The Musical Marvels of Tokyo - Week 1
Jackson Craun
Going into my Japan trip, I wanted to submerge myself in the music scene as much as possible. Having a month here gives me plenty of time to take advantage of the wide musical spectrum of the country, which apparently ranges from various forms of rock to intimate jazz. Sadly, my first week has been pretty slow in terms of progress.
In my defense, this past week has been extremely hectic. I've had criminally early mornings and irresponsibly late nights to ensure I got the most out of my limited time in Tokyo. My days were booked with visits and conferences with businesses throughout the city, and the free time I had was filled with thrifting, eating at restaurants and going to bars. However, I've had my moments.
A friend and I went to an underground jazz club in Shinjuku known as Naru. We watched a 30-minute long set of smooth jazz that rivals anything I've seen in the States. The performers consisted of a pianist, a violinist and a vocalist - all of whom excelled at their respective instruments. The violinist in particular, Noriko Satomi, blew my mind, and I grabbed her Instagram when she approached and welcomed us after the show. To my shock, the three of them had never performed live together, yet they had flawless chemistry. The venue itself was a cozy and intimate space, where everyone dressed fancy and sipped their whiskey slow. As my first introduction to the world of live music in Japan, it didn't disappoint.
Unfortunately, this didn't account for the specific area of research I've been assigned. I want to learn more about Japanese city pop, a popular genre of music that emerged in the '80s and regained popularity in the 2020s through TikTok. I've been a fan of the genre since its reemergence at this time, and I want to know about its relevance in Japan, its journey to the West, and other nuances about the genre from a Japanese and cross-cultural perspective. So, my first stop was Epulor.
I was told of a vinyl cafe and bar in Nakameguro that I thought would be a good starting point. Epulor was a small place, but once again, very cozy. It was packed to the brim when I got there, but the service was great regardless. They had a wall full of vinyl behind the bar and two turntables, and the music they played was consistently solid. The bartenders were busy and efficient. One of them spun and cleaned records simultaneously, seamlessly swapping records by placing one down on whichever turntable was open and transitioning between albums flawlessly. There was another bartender taking orders and managing the perpetual influx of customers. I ordered coffee and a dessert, but due to the busy atmosphere, I didn't interview anyone. However, I got the Instagrams of both the bar and one of the bartenders (who has nearly 40,000 followers from her vinyl page and also makes her own music). I might return to the bar at an earlier time on a less busy day, but if it doesn't work out, I can always ask my questions through a DM.
Despite it being an unproductive week in the research aspect, we have finally settled down in our hotel in Fukuoka, where we will stay for the remainder of the trip. For that reason, things should even out, and I can get comfortable looking into my project.
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