Known for their obsessively curated playlists and impeccably tuned sound systems, listening bars are a Tokyo institution. The city now has yet another of these audio temples, but not in a form you’d expect. Since January 2025, a mobile listening bar – composed of a classic British Mini and a towed ‘listening room’ campervan – has been popping up across some of the city’s trendier neighbourhoods. Often spotted near Ebisu, Sakurashinmachi and Jinbocho stations, the moving sound sanctuary has already delighted many a Tokyo audiophile and night owl.
The mobile listening bar wasn’t initially conceived as one at all. The twin brains behind the project, automotive guru Jinbo from Drivethru Magazine and Kiyota of the co-working space Village out in Hinohara, were developing a ‘mobile sustainable station’ – a campervan equipped with solar panels and batteries – at Village when they discovered their ride’s exceptional acoustic properties.
Enter sound engineer Komatsu of Komatsu Sound Lab, who transformed the van into an audiophile's dream, complete with vacuum tube amplifiers and pristine speakers. Better yet, the system is powered completely by electricity generated with solar panels.
The final piece of the puzzle came through a partnership with Shiori, the creative force behind minibar Midori, the bar component of the listening bar experience. On offer are quirky drinks like the Engine, an Italian organic gin mixed with soda and poured from a container resembling an engine oil can.
In a city known for its quirky pop-ups and dedication to audio perfection, maybe it was only a matter of time before we saw a record bar on wheels. This pop-up street listening bar is on a limited-time trial run and is scheduled to operate once a week until spring.
Be sure to check out the bar’s Instagram for its whereabouts.
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