Step into one of the oldest standing jazz kissas in Japan.

Founded in 1933 by a 20-year old jazz lover named Mamoru Yoshida, Jazz Cafe Chigusa in Yokohama has long held the title of the oldest standing jazz kissa in Japan. One of the first of its kind to open at the dawn of Japanese jazz in the ’30s when kissa culture was just beginning, Chigusa (which translates to “Autumn Leaves”) remains a historic cultural landmark that has miraculously survived over the decades through multiple wars and re-developments. Listed on their website, Chigusa’s mission is “to inherit and promote jazz culture by overcoming many hardships.”

The cafe has been closed and rebuilt a number of times, including during World War II when the building and 6,000 records were destroyed in the Yokohama air raid. After Chigusa’s destruction, Yoshida returned from military service in 1947, collected over 1,000 more records, and restarted Chigasu. The jazz cafe would later close once again in 2007 when the second location had to be sold to developers. In 2012, a group of long-time fans and locals led by regular Masataka Yusare successfully resurrected Chigusa close to where it was originally opened in 1933 by Yoshida, who died in 1994 aged 81. For the past few years, Chigusa has been under reconstruction and slated to be re-opened in 2024 as “Jazz Museum Chigusa.”

The spirit of Chigusa lives on over the decades through the lasting impact of founder Mamoru Yoshida, who grew up around U.S. military bases in Yokohama and fell in love with jazz while enjoying the sounds of Toshiko Akiyoshi, Sadao Watanabe, and Terumasa Hino at clubs. He devoted himself completely to studying jazz and would apparently spend 30 to 40% of his salary on importing records from the United States. The music in the collection ranges from old-time swing to ’80s fusion and modern, experimental jazz. Photos of legends like Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Mal Waldron, Thelonious Monk, Joe Zawinul, and others line the walls along with numerous signed autographs from esteemed visitors. It is said that famous musicians would often visit Chigusa to listen and even take advice from Yoshida, who was renowned across Japan for his deep understanding of jazz.

Below, watch a calming tribute video (shot in 2022 shortly before the last location had to be closed) that perfectly captures the feeling of stepping into Chigusa during a cloudy afternoon, drinking coffee, and listening to jazz records on the massive custom-built soundsystem.