Vinyl Bars Japan

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crayute

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Grass Valley, CA
Hello friends,

Apologies if there's a better place to ask this but was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for vinyl listening bars/places in Japan?

I'll be going through Tokyo,Kyoto and Osaka, there's so many things to do/see but always happy to get some recommendations from like minded folks that have had good experiences.

Suppose I'm also interested in some record stores but I haven't thought through getting any records home at this point.

Thanks!
 
I'll say that I've been to Japan twice but didn't really go to any vinyl bars. My favorite record stores are in Shimokitazawa... General Record Store and Disk Union.

I also like the HMV in Shibuya.
 
Can't recall any vinyl bars that I've been too. There are a lot of Vinyl shops in Shibuya if you go through the alleys, most of them are near the HMV shop.

I do recall there was a vinyl bar near our hotel in Ueno this last time I went, but I didn't enter this time. I'll see if I can locate the name of it. I know most of the listening cafe/bars are in Shibuya and Shinjuku though... 🤔

If you manage to find some cool spots, let us know!
 
I’ve had a couple of pretty messy nights in Rhythm Cafe in Tokyo (Yamazaki amd Ksmakazees aren’t your favourite drinks combo) and more than two very, very messy nights in the Mother Rock Bar.

Mother is cool. They’ve a massive stack of cds behind the bar, you tell the bartender what you want to hear, they stick it on for you… we use it as a night ender.

Might be worth flicking through Tokyo Jazz Joints for a few ideas for a more civilised time.
 
www.stereonet.com

Listening Bar, Bar Martha,Tokyo

Hi I have just returned from Tokyo and went to this listening bar in Ebisu, an inner suburb of Tokyo. https://martha-records.com/martha.html https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/sep/30/tokyo-japan-bar-martha-shibuya-ebisu-whisky Japan, and Tokyo, has many listening bars but this bar's equipmen...
www.stereonet.com www.stereonet.com

Jut seen this in another forum.
 
I don't know if you'd call it a vinyl bar but my wife and I went to this British pub in 2014, and it looks like it's still there in Shibuya.

They have a huge record collection and I think they used to let the patrons choose what to listen to. While we were there they were spinning an album by Jaga Jazzist.

www.timeout.com

The Aldgate | Bars and pubs in Shibuya, Tokyo

Of all the British-style pubs in Tokyo, The Aldgate is one of the only ones that feels like somewhere we'd actually want to visit back in Blighty. It certainly
www.timeout.com www.timeout.com
 
Bohnjaggs said:
I don't know if you'd call it a vinyl bar but my wife and I went to this British pub in 2014, and it looks like it's still there in Shibuya.

They have a huge record collection and I think they used to let the patrons choose what to listen to. While we were there they were spinning an album by Jaga Jazzist.

www.timeout.com

The Aldgate | Bars and pubs in Shibuya, Tokyo

Of all the British-style pubs in Tokyo, The Aldgate is one of the only ones that feels like somewhere we'd actually want to visit back in Blighty. It certainly
www.timeout.com www.timeout.com
Click to expand...

Oh that looks awesome! Will put it on the list.
 
crayute said:
Oh that looks awesome! Will put it on the list.
Click to expand...

It's on the 4th or 5th floor of that building. My wife and I couldn't find it until somebody noticed we were lost and showed us where it was.

The only reason we went was because we were meeting an online friend who had helped me sign up for a half marathon there but she flaked and we just met her the next day in Yokohama instead. It was her idea to meet at this pub but it was nice anyway.
 
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Lee Newman said:
Maybe @bornard has some places?
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in fact I do....;-)
there are so many a simple google search of any area will point you in many directions...in my opinion the best listening bars are more bar than listening...these are all Tokyo...there are also a ton in Kyoto/osaka - but with everything in Japan I usually find its best to have a single destination and then get lost along the way, probably end up finding something way cooler than anything in a listicle

Bar Martha is not my favorite, is it rad, yes, does it have amazing equipment, yes, are there delicious bar snacks, yes and free...but its not really fun, because they shush you for talking, no photos, etc. - but is it worth a visit? depends on your perspective...

JBS in Shibuya can be like this, but I think it's mostly because he gets so many Shibuya tourists he's a bit prickly, his collection is unbelievable however and plays the whole side of a record, but I actually haven't been in a long time -

2 I really like in Shibuya - Grandfathers, more bar than listening, but they are friendly, have ¥700 guiness on tap and he plays fun tunes, more AOR, rock, hits, nothing to adventurous, but fun (can get smoky tho)

bar 33 1/3 - owner is very nice, likes Beatles and rock, there is a bar charge, here but its fun and close to the station, while both have nice systems this isn't audiophile porn.

Music Bar Cave in Shibuya is cool, more in the bar Martha realm, but less fussy...cant really remember the music, been a few times and its ok, but on the pricey side

bar stereo in Shinjuku is cool...again more bar than listening, actually saw Toshio Matsuura from UFO do a live vinyl set here and it was awesome

I'd pass on Record Bar Analog in Shibuya although it is across the street from Mikeller brewing, its in the love hotel area and the tweeters nearly blew my ears out but YMMV -

Shimokitazawa is a very cool area and they've recently done a bunch of urban renewal with a new station and outdoor area - Upstairs record bar is cool, owner was super nice, nothing fancy, just a fun stop for sure - but id go to Shimo during the day and have a beer and sit on the camping chairs in the outdoor area

enjoy!
 
Music Bar 45 in Shibuya is great. We went in by chance since we had dinner around the corner, and the owner Yoshi was awesome - super friendly and welcoming. Small bar, can’t be more than a dozen or so seats, but great vibes. One of the highlights of our trip.
 
bornard said:
in fact I do....;-)
there are so many a simple google search of any area will point you in many directions...in my opinion the best listening bars are more bar than listening...these are all Tokyo...there are also a ton in Kyoto/osaka - but with everything in Japan I usually find its best to have a single destination and then get lost along the way, probably end up finding something way cooler than anything in a listicle

Bar Martha is not my favorite, is it rad, yes, does it have amazing equipment, yes, are there delicious bar snacks, yes and free...but its not really fun, because they shush you for talking, no photos, etc. - but is it worth a visit? depends on your perspective...

JBS in Shibuya can be like this, but I think it's mostly because he gets so many Shibuya tourists he's a bit prickly, his collection is unbelievable however and plays the whole side of a record, but I actually haven't been in a long time -

2 I really like in Shibuya - Grandfathers, more bar than listening, but they are friendly, have ¥700 guiness on tap and he plays fun tunes, more AOR, rock, hits, nothing to adventurous, but fun (can get smoky tho)

bar 33 1/3 - owner is very nice, likes Beatles and rock, there is a bar charge, here but its fun and close to the station, while both have nice systems this isn't audiophile porn.

Music Bar Cave in Shibuya is cool, more in the bar Martha realm, but less fussy...cant really remember the music, been a few times and its ok, but on the pricey side

bar stereo in Shinjuku is cool...again more bar than listening, actually saw Toshio Matsuura from UFO do a live vinyl set here and it was awesome

I'd pass on Record Bar Analog in Shibuya although it is across the street from Mikeller brewing, its in the love hotel area and the tweeters nearly blew my ears out but YMMV -

Shimokitazawa is a very cool area and they've recently done a bunch of urban renewal with a new station and outdoor area - Upstairs record bar is cool, owner was super nice, nothing fancy, just a fun stop for sure - but id go to Shimo during the day and have a beer and sit on the camping chairs in the outdoor area

enjoy!
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Awesome thank you! Yeah I'm very much trying to embrace the wandering around but do want to have a few things in my back pocket as well.
 
Thackeraye said:
www.stereonet.com

Listening Bar, Bar Martha,Tokyo

Hi I have just returned from Tokyo and went to this listening bar in Ebisu, an inner suburb of Tokyo. https://martha-records.com/martha.html https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/sep/30/tokyo-japan-bar-martha-shibuya-ebisu-whisky Japan, and Tokyo, has many listening bars but this bar's equipmen...
www.stereonet.com www.stereonet.com

Jut seen this in another forum.
Click to expand...
Bar Martha's sister bar Bar Music is also fantastic. There is Lion in Shibuya for strictly classical music but quite the impressive space. Flamingo and Bar Mado(cash only, owner only speaks Japanese, come with something to translate if you don't speak Japanese) in the Asakusa area are good as well.
 
LeBlade said:
Bar Martha's sister bar Bar Music is also fantastic. There is Lion in Shibuya for strictly classical music but quite the impressive space. Flamingo and Bar Mado(cash only, owner only speaks Japanese, come with something to translate if you don't speak Japanese) in the Asakusa area are good as well.
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As an aside, I'm really impressed that you've been registered since 2019 and somehow have only 21 posts.
 
@crayute A great place to start would be looking at the Tokyo Jazz Joints site by James Catchpole and Philip Arneill.

It started as a photo exercise, then a podcast (which is fantastic), and recently a coffee table book too. You can search for individual bars by location which will help you a lot.

www.tokyojazzjoints.com

Tokyo Jazz Joints

Collaborative Japanese jazz documentary photography project by Philip Arneill with James Catchpole, begun in Tokyo in March 2015.
www.tokyojazzjoints.com www.tokyojazzjoints.com
 
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Selaws said:
@crayute A great place to start would be looking at the Tokyo Jazz Joints site by James Catchpole and Philip Arneill.

It started as a photo exercise, then a podcast (which is fantastic), and recently a coffee table boot too. You can search for individual bars by location which will help you a lot.

www.tokyojazzjoints.com

Tokyo Jazz Joints

Collaborative Japanese jazz documentary photography project by Philip Arneill with James Catchpole, begun in Tokyo in March 2015.
www.tokyojazzjoints.com www.tokyojazzjoints.com
Click to expand...
This is awesome thank you!
 
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