Kobe's Urban Jazz
Over a century ago, unfamiliar rhythms sailed into Kobe on ships bound for ports around the globe. Part of Western culture that entered Japan when its ports were opened, jazz took root in this city in the most natural way imaginable, its rhythms bursting through sailors’ radios and drifting across café stages, seeping into the veins of the city. Jazz may be of the moment, but its impact on Kobe was no passing fad.
Sone
Taste of Kobe Jazz
Sone, a jazz club that serves affordable meals and hosts some of Kobe’s bestknown jazz bands, first opened its doors in 1969. The elegant decor, understated lighting and mesmerizing live performances all add to its upscale atmosphere. Different artists take the stage every day, and various styles of jazz are showcased. With the seats so close to the stage, viewers can count on exceptionally intimate performances.
- kobe-sone.com
Kobe Jazz Street
When the Street Becomes a Stage
Kobe Jazz Street is an annual jazz festival held in the city’s Kitano District in October each year. Around 10 venues on the street, including churches, hotels and other spaces, host jazz shows that range from classic jazz to swing and bebop. Anyone wearing the festival wristband can freely waltz from one show to the next, as if the neighborhood were one big jazz club. This historic festival, which has been held since 1982, is not just a musical celebration. It’s a chance to discover why Kobe is touted as the birthplace of Japanese jazz.
- kobejazzstreet.gr.jp
Mokuba’s Tavern
Legendary Artists’ Haunt
This small jazz café set up shop in a basement of the Sannomiya area in 1977. Live shows kicked off in 1978, and it relocated to the Tor-West shopping area after the Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995. The café was frequented by luminaries including filmmakers Abbas Kiarostami and Edward Yang, writer Shuntaro Tanikawa and jazz musician Akira Sakata. More than just a jazz venue, it stands as a cultural symbol of Kobe.
- mokuba-kobe.com
Voice
A Cup of Coffee Amid 7,000 Vinyl Albums
What began as a curry restaurant called Savoy is now a charming retro jazz café named Voice with over 7,000 vinyl albums in its collection. At a time when compact discs were popular, Voice held on to its love for vinyl records. Today, it’s famous for the jazz that plays from its Altec 604B speakers. Not just for jazz enthusiasts, this inclusive place is for anyone who wants to kick back and enjoy some great music.
- jazz-voice.biz
Chicken George
The Beating Heart of Kobe’s Musical Culture
Live House Chicken George is one of Kobe’s oldest music halls. Now in its fourth incarnation, the club is the veritable mecca of live music in Kobe, hosting rock shows and other genres of music. It had to move from its initial location on the second floor of a cabaret to the first floor because the floor trembled from the sheer number of patrons. Even today, major bands and indie musicians representing a wide range of generations and genres play here.
- chicken-george.co.jp
- Written by Tsunemi Daisuke
- Korean Air operates direct flights between Incheon and Kobe 14 times a week.
