"Tokyo Jazz Joints": Celebrating the Kissa Jazz Culture of Japan

Japanese-style bars may be the newest and most prominent trend in American bar culture today, but their high-end sound systems and sophisticated aesthetics stem from a much more humble model:Jazz kissaIn Japan, the bar style is unpretentious, serving inexpensive drinks and a "treasure trove" of music on hard drives, curated by the owner for customers to enjoy. Imagine this model as a beloved, long-established pub in the neighborhood, with a vast collection of vinyl records and jazz CDs.

Although Jazz kissa may have been the origin of the aforementioned trend, this model is gradually disappearing in its home country of Japan due to an aging customer base, rising business costs, changing popular music tastes, and the growing threat of urbanization.

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To celebrate the unique atmosphere and long history of jazz kissas, author James Catchpole and photographer Philip Arneill collaborated on Tokyo Jazz Joints, an evocative photo series about decades-old jazz kissas scattered throughout the neighborhoods of Japan's capital.

"Jazz kissa" is a shortened form of "kissaten," meaning "tea house" in Japanese. Jazz kissa culture began to gain popularity in Tokyo after World War II and peaked in the 1960s and 1970s. These tea houses became gathering places for the community to enjoy high-quality music, as buying records was too expensive for many. As captured in Arneill's photographs, these jazz kissa establishments are filled with classic records, pictures of music legends like Miles Davis and John Coltrane, and other souvenirs.

"Japanese jazz clubs are overflowing with love: a love for music; sound systems; record collections; alcohol; gatherings; shared interests between customers and owners... and human connection," Arneill shared.

The photo book Tokyo Jazz Joints is a collection of images of jazz bars and cafes in Japan, capturing the unique beauty of these cozy little spaces. This project was a collaboration between photographer Philip Arneill from Northern Ireland and American author James Catchpole, both of whom have lived in Japan for a long time. The book is 168 pages long, has a hardcover, and contains 129 color photographs.

The project began in 2015 with documenting jazz kissa venues in Tokyo, and has since expanded throughout Japan. These tranquil spaces for listening to jazz, where time seems to stand still, are depicted in the book as secluded from the hustle and bustle of modern cities. These spaces are gradually disappearing due to changing musical tastes, an aging clientele, and urbanization. The book aims to preserve the unique character of these venues before they vanish forever.

Tokyo Jazz JointsThe footage was taken over eight years, following a podcast and magazine of the same name. In a podcast episode titledAn Irishman and an American Walk into A Jazz Joint(An Irishman and an American walk into the jazz club), Arneill describes the photographs of this space as "personal and passionate tributes to a genre of music that has become deeply ingrained in modern Japanese music culture."

"The project captures the essence of these hidden gems, from incredibly narrow staircases to cramped spaces tinged with the smoke of years gone by – all adorned with mementos and vinyl record collections."

Upon its initial release, the limited edition of the book quickly sold out earlier this year. However, you can still purchase a second reprinted edition.Tokyo Jazz JointsIt's priced at $85 on Amazon. Visit the Tokyo Jazz Joints website for more information about this project.

Thao Han