Japanese listening bar guide

Listening bars are constantly evolving and gradually spreading around the world. Today, listening bars can be found in the trendiest towns and coolest neighborhoods, from Shibuya, Tokyo, to Brooklyn, New York. The best thing about them is that each one is completely different from the next.

What is a listening bar?

The listening stick does exactly what it says it does. This is where punters come to listen to music and drink. Listening bars come in all shapes and forms, but what usually unites guests is music and alcohol, although it must be noted that non-drinkers are also welcome.

Listening Bars are run by passionate music lovers whose main goal in life is to share their extensive music collection. Many people have boxes of records or CDs hanging on their walls. Sometimes this will be of a specific and very specific genre. Other times it will be a broad, far-reaching collection of anything and everything.

Patrons are expected to enjoy the music when they come in, so the atmosphere may be more suited to silence rather than chatting with a bartender for hours. No matter what happens, they often stop mid-sentence and change the tune.

History of the Listening Bar

Music or listening bars are the evolution of Japanese music cafes (Onle cat) first appeared in the 1920s. Cafe Lion, currently located on Dogenzaka Street in Shibuya, is said to be the first musical kiss tea shop, opening in 1926. Walking in, talking is prohibited, and the most noticeable thing are the two huge speakers in the front of the dark room, like a screen in a movie theater. Here, Cafe Lion plays classical music at high volume from opening to closing.

After Cafe Lion, musical kissers began appearing in a variety of music genres, from jazz to rock. Each place has two distinguishing features: huge speakers and a massive music collection. Rock & Roll Kissa first appeared in the 1970s, serving alcoholic beverages and staying open late. Probably the first time I listened to it.

Punters would gather and talk about rock music. In some rock bars, like the now-closed Blackhawk, conversation was forbidden. Today, most listening bars allow talking as long as it does not interfere with the music being played.

Ginza music bar

What to do at a listening bar

Heading to a listening bar on your own for the first time can be quite intimidating, but don’t worry. Follow our quick etiquette guide to provide the best experience for you and others around you.

common etiquette

Follow these rules and you’ll be fine:

• If so, speak quietly.
• Sit in your seat and keep your belongings nearby.
• Enjoy the music.
• Order a drink to support the bar.

Listening Bars in Tokyo

Here are some of the best listening bars in Tokyo to get you started.

blue on velvet

Blue on Velvet is a cool place in Koenji where you can request music from the master’s incredibly extensive collection. He had records and CDs on every surface, and he seemed to know where everything was. After ordering a drink, you’ll receive two song requests. If he doesn’t have one or both, you can ask for something different.

His collection is mainly Japanese music, but also has some Western rock music from the 1970s to 1990s. Even if you can’t think of anything to ask for, just hearing the regulars order their own music at the bar is fun enough. There is no doubt that you will discover more than just a new artist.

Music Bar Cave Shibuya

The Cave is located in the center of Shibuya and moved here from Yoyogi in 2021 after having settled in Yoyogi for more than ten years. The team behind Chiba Prefecture’s Kurkku Fields, a farm dedicated to promoting farm-to-table produce and city dwellers’ connection to nature, moved a high-end sound system along with 3,000 records to a basement space on Meiji Street.

The Cave offers fine cocktails and swiveling bar stools in a plush setting, and the records played tend toward easy-listening classics, including some soul, funk, and disco.

Ginza music bar

Ginza Music Bar is a side project of DJ Shinichi Osawa and coffee maker Nobuhiro Toriba. With its sweet, plush royal blue seating, gleaming wooden surfaces and impressive Tannoy speakers, Ginza Music Bar is a staple on your “listening bar list”. It has 3,000 vinyl records and an impressive DJ set-up, including a rotary mixer perfect for keeping keen DJs and analogue connoisseurs entertained.

The drinks menu is excellent and includes shaken, stirred and straight-up cocktails. The bar takes reservations so we recommend booking in advance as the bar can get busy.

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