-1 Community space and Mizawa

Website: Nefertiti Jazz Cafe and Bar

Opening hours: Sun - Tue: 11:30am - 7pm; Fri - Sat: 11:30am - 9:30pm (closed on Wed & Thu)

9. Pres Jazz Bar

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Curt Russel Lopez Delfin (@curtdelfin) on Jan 22, 2019 at 4:55pm PST

Pres Jazz Bar is a very cool and modern jazz bar that is hidden away in Shibuya district. While Shibuya is actually filled with loud bars and clubs, this jazz bar is a nice change from the regular nightlife around! It is a cute and cosy bar which is a little dark and moody, but it allows you to enjoy your privacy. The jazz music played here is good but it is not too loud, so you can easily listen to some great music, sip on your drinks and actually talk to people around you. Definitely, one of the best jazz bars in Tokyo which is open till the wee hours of the morning!

Pres Jazz Bar

Address: 30-4 Udagawacho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0042, Japan

Website: Pres Jazz Bar

Opening hours: 7pm - 4am (daily)

10. JazzBar Samurai

JazzBar Samurai is a pretty unique bar, which can be a little difficult to locate but it is definitely worth the effort! Given the fact that many people haven’t heard about this, it is a local favourite with a pretty good crowd! Many local jazz artists also perform live at this bar. The interesting things here are the thousand or more beckoning cat statues which are all over the bar! Other than that, the jazz music here is pretty good, the drinks and reasonable and the food is delicious.

JazzBar Samurai

Address: Japan, Moth 160-0022 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Shinjuku, 3 Chome−35−5 Mori Building 5F

Website: JazzBar Samurai

Opening hours: 6pm - 1am (daily)

Jazz it up in Tokyo

Clearly, jazz is a very upcoming music genre in Tokyo! There are so many jazz bars to choose from, so depending on what kind of jazz music you like, what area you’re staying in and what your pocket allows, you can choose from this extensive list! Considering these are the best jazz bars in Tokyo, it doesn’t get better than this.