Jazz kissa, sometimes transliterated as jazu kissa, are cafés that specialise in the playing and appreciation of recorded jazz music. Unique to Japan, jazz kissa are spaces where jazz music is played for dedicated listening rather than as background music. A typical jazz kissa features a high-quality stereo system, a large music collection and dim lighting, and serves coffee and alcoholic drinks.
Entrance of a jazz kissa in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo
A Ginza café in 1930
A jazz kissa's book collection containing copies of Swing Journal
Chigusa in Yokohama, which was one of Japan's oldest jazz kissa when it closed in 2022
Otomo Yoshihide is a Japanese composer and multi-instrumentalist. He mainly plays guitar, turntables, and electronics.
Otomo performing live at Club w71 in Weikersheim in 2007
Otomo Yoshihide playing live in May 2005
Otomo Yoshihide performing in Denmark