Surprisingly or not, there are many live houses in Tokyo. However, with only a few really big and well-known live houses, the majority of them are actually hidden in a small building and on the basement floors. Therefore it might be tricky to find them at first. But no worries! We are bringing you a list of some of the most recommended spots. 

Blue Note Tokyo

Blue Note Tokyo is going to be probably the biggest and the most famous life house on this list. This well-established venue is the place to be if you want to enjoy live jazz music. Conveniently located in the posh Aoyama district, this place offers live performances by the best artists, as well as an upscale food and drink menu. For more information about the performance schedule, visit their website. 

Kakado

Another fairly popular live house is one called Kakko in Ochanomizu. Unlike Blue Note Tokyo, Kakado focuses on acoustic music. In addition to the quite big size of the venue, it gives you really good vibes and a cozy atmosphere. You can check their policy and schedule here. 

Mona Records

When writing about a music scene in Tokyo, you cannot avoid writing about Shimokitazawa locations as well. The one we recommend is Mona Records. The place is famous for hosting J-indie artists and for the great atmosphere. The live house is on the 3rd floor, while on the 2nd floor you will find a nice cafe with great food to have before the show. 

KGR (N)

As a contra to the previous place in Shimokita, KGR is located in the less expected area for the live house, in Kagurazaka. However almost right away after it opened in 2017 it became one of the hottest venues in the city. Hence, if you are considering visiting it, you better make your reservation a couple of months in advance. The space itself will give you great vibes, so you can be sure, you are going to have the time of life here. 

Cotton Club

Last but not least on this list, Cotton Club in Marunouchi, which was opened in 2005. The idea of this venue is to bring back the glory of the golden age of the original Cotton Club from New York, which gave a stage to big names such as Duke Ellington and many other great artists. Not just the idea of this live house is nice, but the whole space looks like something that could be on Broadway. A nice evening here will become a cherished memory for anyone. 

With so many great options, it is very easy to get lost and not know where to go. We hope you liked our offers. If you have your own recommendations, we would like to know them. Please leave them in the comments.