The Mixmag Asia Music Guide: Japan

Japan’s music scene is a world of its own.

Sure, Tokyo may dominate the narrative with its neon-soaked streets, relentless energy, and a pulse you can almost hear in the air, but beyond the capital’s fast-paced rhythm lies cities waiting to be explored, each with its own unique tempo.

This guide is your cue to widen the lens, move past the usual hotspots and experience the shift in atmosphere city by city — not just in the clubs, but in carefully curated vinyl shops, intimate listening bars, and venues where sound is treated with reverence.

Most come to Japan chasing those elusive after-dark moments where time blurs, and a quiet drink turns into a deep session with a stranger’s record collection. Whether you're after a dancefloor epiphany or a perfectly placed track over a highball, consider this your starting point.

After dark, Tokyo transforms into a vibrant circuit of neon-drenched streets, music bars, dancefloors and late-night hideouts driven by instinct, not algorithms.

An undisputed destination of many big names travelling to Asia, the city (literally) hums with sound. Music seeps through basements, back alleys, and low-lit lounges, each space offering its own take on what a night out should feel like—whether it’s a crisp, reverb-laden room that lets dancers lose themselves or an intimate corner designed for connection.

From laser-filled spaces to listening bars calibrated with audiophile precision, Tokyo is always alive with sound—you just have to tune in.

Located right in front of Miyashita Park, Music Bar Lion is a vibrant music bar that hosts events nearly every night (harder on the weekends). The venue boasts a genre-blending atmosphere, featuring music and occasionally live from hip hop to house and rap. The bar menu here is abundant and Habushu (Okinawan snake wine) shots are highly recommended.

Circus Tokyo, the Shibuya sibling of Circus Osaka, is an intimate two-floor haven for those who know. It’s all about quality over quantity here; a crisp soundsystem, top-notch bookings, and a community that’s in it for the music. The main floor downstairs features a lofty ceiling that gives dancers the room (and reverb) to lose themselves in the groove. And yes, the bouncer might be covered in ink and look a bit intimidating — but relax, this isn’t Berghain. Be cool, be polite, and you’re golden.

Record Bar Analog’s soundsystem features vintage gear like Altec A7 speakers, Altec 1569A amps, Altec 1567A preamps, and Garrard 301 turntables. What makes it unique is its bold, genre-defying playlist; while the setup feels like an old-school jazz café, you’ll hear everything from modern pop to r'n'b, city pop, and classic kayōkyoku. Guests can even dig through the record racks and request a track, keeping the night spontaneous and personal.

A sister outpost of Record Bar Analog, Music Bar Bounce in Shibuya strikes a sweet spot between listening bar and dancefloor. With its graffiti-splashed walls and live DJ sets spinning hip hop, soul, r'n'b, reggae, funk, and jazz, it's a vibrant hangout for crate-diggers and club kids alike.

WOMB is known for its diverse programming, hosting international heavyweights like DJ Nobu, Black Coffee and Peggy Gou on the main floor, while spotlighting local underground talents across its sub-floors. Regularly featured in Mixmag’s global club rankings, it remains one of Tokyo’s most respected and influential club institutions — a place that has truly perfected the formula.

Located in Minami-Aoyama, VENT is one of Japan’s premier venues dedicated to techno and house music. Over the years, the space has hosted an impressive line-up of names, including the late, great Andrew Weatherall, Richie Hawtin, and Dixon. With its focus on high-quality bookings and a minimal, audiophile-friendly space, VENT continues to be a key player of Tokyo’s clubbing scene.

SALOON, an affiliated venue of UNIT, flips the script with a darker, more intimate vibe; think lounge meets lair. Perfect for bar-side banter or slipping into a deeper sonic headspace, it’s hosted crews like TOKYO VITAMIN and FULLHOUSE. With its late-night lean and underground charm, SALOON has quietly become a go-to haunt for Tokyo’s nocturnal music connoisseurs.

Mitsuki never plays out the same way twice — but one thing’s for sure: you’re in for a proper night. This moody, dimly lit spot keeps it simple with quality sound, solid drinks, and a touch of mystery. With past guests like Roman Flügel, Jane Fitz, and Lena Willikens, you know the bookings are serious. Open nearly every day, it’s the kind of place you hit when you're after something raw, refined, and refreshingly no-nonsense.

Tucked just five minutes from Nakameguro Station, Solfa has been blending hip hop, dance music, and club culture into daily life since opening its doors on September 5, 2008. With its warm, wood-accented interior that feels more like your favourite café than a nightclub, Solfa is a two-floor hideout where the main floor brings the energy and the lounge upstairs keeps things laid-back. It holds a tight-knit crowd of 150 to 200, and boasts a powerful RCF system—often referred to as the "Ferrari of speakers".

Jazzy Sport is more than just a label and vinyl records/cassettes store — it’s a cultural epicentre where music, fashion, and community seamlessly intersect. Founded by Taro Kesen and Masaya Fantasista, the brand regularly collaborates with both international and local brands, these stores can be a gateway for anyone curious about the intersection of music, fashion, and sports culture.

Osaka moves to its own rhythm; grittier, cheekier, and less polished than Tokyo, but all the more magnetic for it.

While most visitors head straight for the neon buzz of Dotonbori, those who stick around quickly learn that Osaka’s real charm lives in its backstreets, record shops, and underground events. The nightlife scene is close-knit but far from exclusive—a mix of veteran selectors, sonic risk-takers, and spaces that reward curiosity.

Plans are optional here. All you need is an open ear and the nerve to follow the locals into the unknown.

Just a short walk from Shinsaibashi Station, BAR Inc is Osaka’s low-key gem in Minami-Senba; raw concrete, five-metre ceilings, and a vibe that balances gritty and sleek. The open-floor planning is built for movemebt, with a bar counter, tables, and a floor that calls you to dance. The sound? Pristine, thanks to a d&b audiotechnik system that does every beat justice. And the DJs? From legends like Wata Igarashi, ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U, and Satoshi Tomiie to exciting new talents the booth stays busy.

Located in the heart of Amemura, on the second floor of a graffiti-covered building, this venue has been a pillar of Osaka’s dance music, techno, and J-rap scene for over a decade. Known for being the first venue to book Peggy Gou in Japan, CIRCUS Osaka has built a reputation for effortlessly mixing heavyweight names with emerging, under-the-radar talents. Armed with a razor-sharp VOID system, it’s where you go to lose track of time—and possibly your mind—in all the right ways.

Right next to Triangle Park in Osaka’s vibrant Amerikamura, Copy Art Collective is part furniture store, part cultural shapeshifter. By day, it sells design-forward pieces—some of which find their way onto the dancefloor, setting an atmosphere that's anything but off-the-shelf. By night, it flips the script with events that span fashion, music, and everything in between. The programming is irregular in the best way—drawing in seasoned heads and wide-eyed newcomers alike. With line-ups that bridge Osaka and Tokyo, it’s a spot where Japan’s underground scenes meet, mingle, and move.

It might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but Osaka boasts a surprisingly deep-rooted reggae culture, and at the heart of it is King’s Tones Lounge. Perched just above Circus Osaka in the ever-buzzing Nakanishi Building, it’s not unusual to see people flowing between floors like it’s all part of the night’s natural rhythm. Flanked by bars and clubs, this low-key lounge offers a safe haven for you to unwind, vibe out, and catch up over drinks.

Digging for vinyl in Osaka? ISANDLA is an essential. Located in Chuo-ku, this independent gem is run by a globe-trotting DJ who spins across Japan and crates in New York. The selection is tight—Japanese street sounds, hip-hop, funk, jazz, soul, plus plenty of those far-out leftfield finds. More than a record tore, ISANDLA is a cultural outpost for deep heads and curious collectors alike.

Located in Tanimachi 6-chome, aka ‘Tani-roku’, a charming old-school neighborhood slightly removed from the bustle of Shinsaibashi in Osaka’s city center, Maradona deals in all genres. Opened in September 2021, the store both buys and sells records, keeping its selection fresh and ever-changing.

Revelation Time is a low-key gem nestled in Osaka’s Minami-Senba; a second-hand record store that’s quietly made a name for itself among global vinyl aficionados. Known for its top-notch curation of leftfield dance music, the shop serves up everything from dusty disco cuts and deep house grooves to rootsy reggae, Japanese ambient, and elusive rare pressings. For crate-diggers and discerning selectors, it’s a trusted haven where every bin tells a story.

Newtone Records is a crate-digger’s haven and a cornerstone of Osaka’s electronic music scene, tucked away in Nishi-Shinsaibashi. Renowned for its deep selection of imported vinyl, the shop zeroes in on house, techno, disco, dub, and the more offbeat corners of experimental sound. Whether you're a DJ hunting for dancefloor gold or a collector chasing rarities, Newtone’s globally minded curation keeps things fresh, unexpected, and seriously heady.

A beloved gem in the Osaka scene, Wonderful Noise is an independent label and record store renowned for its finely curated crates of rare grooves, jazz, soul, and underground hip-hop. It's a go-to haven for diggers hunting sounds you won’t stumble across just anywhere.

Located in Kitahama, this record store (and more) offers a view facing Nakanoshima Park and the O River. Known for its unique selection, Compufunk also serves as a creative hub for the local music scene, blending record collecting with live music experiences. Occasional parties feature artists both from local and abroad.

Kyoto might be known for its temples, teahouses, and centuries of tradition, but when the sun sets, the city hums with a different kind of spirit.

Beneath the quiet streets and historic facades, there’s a soulful music scene moving at its own independent pace. It’s less about flash, more about feeling and intimacy.

The city leans more into community; small bars where the owner knows your favourite record, basement venues where genres melt into each other, and parties where a drum loop or jazz sample might carry you into dawn. It’s where the nights linger closer to your heart, the soundsystems are lovingly built, and the memories feel special.

Located in Kyoto’s historic Pontocho district, West Harlem boasts front-row views of the Kamo River and a soundsystem that doesn’t mess around. Outfitted with a permanent Saikou Onkyo (Supreme Sound System), it delivers deep, high-resolution, and powerful sound. Week after week, heavyweight DJs and globe-trotting producers light up the decks, while a sharp roster of rising local talent keeps things simmering till sunrise.

A record store offering a diverse selection of genres, including techno, house, reggae, hip hop, jazz, and rock, with a focus on vinyl and cassette tapes. The store, which opened in July 2022, features around 5,000 items, with 80% of them being used records and 20% new releases. In addition to its unique collection, Sixth Garden Records hosts occasional in-store DJ events, which are also shared on their YouTube channel.

Tucked away in Kyoto’s historic Gion district, and you'll find Jazzy Sport Kyoto; a cultural playground where music, fashion, and community effortlessly collide. From rare vinyl gems to street-savvy apparel and accessories, the shop reflects the brand’s signature fusion of sound and sports culture. And if you time it right, you might catch one of their impromptu in-store DJ sessions—part listening lounge, part local hangout.

Located in Kyoto’s Sakyo ward, Metro is one of the city’s longest-running underground venues—and for good reason. With a reputation for its deep, immersive atmosphere and a music line-up that runs from thumping electronic nights to eclectic live acts, it draws in a crowd as diverse as its sound. A cornerstone of Kyoto’s nightlife, it’s the kind of place where locals and curious travellers cross paths on the dancefloor. If you're looking to party in Kyoto, Metro would be your ideal destination.

For those who prefer vibes over volume, sibasi offers the perfect escape. This beautifully restored 100-year-old machiya blends traditional Japanese charm with a sleek café-kissa atmosphere. Its centrepiece? A warm, rich vacuum tube audio system paired with a handpicked vinyl collection that elevates every moment. By day, enjoy a diverse menu—from iconic Kyoto sweets to unique treats like steamed dumplings and custard pudding—alongside soft drinks and cocktails. By night, sibasi shifts gears, hosting curated exhibitions and events that speak to a more refined crowd.

Meditations is a well-loved record store in Kyoto known for its carefully curated selection of ambient, experimental, electronic, and spiritual jazz records. Tucked away near Demachiyanagi, it’s a go-to spot for crate diggers seeking deep cuts and rare finds. Beyond records, the shop also stocks books, cassettes, and art zines, reflecting its roots in underground and alternative culture.

Hachi Record Shop and Bar is a laid-back vinyl bar and record shop set inside a beautifully renovated traditional machiya townhouse, located in what was once a historic red-light district of Kyoto. While the vibe is relaxed and unpretentious, jazz takes centre stage both in the records for sale and the sounds filling the room. It’s a mellow hideout where locals and travelers gather over good music, quality drinks and vibes.

VIVA LA MUSICA! is Kyoto’s chill restaurant bar and live DJ haven. Expect a rich soundtrack of Afro, Latin, Brazilian, and percussion-driven grooves that pulse through the space. The beats blend tradition with fresh energy, creating a vibrant soundscape that’s as immersive as it is infectious. And with a top-tier rum selection on hand, you’ve got the perfect recipe to vibe out and let the music lead the night.

Elle Katayama is an intern writer for Mixmag Asia, follow her on Instagram.

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