Words by Rafe Arnott, all photography courtesy Katsumasa Kusunose. Above: JAB, Fukuoka, March 17, 2018.
Few, if any, have documented the unique culture of traditional Japanese jazz kissa – or jazz cafes – to the extent photographer, writer and editor Katsumasa Kusunose has. It’s no stretch to suggest Kusunose has singlehandedly propelled – almost exclusively through social media – jazz kissa into the mainstream hi-fi and modern music cultural lexicon over the last two years.
He’s published several glossy magazines focusing on jazz kissa, including #VINYL, and Gateway to Jazz Kissa Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, but it is his Jazz Kissa 2014 Vol.1 and Jazz Kissa 2014 Vol. 2 which, at roughly 150 pages each, have created a cult following within the international high fidelity, jazz, DJ and recorded-music-centric communities.
The recent publication of Jazz Kissa 2015-2019 marks the end of the photography Kusunose had on file before Covid hit, and could be considerd the final instalment of that time period’s troika of coverage. I caught up with Kusunose via email following the flurry of activity that ensues when any of his publications goes to press and is available to order.
Photo below: Kusunose in Tokyo in 2019 with his beloved Pentax K-70 DSLR.
“Regardless of geographical location, I believe that Japanese jazz kissa are bound by a common bond. That is the extraordinary affection for “jazz” that is poured into the store. It is a devoted predilection for musicians, records and audio."
–Katsumasa Kusunose
Resistor Mag: Jazz Kissa 2015 – 2019 picks up where Jazz Kissa 2014 Vol.1 and Vol.2 leave off. I get quite sentimental and nostalgic going through photographs from the past, what was it like for you to revisit these images while planning and laying out this book?
Katsumasa Kusunose: “The most important thing when I'm shooting is to capture what I feel is that which the venue values the most. What I was most concerned about when creating these photobooks was to convey the characteristics of each space to the readers. Therefore, I focused on how to present the selection and layout of the photos so that the readers could understand the appeal of the shop. I never felt sentimental or nostalgic while doing this kind of work. However, when I look at these books after they are finished, I feel nostalgic about the time when I was shooting them.”
Resistor Mag: This new book focuses on Western Japan, what, if any differences, did you notice in the jazz kissa of the West vs. the East?
Katsumasa Kusunose: “It seems to me that there is little difference between jazz kissa in eastern Japan and western Japan. If there is a regional difference, it is that there is a difference between shops in big cities such as Tokyo and other regions. Due to high rents in big city stores, few of them have large enough environments from an audio standpoint. Also, in big cities, there are many shops inside multi-tenant buildings. On the other hand, in rural areas, there are many shops designed and built for audio, and they can produce enough volume. In terms of audio, there are many more excellent places in the countryside than in big cities. However, each jazz kissa in the big city has its own unique charm, and it is not possible to judge the superiority or inferiority of a jazz kissa only by the sound.”
Photo left: Jazz Kissa 2015-2019 carries on where Jazz Kissa 2014 Vol.1 & Vol. 2 leave off.
Resistor Mag: Is there always a similar underlying cultural/spiritual thread knitting jazz kissa together regardless of geographic location in your experience?
Katsumasa Kusunose: “Regardless of geographical location, I believe that Japanese jazz kissa are bound by a common bond. That is the extraordinary affection for “jazz” that is poured into the store. It is a devoted predilection for musicians, records and audio. They collect a lot of records for customers in the area where the store is located, upgrade the audio system and work on adjusting it every day. Many jazz kissa all over Japan are not satisfied with just listening to records, they invite American and European musicians to their hometowns to give locals the opportunity to listen to live jazz. And jazz kissa have provided venues for Japanese jazz musicians to perform for decades. Japan is one of the countries with the largest number of jazz fans in the world, and jazz kissa have played a very important role in contributing to such a situation.”
Resistor Mag: Do you have any plans to document the jazz kissa of the southern or northern islands of Japan? I imagine there must still be many undocumented jazz kissa.
Katsumasa Kusunose: “I have covered a lot of jazz kissa in the north island, but I haven't shot many jazz kissa in the south island yet. There are about 600 jazz kissa all over Japan, and I have photographed 200 of them. Over the next few years, I want to shoot the rest of the venues. I've published all the jazz kissa photos I've taken so far. Some people may be predicting that I will announce Jazz Kissa 2020-2021 next, but it will not be published. Why? Because in those two years I didn't shoot a single kissa because of Covid 19. In the last three years, including this year, I have only visited a jazz kissa twice. I have never visited a coffee shop or restaurant. I did all my work online and always ate at home. It was a miserable time. However, I have run out of photos on hand, so I have to go out and take pictures again."
Photo right: Kissa Kosho, Fukuoka, March 16, 2018
"Hopefully, Gateway To Jazz Kissa Vol.3 will be published in December. The theme of this magazine is "Inheriting and Continuing the Jazz Kissa.” I would like to give you an update on Jazz Time Johnny in Rikuzentakata City, which was featured on the cover of Vol.1, and introduce you to four wonderful jazz kissa. After that, my current goal is to publish #VINYL Issue 2 next February.”
Resistor Mag: Have you received any invitations to visit jazz kissa you’ve not covered yet?
Katsumasa Kusunose: “I have received requests to do interviews from stores with very nice audio equipment in the countryside. I would definitely like to go there. However, that kind of thing is rare, and most jazz kissa owners don't seem to know me yet. More than half of jazz kissa in Japan do not have social media accounts, and it is not uncommon for owners to not have email addresses. However, one of the pleasures of this job is finding jazz kissa all over Japan by searching the internet or by word of mouth from jazz kissa lovers like me, and making contact with them myself.”
Resistor Mag: Why do you think it is important to have the sense of collegiality and sharing of ideas in a kissa as opposed to the solitary audiophile or music lover experiencing jazz LPs at home?
Katsumasa Kusunose: “This is because there is a limit to what one person can do. Even if you think you're a great jazz maniac, there's a higher rank in the world. A jazz kissa will teach you that. Also, we often have a preconceived notion that we dislike the musician, even though we have never heard the musician's music. When you are sitting in a jazz kissa, it often happens that, against your will, someone plays music that you thought you didn't like, and you like it. In this way, you can expand your own knowledge by borrowing the power of others. Miles Davis once said in an interview with Rolling Stone, "Don't call it jazz, it's Social Music!” Jazz is truly about the connection between musicians, and it is born out of communication, including friction and conflict, and I think the same is true for listeners. Jazz kissa offer a thrilling experience that you cannot get if you stay in your home.”
Resistor Mag: Why do you think the jazz kissa model has engendered so much interest from foreigners?
Katsumasa Kusunose: “I think audiophiles were the first among foreigners to be surprised by jazz kissa. It is because in Japan high-end audio that is normally enjoyed at home or in a special space can be enjoyed in a casual coffee shop. It looks pretty insane when you consider the capital investment and running costs. On the other hand, many people must have thought that if there was a place like this in their neighborhood, it would be so wonderful. This kind of unique Japanese audio leisure land must have been very attractive to audiophiles in other countries. The other is music lovers, especially those who collect records. It is not difficult to imagine that the large number of records crammed into the walls of jazz kissa must have taken their breath away. And above all, I think they were impressed by the fact that the customers were quietly listening to music in a space with high-end audio equipment and a large collection of records. Today, people listen to music all day long with earphones, but few experience the power and beauty of sound coming out of a big speaker, vibrating the air. It is also rare for people to actively listen to music and focus their minds on it. A place called a jazz kissa, where you can get such an experience for just a cup of coffee, looks very attractive.”
Resistor Mag: Do you think the jazz kissa could have only started in Japan?
Katsumasa Kusunose: “It has already been 100 years since the birth of the record, but business models like jazz kissa were born only in Japan. There is room for many considerations as to why it was born only in Japan, but the question, "Was it born only in Japan?" is answered by the history of the past 100 years – it proves the question.
Photo above: Jazz Olympus!, Tokyo, May 30, 2018.
Resistor Mag: Did you expect such an overwhelming response to the jazz kissa series when you started it?
Katsumasa Kusunose: “When I started posting jazz kissa on Instagram, I never imagined that so many people would follow my account. Initially, I posted it as a memo, or a record of my visit to a jazz kissa. But, when I started adding audio-related hashtags such as #Hifiaudio and #Vintageaudio, and my followers steadily increased. That's how I learned that vintage audio is now popular all over the world. I could also feel the record boom. There is no doubt that one of the reasons why jazz kissa are gaining worldwide attention is the vintage audio and record boom.”
Resistor Mag: Because it is a revered and respected place of worship (of the playback of jazz music on mostly large-scale vintage hi-fi) would you consider jazz kissa an alternate religion of sorts?
Katsumasa Kusunose: “People overseas often liken jazz kissa to a temple, but I don't think that metaphor is appropriate at all. Sure, there may be people indulging in musical meditation in a jazz kissa, but next to them sits a man madly reading a manga. Others are gleefully rocking their bodies while drinking whisky. Interestingly, it's not uncommon for customers to have no interest in jazz or recognition of jazz. A lot of people don't even know anything about audio. They come to a jazz kissa simply because they like the space and atmosphere. At jazz kissa people are free to do whatever they want as long as it's not noisy, and everyone enjoys their time in their own way. It's happy chaos.”
Photo below: Elle Evans, Fukuoka, March 17, 2018.
Resistor Mag: Your closing comments in the new book touches on the death of several jazz kissa owners, and the closure of 11 shops before the book could be published. This beloved, albeit anachronistic culture seems to be disappearing with time’s relentless march, yet you remain optimistic of new jazz kissa opening. Can you explain?
Katsumasa Kusunose: “The popularity of jazz kissa exploded in the ‘60s, and the number continued to grow until the end of the ‘70s, when there were probably around 1,500 jazz kissa in Japan. After that, the number has continued to decrease over the past four decades leading up to present day, and now there are about 600. This number is unlikely to rise again to another peak. However, jazz kissa are jazz itself, and the history of jazz kissa can be said to be the history of jazz.
“Is it possible to predict that this music called jazz will disappear from this world now? In Japan, it has been said that “jazz is dead'' for about 50 years, and there has been a lot of controversy over this, but jazz continues to live on. What I can say for sure is that jazz is always changing with the times. Jazz, like other popular music, is a mirror of its time. And the jazz kissa is also a mirror of the times. As the times change, so does the appearance of jazz kissa. Jazz kissa were born in 1929. Most jazz kissas at that time were located in Ginza, Tokyo, and their customers were wealthy people who had become westernized. Female employees made gorgeous evening dresses based on pictures from Hollywood movies and served the customers in them."
“In the ‘60s, most customers at jazz kissa were students in their teens and 20s who had little money, and the coffee was not of the highest quality. The "no chattering rule" was born in the ‘60s, but by the late ‘70s, the number of establishments that adhered to this rule had plummeted. Thus, jazz kissa continue to transform themselves in accordance with the changing times. Indeed, today, the owners of the jazz kissa of the ‘70s heyday are aging, and one by one they are leaving the scene. But, new jazz kissa with a style more in tune with the current era are also emerging. The number of such cafes is still very small, but they are gradually increasing. The number of people who want to carry on the traditions of the great cafes is also going up little by little.
“And there is also a jazz kissa style that does not change in any era: It's an excellent audio and record collection, and a selection of music that satisfies the customers. Also, respect for the music and the musicians has always been the most important aspect of running a jazz kissa. As long as this policy is followed, customers who want jazz kissa will never disappear from this world. My theme for the December issue of Gateway To Jazz Kissa Vol. 3 is "Inheriting and Continuing the Jazz Kissa," with the intention of informing the public of these trends in the world.”
Photo above: Coffee & Session Pablo, Miyagi, July 28, 2018.
Resistor Mag: What advice would you give to foreigners looking to visit as many jazz kissa as they could on a holiday?
Katsumasa Kusunose: “First of all, I recommend going to a jazz kissa alone or with two people. Fewer than 10 out of 600 jazz kissa have adopted the "No Chattering Rule,” but they all dislike noisy customers. Be it listening to music or reading a book, understand that the majority of customers at jazz kissa want to be quiet. Also, they don't want you to stick with one beer for two or three hours. With the yen depreciating, eating and drinking in Japan is relatively cheap for foreigners, so I hope you will spend your money generously at all jazz kissa.”
Order your copy of Jazz Kissa 2015–2019 HERE. Follow Kusunose on Instagram HERE.
I would like to personally thank Katsumasa-san for his time and effort in answering my questions and for sharing so many personal insights into this, by Western standards, little-known world.
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