Tokyo's live music scene runs from intimate jazz counters to listening bars. The 10 below show why Japan's capital is one of Asia's deepest live music cities.
Part of our 20 Best Live Music Bars in the World listThis article is one chapter in our larger global guide. See the full pillar with every featured city.
Read the world list
The 10 best live music bars in Tokyo
01 · Tokyo
Shibuya
$$
Listening · Modern
Run by a Bar Benfiddich alum. Listening-bar format with cocktails.
Order: A specialist Japanese-spirit cocktail
02 · Tokyo
Takadanobaba
$$
Iconic jazz · 1960s vinyl
Iconic Takadanobaba jazz venue.
Order: A whisky during the late jazz set
03 · Tokyo
Aoyama
$$$
Iconic jazz · International
Blue Note's Tokyo outpost.
Order: A whisky during the headliner
04 · Tokyo
Marunouchi
$$$
Iconic jazz · Marunouchi
Iconic Marunouchi jazz club.
Order: A drink during the late set
05 · Tokyo
Shinjuku
$$
Jazz · Iconic 1965
Iconic Shinjuku jazz club opened 1965.
Order: A whisky during the experimental set
Weekly editorial
The bars worth going to, weekly.
One email per week. The bars our editors are recommending right now, across 60 cities worldwide.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
06 · Tokyo
Yokohama
$$
Iconic jazz · Yokohama
Iconic Yokohama jazz club.
Order: A whisky during the late jazz
07 · Tokyo
Koenji
$$
Live music · Local
Koenji local live music venue.
Order: A craft beer during the gig
08 · Tokyo
Ebisu
$$
Modern music venue
Ebisu modern music venue.
Order: A craft beer during the headliner
09 · Tokyo
Shibuya
$$
Modern music venue
Shibuya modern indie music venue.
Order: A craft IPA during the indie show
10 · Tokyo
Shibuya
$
Casual live music
Casual Shibuya live music spot.
Order: A drink during the live show
More Tokyo live musicThe full Tokyo live-music index by neighbourhood.
See the full list
How Tokyo listens to live music
The 10 above are where the music actually matters in Tokyo.
