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Indulging in the Timeless Cool of the "Jazz Kissa"
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items A few years back, my husband, a jazz enthusiast, developed an obsession with the “jazz kissa,” or: Japanese coffee shops / izakayas, popularized after World War II, which imported and played jazz records for its patrons (as many individuals could not afford to import their own records). Part audiophile music club, part nightclub scene, the ...
Sections
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Inspo
Vinyl
Decor
Food and Drink
Inspo
Discover the look, feel, vibe, and sounds of the postwar “jazz kissa" environment, in which cocktails, drinks, and snacks are imbibed against a soundtrack high fidelity music.
This excerpt from Philip Arneill's 2023 photography book “Tokyo Jazz Joints” is a stunning collection of photos of Japan's surviving jazz kissa culture, capturing the unique, atmospheric spaces that cater to scene-loving music enthusiasts to this day...
One kissa is all it takes: Tokyo’s finest jazz haunts – in pictures
Kissa Kissa, located here in Brooklyn, claims to be the first jazz kissa in North America and is a loving recreation of the atmosphere and culture of the traditional jazz kissa, playing a curated mix of vintage vinyl in a lounge-like space. It's a re...
Kissa Kissa
This 60s Japanese film noir classic from Koreyoshi Kurahara — about a wild youth who targets the girlfriend of the journalist who got him incarcerated — is notable for its wild, frenetic energy and accompanying jazz score, drawing comparisons to Jean...
The Warped Ones
Another beautiful survey of the surviving jazz kissa scene in Japan, these stunning photographs capture the unique vibe (and distinct personalities) behind each space.
Exploring Japan’s ‘Jazz Kissa’ Cafe Culture: Vibes and Snaps - Tahusa
An aspiring jazz drummer, fresh from prison, tries to rise the ranks of a hip Giza club in this classic 60s music film from Umetsugu Inoue, a lesser-known filmmaker working in Japan's explosive postwar box office. An artifact of postwar club culture!
Man Who Causes a Storm
Another beautiful collection of jazz kissa bars still in operation from the 60s/70s, curated by photographer/writer/editor Katsumasa Kusunose, who has published several photography books documenting the jazz kissa scene.
Tokyo Jazz Kissa: 15 Jazz Bars founded in the 1960s and 1970s
Vinyl
Create your own jazz kissa in your own home! Postwar jazz vinyl culture fueled the creation of the jazz kissa, as club owners imported pricey records to play for patrons who couldn't personally afford to purchase their own vinyl. This is audiophile i...
A great starter turntable for vinyl enthusiasts who want a quality product that won't damage the records (but don't want to break the bank). A lot of “affordable” players like Crosley can damage records due to the lower quality of their individual pa...
Orbit Basic Turntable
I love the audiophile cool of this Youtube Channel that unearths and plays rare international vinyl, including Japanese jazz, funk, and fusion!
MAJ (My Analog Journal)
A terrific repository of classic jazz clips, as well as work from newer artists, providing a great audiovisual reference guide!
The Jazz Estate
Ken Micallef's reviews of jazz records and jazz vinyl culture are a treasure trove of information, but what I enjoy most about his videos are the infectious enthusiasm he has for the genre and its figures.
Jazz Vinyl Audiophile Ken Micallef
Decor
The stylish, quintessentially Japanese decorations and kitchenware that could be reasonably found in a traditional jazz kissa.
A swoonworthy Kutani-style sake carafe and cup set from artisan glassware purveyor Musubi Kiln. Kutani is a form of historic Japanese porcelain that is remarjable for its incorporation of bright, bold colors and striking details capturing the beauty ...
Bizan Kiln Yoshidaya Sakura and Bird Kutani Sake Set
The maneki-neko (招き猫), the so-called “beckoning cat” is a staple of Japanese pub culture, thought to bring good fortune to the business and its owner. I have one on my mantel, but I can't say for certain whether it has upped our luck or not!
Solar Waving Lucky Cat
In Japan, red lanterns, or akachochin (赤提灯), are the universal sign post for izakayas (居酒屋), or pub-like spaces where individuals can gather and drink after work. (The Japanese word izakaya consists of three kanji meaning “stay-drink-place").
Red Round Paper Lantern (Wire Frame)
Louis Malle's iconic postwar French thriller is probably the greatest “Jazz Movie" of all time, thanks to its unforgettable score by Miles Davis, who improvised it while watching footage from the film. No better decor for a jazz kissa space!
Elevator to the Gallows Japanese Chirashi Handbill
Streamlined, modern Hasami Porcelain glassware courtesy of top Japanese glass manufacturer Toyo Sasaki Glass; perfect for imbibing in a glass of shōchū!
Glass Tumbler
I'm obsessed with these beautiful fish-themed chopsticks (complete with their own serving stand), perfect for indulging in classic izakaya fare like tamagoyaki (a rolled omelette), takoyaki (fried octopus balls), or okonomiyaki (a savory pancake).
Porcelain Chopsticks and Rests Set - Fish
I love the unusual green gradient of this sake set from Japanese glassware company Musubi Kiln, made in the “Ginsai style,” a technique of applying transparent or five-color glaze atop silver foil.
Ginsai Camellia Kutani Sake Set
A Japanese poster for the re-release of classic concert film Jazz on a Summer's Day (1959), which captures the (unreal) lineup of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival: Thelonious Monk, Anita O'Day, Dinah Washington, Chuck Berry, Chico Hamilton, Louis Armst...
Jazz on a Summer's Day Japanese Movie Program
Food and Drink
Jazz kissa may primarily exist to play music, but the food and drink are a crucial part of the nightclub experience, encouraging patrons to linger long into the night.
A helpful primer on the izakaya foodie culture of Japan: the food, norms, and colorful history of a pub culture that dates back to the Edo period (c. 1603-1867), when sake bars began serving food alongside their food, inspiring patrons to stay longer...
Come and Discover the Charm of Japan's Izakaya Culture
Japan's legendary cocktail culture seems so out of reach over here in the United States, but popular Japanese cocktails can be easily made at home! I particularly loved making and imbibing in the lemon chuhai, a refreshing blend of shōchū (rice wine)...
5 Japanese Cocktails That Are Easy to Make at Home
This Japanese snack subscription service — available in bimonthly, 6 month, and annual subscription tiers — sends rotating, curated snack products from Japan, many of which we purchased for our own jazz kissa-themed party. Japanese snack culture rema...
Japan Crate
The Japanese Pantry supplies artisan Japanese culinary products, including these adorable bundles of three Japanese spice blends, crucial to enlivening pub fare: Sansho Powder, Shichimi Togarashi, and Yuzu Shichimi Togarashi!
Yamatsu Tsujita Spice Bundle