Public Story
The Owners
I have been privileged to explore Japan’s incredible subculture of jazz bars and kissaten coffee shops - many of which opened after World War II - and it is a hidden, insular world which is slowly vanishing in the face of changing trends. Since the project began, at least 15 of the bars and cafes photographed have closed, and more continue to do so; time is ticking to record the remaining ones (approximately 125) before these living museums of musical culture disappear forever from Japan’s urban landscape. As much as the music and interiors are the raison d'être of Japanese jazz joints, their heart and soul is the owners. I have experienced firsthand their unique passion for the music, jaw-dropping jazz stories, incredible vinyl collections, and sheer perseverance and humility in the face of changing trends, an ageing customer base and rising rents; they are in every sense, true, living treasures. This page is my dedication to them: both those who were photographed, and those who weren't.
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