The Ultimate Guide To Japan’s Music Scene

by Kito Jempere

The Ultimate Guide To Japan’s Music Scene

10 Jan 2025

On January 17, 2025, The Sandy Times and Honeycomb Hi-Fi present a party you won’t want to miss. Legendary underground DJ and vinyl maestro Kenji Takimi will spin his signature dreamy blend of house and disco beats right in the heart of the city. Joining him is none other than Kito Jempere, taking the stage at 9 pm.

Ahead of the event, we decided to immerse ourselves in the Japanese music scene and — surprise! — ended up with a comprehensive guide. From world-class DJs and iconic venues to hidden record shops and must-follow artists, this is your chance to dive deep into Japan’s unparalleled music culture. Don’t miss the party this Friday, January 17, and prepare to experience Japanese music at its finest.

Reserve a spot now

Kito Jempere insights

I love Japan — so much that even my name, Kito Jempere, reflects this affection (though I have mentioned this in many interviews before). To me, Japan isn’t just an island, a land, or a country — it is a state of mind. And it aligns beautifully with the music I create and adore.

My personal experience in Japan

My journey with Japan’s music culture began in 2017 when my album Sea Monster was released there as a special CD edition, complete with a customised tracklist and, of course, the iconic obi strip.

Japan’s love for physical music products is unparalleled. Nowhere else in the world will you find so many stores dedicated to selling CDs. This passion inspires me to continue releasing music on vinyl and CDs. Their attention to detail in music is astonishing — sometimes fans uncover facts about my own work that even I didn’t know (laughs). Here is an example from Jet Set Records.

In Japan, you can trust that anything related to music will be deeply considered and never shallow. This passion also birthed the global trend of listening bars, which are now among the most popular venue formats worldwide — and this is just the beginning of their ascent.

Exploring Tokyo's vibrant venues

I have been fortunate to play at two of Tokyo’s most iconic venues:

— VENT: Known for having the world’s best sound system, VENT is the finest club I have ever experienced.

— Bonobo: A mind-blowing, 3-floor space that feels more like an adventure than a bar. Sometimes Bonobo is so packed you literally have to climb over people’s bodies — but it is always an unforgettable journey.

If you are in Tokyo, don’t miss the Yes Chef! parties — I believe they have been doing the best parties in Tokyo recently.

Insights from Max Essa

To dive deeper into Japan’s modern DJ scene, I spoke with my friend Max Essa. Based in Tokyo, Max invited me to perform at Bonobo and has worked with me on numerous remixes. By the way, one of my favourite mixes on STR, was recorded by Max.

Here is what Max shared:

— What is the modern Japanese DJ scene like? What influenced it most in the past few years?

— Thanks to social media and the fact that we are all ‘connected’ now, the DJ scene here isn’t too different from other countries. Techno and harder house sounds dominate, but in large cities like Tokyo, you will find an incredible array of sounds and genres to be heard in a mind-boggling selection of DJ bars and small clubs, all open until the sun comes up!

— How has Japanese music evolved over the past 10–15 years?

— One of the things I have noticed since I moved here 17 years ago is that there seems to be a lot more connection and collaboration between Japanese artists and overseas labels now, which I don’t think was the case to such a degree, in previous years. Again, I suspect that happens due to how much easier it is for people to reach out to producers, artists, labels etc, and that is a good thing for everybody.

— What are the big names to follow?

— There are a lot…

Artists: Satoshi & Makoto, Timeless Echoes, Sapphire Slows, Shimpei Watanabe, Yuu Udagawa, Kross Section, Ogawa & Tokoro.

DJs: Gonno, Moodman, Chida, Souta Raw, Palm Babys, Yamarchy, Ririko Nishikawa, Kengo, DJ Shikisai, plus crews like CYK, Million Dollar Sounds, Vinyl Youth, and Timothy Really.

Venues/Parties: Santeria at Red Bar in Aoyama, Wow! Signal at Mitsuki, Yes Chef! at Oath in Shibuya, Bridge in Shinjuku, Aoyama Tunnel, NUMM in Shibuya, Vent in Minami Aoyama, and HVEN in Nakameguro.

Thoughts from Joe Oliver (Yes Chef!)

On why Japanese scene is special

Bearing in mind I have only been living here and active in the local scene for about 6 years, my observations are that the Japanese scene is absolutely full of world-class DJs in every genre. By far some of the most gifted selectors in terms of selection and technical skill. Particularly, vinyl DJs.

I think the amount of high-quality record shops, with incredibly well looked after second hand records, and people's continued love of analogue formats is partly behind it.

There are local DJs here who are true masters of their craft, but for whatever reason (language, cultural barriers etc.) don't make the step to move outside of Japan and put themselves out there.

Also, Tokyo (and Japan in general, I guess) has the highest number of bars and small clubs (often referred to as a 'box' in Japanese) I believe. So there are an incredible number of DJs playing every day of the week. Even if it is only to one or two customers!

On the audience

In general, the underground scene is very small for the 'largest city in the world'. Lots of bars, clubs and venues. Lots of DJs. Not many customers.

There is very little party culture here compared to somewhere like Europe. But that means that almost everyone in the crowd is there for the music in the first place, and usually they really know their stuff too!

On the challenges

In Japanese slang there is a derogatory phrase: 'pari-pi' which translates roughly to 'party person', for people who go to clubs often. It has very negative connotations in Japan, so the image of people who go to parties is that the are 'losers' or 'wasters'.

Over the last 6 years or so, some of Tokyo's biggest underground clubs like Contact and Vision have closed, which has shifted the emphasis back to smaller, more underground boxes like Mitsuki in Shibuya.

I think currently the scene lacks emerging young DJ talent and customers, so venues often do discounted prices and campaigns aimed at U23s for example.

On the prospects

That being said, there are some very exciting young DJs and crews emerging all the time, from different cities around the country. We played in Vent recently with support from young crews who had come to Tokyo from Kobe, Fukuoka, Nagoya and more. It is good that the Tokyo venues are reaching out to players in other cities around the country.

I would say that house music has struggled over the last few years, and techno has been growing even more in popularity. We seem to be at least slightly immune to some of the European-led trends of the past five years though. DJs here are confident in driving things forward their way.

On the big names to follow

Here is a list of some of the big names (besides the known OGs like Nobu, Chida, Masda etc.):

— Samo: Mixed-race female DJ out of Osaka, absolutely smashing it recently. Playing everywhere; solo and as part of the FullHouse crew. Also involved with a massively popular regular Amapiano night called Amapinight.

— Stones Taro: A producer/DJ from Kyoto making some of the best UK Garage right now. Increasingly popular in the UK and Europe, he has started touring there now too. Stones Taro is part of the Kyoto crew NC4K who put out a lot of great releases.

— Eve: A young Tokyo-based Korean hard techno DJ who has started her own massively popular party series and label Vixlatixn in 2021. Starting to tour Europe now quite extensively. Queen of the mad, post-pandemic hard techno community here. Some of Tokyo's most energetic parties.

— Yamarchy: Runs arguably Tokyo's coolest and most popular box of the last few years, Mitsuki. Has started to branch out playing festivals and overseas gigs recently too.

— Daichi: Fantastic young DJ. Started producing his own balearic and tripped out tunes over the last few years with big success. Youngest DJ to be invited to do the infamous 'The 7-Hours' set at Oppa-La. One to watch, for sure.

On the venues to explore

— Mitsuki (Shibuya): Perhaps Tokyo’s coolest and most in-demand venue right now. Very underground, with a focus on chug and twisted sounds. Located in a basement floor in Shibuya, it is a must-visit.

— Red Bar/Tunnel: THE after hours spot in Tokyo. Known for its impeccable DJ bookings, parties here often continue until 9 or 10 am. It is the place where everyone ends up after a night of partying or performing elsewhere.

— Oath: Our home for Yes Chef! for the past four years. Big history, great sound, weird and wonderful decor and vibe. Home of some of the best house music in Tokyo.

— NUMM (formerly Zero): Possibly the best DJ booth and sound system in Tokyo. Despite rarely drawing a big crowd, it remains a favourite among those who truly know the scene.

— Precious Hall (Sapporo): A legendary venue in northern Japan, renowned for its incredibly high standards in DJ bookings and music quality. Though I haven’t been there myself, its reputation speaks volumes.

— Vent: Another contender for best sound system in Tokyo, if not the world, in my opinion. Very cool, underground club where the biggest artists passing through Tokyo play.

— West Harlem: Kyoto venue with some of the most exciting DJs outside of Tokyo, such as Kotsu and Chanaz, who both play and organise events here.

— Bonobo: Another legendary venue, with a legendary mixer, custom built for David Mancuso in the 80s. Tucked away in a quiet part of Harajuku, it has a secret entrance, and a unique upstairs tatami room, with turntables on the floor where everyone is sitting or laying down for the music.

— Oppa-La: Down on the Tokyo coast at Enoshima. A curry house by day, and infamous punk live house and DJ spot from night until the sun comes up. Known for their 'The 7-Hours' series where they invite DJs to play long sets that last until sunrise and beyond.

On the record shops worth visiting

— Rana Musica (Shimokitazawa): A hidden gem for music enthusiasts, located in one of Tokyo’s trendiest neighbourhoods.

— Flash Disc Ranch (Shimokitazawa): Another Shimokitazawa treasure, offering a fantastic selection of records.

— T.E.Q (Online): Specialising in techno, tech house, and acid, this shop now operates exclusively online.

— Lighthouse Records: A well-loved store that consistently draws in vinyl lovers from all over.

— Ella Records: A newcomer to the scene, recently active on social media, offering video sets from Japan’s top vinyl DJs and working hard to elevate the local music community.

On the radio stations and mixes

— Room303 Radio: A fresh addition to the Tokyo scene, broadcasting from a hotel room in Shinjuku.

— Tokyo Community Radio: A semi-regular mix series and talk podcast created by Licaxxx, often diving deep into the Japanese music scene.

— Dreaming Mix: An underground SoundCloud-based mix series curated by Osaka DJs Kaito and GnB. Each episode features one of Japan’s best DJs as a guest.

Pro tip: Festivals not to miss

Rainbow Disco Club
Rural
Ishinoko

by Kito Jempere