October 27, 2023
September 19, 2023
Tokyo’s ‘Jazz Kissa’ Cafe Culture
Jazz Kissas in Tokyo, also known as jazz cafes or jazz bars, are unique and cozy establishments that cater to jazz enthusiasts and music lovers.
These intimate venues offer a relaxed and intimate atmosphere where patrons can enjoy listening to jazz music on high-quality audio systems while sipping drinks and subtly interacting with the cafe’s proprietor and other patrons.
Jazz Kissas are an integral part of Tokyo’s vibrant jazz scene and have a rich history dating back to the pre-WWII era, rising to prominence in the 1960s and 70s in Japan, as music connoisseurs huddled in comfortable settings to listen to the latest Miles Davis or John Coltrane records in high-fidelity.
September 12, 2023
Considering Tokyo? Start Here. [2023]
Japan’s capital city is massive, with over 14 million people, but that doesn’t create an overpowering atmosphere. Instead, Tokyo is one of the world’s friendliest, most welcoming capitals, with a vast array of neighborhoods just waiting for visitors to explore.
For close to three years, pandemic border controls halted foreign travel to Tokyo, leaving its cityscape, sights and scenes exclusively to locals.
Now, with international tourists welcomed back in full, those willing to explore beyond the busier districts of Harajuku, Shibuya and Shinjuku and wander down mazes of side streets in Sangenjaya or Shimokitazawa will find their own version of happiness sipping coffee in a charming kissaten, shopping the racks of a specialty boutique or taking refuge in many of Tokyo’s natural sanctuaries.
We like to think of Tokyo as “the capital of concealed treasures”, where you can imbibe at an intimate bar tucked up in a small office building or enjoy ultra-premium sushi hidden in plain sight.
January 1, 2020
MUSTARD HOTEL — SHIBUYA
Truly effective design bridges the gap between needs and requirements.
In this case, the needs are neighborhood access, convenience and practicality. The requirements are thoughtful, understated design, fair pricing and cohesiveness in experience.
Simple yet striking, MUSTARD HOTEL delivers a pronounced “secret ingredient” to Shibuya and its newly adorned Shibuya Bridge complex, as well as parallel properties in Asakusa — 1 & 2.
October 5, 2018
Aoyama Tunnel
Whether the intense energy of Shibuya draws you inward or outward on any given night, it’s always wise to stop in to Aoyama Tunnel — an uncommon venue known as one of Tokyo’s finest for mingling with creative clientele and enjoying expertly-curated musical selections.