Step inside three of Tokyo’s legendary ‘listening cafés’.

Japan has a tradition of Ongaku Kissa: specialised cafes where people can come and listen reverently to the music they love. This film takes us to three, specialising in classical music, jazz, and rock, to meet the music devotees who run and frequent them.

The history of these spaces, spanning the post-war period to the late 1980s, is also the story of Japan itself in these decades. In their meticulous focus on sound quality, they are also testament to immense dedication and very specific, well-executed craftmanship: one of the café owners has even hand-carved elements of his café’s sound system.

After the screening, director Nick Dwyer will be in conversation. The first premiere sold out in days and now expanded 3 encore screenings.

22nd March - Barbican Premiere (sold out)
28th March - Brighton Picture House
29th March - Rio Cinema (nearly sold out)
1st April - Barbican encore Premiere