One night of music

Established 40 years ago, Grandfather’s is the current daddy of the city’s vintage music bar scene. The snug venue pioneered a playlist style that was uncommon at the time, blending together rock LPs one song at a time. Today, the tunes are a selection of popular music (mainly AOR, funk and soul) from the ’70s, when vinyl records were mainstream. After all these years, the interior is unchanged but well maintained, adding an extra level of charm to the music.

The jazz-focused Intro is narrow and cramped, even by Tokyo standards where almost every bar is ‘intimate’, but the warm welcome compensates for the lack of elbow room. There is live music three to four nights a week, but it’s more of a casual ‘drop in and play’ affair than a polished gig experience. This adds to the charm though and anyone from students to moonlighting stars can be found jamming away on any given night.

One of Shibuya’s many ‘box clubs’, this DJ bar in the back streets of the Jinnan district is known for hosting the occasional secret set from big-name spinners. No matter who is playing the small dance floor, 20 is a crowd here, meaning more enthusiastic foot tapping and less aggressive booty-shaking. The capital’s audiophiles praise Koara’s sound system as one of the finest in town – hear it for yourself on the weekend, when up-and-coming local spinners usually take charge of proceedings. Entrance fees are rare and drinks are very reasonably priced.

Think ’Tokyo music bar’ and you’ll probably imagine something like Berkana: a moody, classy corner of the otherwise sterile Yebisu Garden Place. Its large windows look out over the JR train tracks, while the drink menu lists a rotating selection of Japanese craft beer, more than 200 kinds of whisky, almost as many types of gin and cocktails crafted by the resident mixologist. They play jazz and domestic indie pop most nights, but Saturdays see a guest DJ step into the booth and take control of the perfectly configured sound system – the crystal clear Tannoy speakers and powerful McIntosh amp will make you feel like you are hearing even old classics for the first time.

Fancy a walk on music’s wild side? Then make for this Sangenjaya bar. Its set-up is supremely simple – a DJ booth in the back and a small dance floor – but the tunes on offer are always wonderfully eclectic. You might hear spaced-out disco and house one night, ‘rare groove’ (obscure soul, jazz or funk) the next. Partly thanks to its lack of space, Tengu Shokudo is also the kind of place where you’re expected to make friends with the regulars – something that shouldn’t be very hard after a few drinks, and perhaps a plate of the owner’s homemade gyoza or curry.