Osaka isn’t just Japan’s food capital—it’s a city where music pulses through bars, cafes, and hidden back alleys. This is the first in a three-part series on Osaka’s music bars. We begin with eight Osaka record bars, some unconventional, all personal favorites. What unites them is a simple magic: listening to music with friends old and new, chatting freely as the records spin. The second installment will dive into cocktail bars with a strong vinyl presence, and the third will spotlight Osaka’s classic jazz kissa, a cornerstone of the city’s soundscape.
Table of Contents
Record Bar Active
[Map] 1 Chome-22-3 Senbonminami, Nishinari Ward, Osaka, 557-0055. Open:n 18:00-24:00 📷 recordbaractive
For years, Record Bar Active was a mystery to me. I first noticed its faded yellow sign more than a decade ago from the passenger seat while driving through the city. When I tried to look it up, there was almost nothing online, just a few old blog posts with blurry photos that I used to piece together the address. It is about an eight minute walk from Kishinosato or Tamade Stations on the Yotsubashi Line, and also within reach of Kishinosato-Tamade on the Nankai Koya Line. This is not the kind of place you stumble into. You have to make a deliberate trip to a quiet stretch of Nishinari that sees very few pedestrians.
A Time Capsule of Rock and Pop
Once inside, you realize the journey was worth it. Record Bar Active feels like stepping into a museum devoted to rock and pop music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Posters, albums, and laser discs of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Queen, Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, and Kate Bush, and Iggy Pop line the walls. There are framed posters of Japanese musicians from the same era such as Yutaka Ozaki and Eikichi Yazawa. If you look closely at the shelves, you will even spot an autograph from a Mie of Pink Lady.
From Record Distributor to Record Bar
The owner of Record Bar Active was a wholesale record distributor until the end of the 80s. He also ran a CD shop near Kohama Station in Sumiyoshi Ward. In 2000 he moved his massive music collection, 5,000 LPs and 8,000 CDs, into the current space and opened a bar. This is no ordinary collection. I am talking about pristine mint copies with the obis intact that would make even the most hardened international record collector sacrifice a limb for the mere chance of owning many of the “holy grails” on the shelves.
Meeting the Master
The owner of Record Bar Active no longer works at the bar. The current manager and sole employee is a former regular who began working there just over four years ago. I didn’t ask his name out of respect to his privacy, everyone just calls him “master,” a common practice in Japanese bars. When I remarked that he had a great job listening to music six nights a week, he told me the bar doesn’t get many customers, especially on weekdays. To help change that, he started an Instagram account where he posts a different record every day. These days, he says, it’s probably the main way people outside of the neighborhood discover the shop.
Hidden Boxes of Singles
The master told me there are also boxes containing 1,000 never played seven inch singles. I asked to see a few and he opened a cabinet hidden behind a framed poster of Momoe Yamaguchi and pulled out a random box that just happened to contain all of Billy Idol’s Japanese singles, one my favorite artists!
Why the Music Sounds So Good
There is a reason albums sound so good at Record Bar Active. The Yamaha NS-1000M is a famous Japanese speaker introduced in 1974 by Yamaha Corporation that became popular in recording studios, jazz kissa, and record bars because of its unusually clear and accurate sound. Designed as a professional monitor rather than simply a home stereo speaker, it reproduces music with a high level of detail, allowing vocals, instruments, and subtle nuances in a recording to come through clearly.
The speaker is sitting on a concrete blocks in order to reduce cabinet vibration and tighten the bass response. The master said these speakers are hard to come by these days. The smaller speaker behind the bar is made by Coral, a Japanese audiophile company.
Requests Welcome
It goes without saying that none of the records or CDs here are for sale, and the master seems to have little interest in what they might be worth. The collection is meant to be enjoyed by customers, and requests are not just accepted, they’re actively encouraged.
Since I got there early and was the only customer, I was able to choose songs from albums by Journey, Asia, Supertramp, David Bowie, INXS, Johnny Thunders, and The New York Dolls without having to wait my turn. The master must have an excellent system in place because he found almost all of my requests very quickly. He even told me that I was the first person in the history of the bar to request Richard Hell and The Vovoids Blank Generation, and he produced a reissue that looked like it had never been played.
Conversations Around the Turntable
About an hour later, two other customers trickled into the bar. A young man from Sakai in his early twenties who was just getting into hard rock joined us, and we listened to Screaming for Vengeance by Judas Priest, Highway to Hell by AC/DC, and 2112 by Rush. A stylish man in his forties from Tokyo, in Osaka on business, requested the debut album by L.A. Guns. I had never paid much attention to them before, but the album sounded great on the powerful speakers. One thing I really like about places like this is that the conversation stays focused on music. The problems of the world remain outside the doors.
When the Music Isn’t on Vinyl
Even if a song isn’t available on vinyl, the master will step into the back room to see if he has it on CD. When I asked to hear The Smiths, he returned with rare Japanese releases of The Queen Is Dead and Meat Is Murder. You won’t hear enka or jazz at Record Bar Active, however, as the bar doesn’t carry those genres in any format.
The master then brought out Satori by Flower Travellin’ Band on CD and put on “Satori Part 2.” The hypnotic track roared through the vintage speakers. I sat there mesmerized, a reminder of how powerful Japan’s underground rock from the early ’70s could be.
Exploring Japanese Underground Rock on Vinyl
I visited Record Bar Active with my friend Tomo, a fan of U.S. indie rock like Shellac and Gastr Del Sol. We had not seen each other in over five years. After a few drinks at a nearby standing bar, we were in the mood for music, so we hopped on a train on a whim. At Active, we ordered drinks and requested Inu’s debut album, Meshi Kuuna! I do not own it on vinyl, just a CD-R a friend burned for me years ago, but hearing “Fade Out” through the bar’s speakers made me realize I had never truly heard it properly before.
The master recommended a best-of album by Zunō Keisatsu, which translates to Brain Police, a radical band formed in 1969 by Haruo Nakamura and Toshiaki Ishizuka. This particular copy still had a rental sticker from the days when you could borrow an album for a week. The owner of Record Bar Active bought up the stock of several rental shops after they went out of business or switched to CDs. Two songs I especially like are “Fuzakerunja Neyo” (Don’t Screw Around) and “Comic Zasshi Nanka Iranai” (I Don’t Need Comic Magazines).
Tokyo Rockers in Osaka
Tomo was in the mood to listen to Friction’s first album. The last time I visited, the master wasn’t sure he had a copy, but after some digging, he pulled it out. It’s another classic of Japanese punk, and it sounds incredible on a proper stereo setup. This might be my favorite era of Japanese punk. The master then showed us the soundtrack from the 1979 documentary Tokyo Rockers, featuring Friction, Mirrors, Lizard, Mr. Kite, and S-Ken, and played a few tracks from another compilation, Tokyo New Wave 1979.
If you do decide to visit Record Bar Active, please note that the bar does not serve food. However, you’re welcome to order in or bring something from outside. There is also 500-yen cover charge per person, but the the master puts real effort into tracking down albums and accommodating requests. It’s a small price to pay for what feels at times like having your very own private DJ in Osaka.
Epice Cafe
[Map] 2 Chome−4−12 Nakazakicho, Kita Ward 530-0016 Osaka. Tel: 06-6867-9937. Open 5PM-3AM FacebookWalking from Hughes Pizza toward Nakazakicho Station, I stumbled across a charming café that looked straight out of Haight-Ashbury. A vintage motorcycle was parked out front. In the window, a stack of punk records for sale caught my eye, so I stepped inside for a beer.
Listening to Punk Rock with Akko
Behind the counter, a friendly woman named Akko wearing a yellow Grateful Dead t-shirt was spinning Leave Home by Ramones. She told me the café first opened in Temma in 2005 but moved here after chain restaurants began taking over the neighborhood. The place feels like a shrine to rock and roll, with guitars on the walls, T-shirts from bands like Sex Pistols and The Star Club, and framed portraits of Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones and Michiro Endo of The Stalin.
Buzzcocks and The Stalin
Akko noticed my Buzzcocks shirt and put on a 1991 demo bootleg by the band with a striking black and white cover. This is my kind of place, laid back, unpretentious, somewhere you can talk about music with the staff and whoever happens to be sitting nearby. I once foolishly assumed most Japanese people drifted toward enka as they got older, but places like this remind me that plenty of people in their sixties, seventies, and even eighties are still devoted to rock and punk.
For such a small room, it is hard to imagine live shows happening here, yet Epice Cafe hosts intimate performances once or twice a month. Some fairly well known musicians have played, including former members of The Roosters, Jun Sky Walker, and The High Lows. Curious to hear something new, I asked Akko to put on The Stalin. She chose their 1983 album Mushi, which I really enjoyed.
Then she surprised me with Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed, an album that took was maligned by critics and fans when it came out. For a moment I wondered if she was trying to clear the room, since I was the only customer. My paranoia was misplaced because she genuinely likes the record, and I could see how a couple of the tracks could grow on me. Update 2026: Akko was right, it is good.
Meeting owner Tetsu
Akko retired at the end of December, but when I returned in January she was back at the café, this time on the other side of the bar, enjoying drinks as a guest. The owner, Tetsu, whom I hadn’t met before, was behind the counter wearing a stylish hat, a black shirt with two embroided tigers and olive colored overalls. A friend later told me he once played in a high school band with Yoshio from the hardcore group Assfort. I also learned the café had changed its hours, dropping lunch service and now opening from 5 p.m. until 3 a.m.
Mentai Rock at Epice Cafe
My friend Lucie had just arrived from France, and we planned to meet in Nakazakicho with our mutual friend Tsuyoshi. I showed up early to talk with Tetsu about my growing interest in the Mentai Rock scene, a punk and new wave movement that emerged in Hakata in Fukuoka from the early ’70s to the 80s. Bands from the scene include Sheena & the Rokkets, SonHouse, The Rockers, The Mods, and The Roosters. For a deeper dive into this fascinating period of Japanese music, check out a very informative video on the Analog Attack channel.
The Roosters and Sheena & The Rokkets on Vinyl
Tetsu and Akko told me that nearly all of the original members of The Roosters have visited or performed at Epice Cafe. Their signatures are still on the walls beside the guitars. I had been obsessed with their 1983 album Dis, heavily shaped by punk and new wave. Tetsu pulled out a pristine copy with the obi intact and played two of my favorites, “She Broke My Heart’s Edge” and “I’m Swayin’ The Air.“
We followed that with Channel Good, the 1986 release by Sheena and The Rockkets. a band with strong ties to Epice Cafe. Tetsu and Akko are part of an informal Sheena & The Rokkets tribute group with other local musicians called Acco and Nottets. Incidentially, Akko’s daughter, Sheena (who bears a striking resemblance to her mother) is also part of the local music scene. She performs in the band Dew Leporis and has opened for Hiroyuki Hanada, guitarist of The Roosters. .
I returned to Epice Cafe later in the evening, this time with Lucie and Tsuyoshi in tow. We sat at one of the tables and had a good time drinking and chatting while listening to more great music. This is the kind of place that is hard to leave after a fun night, but I knew the hour of the last train home was looming, so I pulled myself out my chair and reluctantly walked to the station.
R/H/B
[Map] 1 Chome−8−16, Nipponbashi, Chuo Ward, Osaka. 542-0073 Open: 19:00-23:00. 📷 nippombashirhbR/H/B is a small punk bar located on a dimly lit block in the red-light district of Nipponbashi, next to sleazy love hotels and sex shops. Although it has been in business for over 27 years, I hadn’t heard about it until last year. Masaji Uesugi owner of The Wex, an Irish pub near Korakuen in Hyogo (who plays in a great instrumental band called Sanmoji) recommended it as a place he thought I would enjoy.
Punk DJ Night at R/H/B
R/H/B doesn’t have much of a social media presence, so you have to find out about events the old-fashioned way by going to shows and grabbing a flyer. When I saw a flyer for Punk DJ Night featuring two of my favorite local DJs, Seiko and Mokumokuo, along with Saga-Young of The Smog, a fantastic band I’ve seen live several times, I knew I had to go. The fourth DJ, Sugai, is a tall gent whose punk fashion sense stands out at shows, so I was really looking forward to his set.
As I made my way down the steps, I was greeted by the bass player of The Geros, one of the best punk bands in Osaka. The walls of R/H/B are covered in old gig flyers and posters, and reminded me of CBGBs. The tiny bar in the corridor has only three stools, but there are a couple of small tables along the wall where people can sit down and enjoy a drink. The DJ booth faces a larger standing-room-only space. There is also a small elevated stage where live shows are occasionally held. The Reflectors from LA played there in 2024.
The atmosphere reminded me of The Poor Cow in Shimokitazawa, the bar run by Fifi of Teengenerate, Firestarter, and The Tweezers. On this particular night the crowd was small but perfect, members of The Smog, The Geros, and X.V.I.D.E.O, three of my favorite Osaka punk bands, along with a couple visiting from Portland who were staying with friends in The Geros.
Spinning Rare 7″ Records
Before her set, Mokumokuo did a short interview with Seiko and asked which seven-inch record topped her want list. She said it was “Don’t Blame Me” by Reign of Terror, “a mystery band from California circa ’83 with ties to the SST crowd.” She once had the chance to buy a second-pressing at a reasonable price but passed on it, and now she is holding out for an original copy.
What always strikes me at these nights is how these tight group of DJs spin extremely rare 7-inch records, some pressed in runs of only a few hundred, fully aware that repeated plays in smoky bars will knock down their value. Sharing the music matters more than whatever price Discogs assigns. Because of that, songs by bands like The Beat, The Boys, and The Circles reach new ears, and decades later members from those groups tour Japan to crowds that know every word.
Deep Cuts and Crowd Favorites
The four DJs dug deep, pulling cuts from The Plague, The Form, Flowers, Graphic Shadows, Ideal, The Unwanted, Andrea Mingardi, and Model Citizens, alongside favorites by Cock Sparrer, Penetration, Ultravox, Eater, and Downliners Sect. The biggest reactions of the night were for “Bored Teenagers” by The Adverts, “Teenage Kicks” by The Undertones and “Do You Wanna Know” by Teengenerate, originally performed by The Kids from Belgium.
Sunday Night R/H/B : A Great Dive Bar Vibe
fter such a strong first impression, I wanted to see what R/H/B felt like on an ordinary Sunday, so I went back a couple of months later. I sat at the bar and talked with the owner about local bands while we listened to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. It sounded incredible as colored lights reflected off the disco balls overhead.
I didn’t realize that in addition to cheap drinks, you can also order food dishes like curry and rice for dinner. I really appreciated the authentic dive bar atmosphere, which reminded me of some of my favorite bars of the past in New York City, where you could sip a drink while listening to rock and roll on a half-broken jukebox.
Soon! 1960s-1970s Art & Go Party at R/H/B
A few more customers drifted in, including two young women named Miwa and Sumo, dressed in striking vintage style outfits. The pair spun a short set of 1960s and 70s pop idol records as a preview of their upcoming Art and Go Go event, something I have been looking forward to since picking up a flier late last year.
If you want to meet people who look like they stepped straight out of Showa-era Japan and dance to music from the same period such as group sounds, rare groove, psychedelia, and pop idols, head to R/H/B on March 21 from 17:00 to 23:00. The non-smoking event is just ¥1,000. Five DJs will appear, including garage punk legend King Joe of Soft, Hell, and Magnitude 3.
Record Cafe & Bar HRR
[Map] 3 Chome−8−31 Kozu, Chuo Ward, Osaka 542-0072. Open: 6PM-1AM. Closed: Mon. Tel:090-5388-02216. 📷 harakirirocknroll06Michigusa Apartment
The next two places on our list, Record Bar & Cafe HRR and Corner Shop Jerk Chicken, can be found in the same building. Located just east of Kuromon Ichiba in a quiet corner of Nipponbashi, Michigusa Apartment (道草アパート) is a 60 year old wooden house that was repurposed using reclaimed wood and now operates as a micro complex of independent shops, bars, and creative spaces. It is owned by film director Kanata Okami, director of the 2018 cult movie Niwatori Star, about two aimless young men living together in a run down Tokyo apartment, which was actually shot at Michigusa Apartment. Fans of Jim Jarmusch road movies will love this unique film and its sequel, Niwatori Phoenix, which was released in 2022. The director also owns Super Jap, a fun standing bar nearby that is a must-visit if you are in the area.
Harakiri Rock and Roll
If you do get a chance to watch Niwatori Star, available on Prime in Japan, you will see that the two main characters often hang out at a cool bar below their apartment. That bar is Record Cafe & Bar HRR, which stands for Harakiri Rock and Roll. The owner is a friend of the director, a musician and DJ who contributed to the soundtrack. The guitar he used is displayed on the wall behind the DJ booth next to the bar counter, which seats about four people.
I had been to HRR a couple of times during the day on my own and had a good time talking with the owner about music. It was only after I went with my wife that I fully understood its charm as a cozy night spot far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. We were celebrating our anniversary on a Saturday night in Osaka, and every place we tried to enter for a drink was packed to the rafters.
A Hidden Night Spot
We made our way to Michigusa Apartment, which looked especially cinematic under the moonlight, and sat down at a small table in the corner. We had the entire bar to ourselves. The first thing you notice when you sit down at one of the two tables is a rather large vintage Coca Cola vending machine that once dispensed bottles. I imagine it must have cost a fortune to ship to Japan, unless it came from a US Army base.
Osaka Born Soul
While perusing the menu, we listened to an album by Osaka born soul singer Nao Yoshioka, who honed her vocal style while living in New York. I was impressed by her live recording of Ain’t No Mountain High Enough. The menu was written in English, since the bar gets foreign customers almost every night, many of them staying at a nearby guest house.
Coffee and Matcha Cocktails
HRR does not serve much food other than cakes and light snacks. The owner is a self described coffee junkie. One of the most popular drinks is the Coffee Martini, mixed in a shaker. Another standout is the matcha cocktail. If you sit at the bar, you can watch it expertly whisked right in front of you, the vibrant green matcha forms a smooth frothy layer on top.
My wife started with a virgin mojito made with mint leaves from a plant on the premises. I began with a coffee, and after taking a sip, my wife ordered an iced coffee, which is also made in a shaker and served in a wine glass. I like to alternate between caffeine and alcohol, so I ordered a bottle of cold beer, which hit the spot.
Classics of the Showa Era on 45
After Nao Yoshioka’s album ended, the owner stepped behind the DJ booth and began spinning seven inch singles by popular Japanese artists from the past, including “Oribia wo Kikinagara” by Anri, “Mary Jane on My Mind” by Hiro Tsunoda, “Unhappy Girl” by Masaki Ueda, “Ruby no Yubiwa” by Akira Terao, and “Celebration” by Godiego. My wife told me her mother bought that single when it came out in 1978. She was genuinely happy to hear it again after all these years.
Towards the end of the evening the owner was happy to take a request from me, one of my favorite songs, Osaka de Umareta Onna, the 1979 hit by BORO. The single contains 16 verses and has a running time of 4:38, but I recently found out that the complete song actually contains 18 verses and runs over 30 minutes! You can watch it here.
Corner Shop Jerk Chicken
[Map] 3 Chome-8-31 Kozu, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0072. Open: 13:00-21:00. Closed: Tue. 📷 perverseiqCorner Shop Jerk Chicken is technically not a record bar, but don’t let semantics get in the way of visiting one of the best places in all of Japan to listen to reggae on vinyl. Owner IQ is a reggae enthusiast, DJ, and a record shop owner who used to travel to Jamaica frequently to buy records. He explained his reason for opening the shop: “Originally, I couldn’t go to Jamaica as often anymore, so I thought I’d create Jamaica myself right here in my neighborhood.” He modeled the shop after vendors in Montego Bay that he frequented in his twenties.
Going Viral as a Patois Speaker
IQ took formal lessons in Jamaican Patois from a native teacher. In 2023, a clip of him speaking fluent Patois went viral on social media, attracting over 1.6 million views on YouTube alone. The reaction from Jamaicans was overwhelmingly positive: “This man embraced how Jamaican people embraced him and he carries himself like a Jamaican when he speaks about Jamaica. Big up, big up.” “As a Jamaican, this is legendary! I’m showing this to my mom later.” “The fact that this dude knows that we have our own language and doesn’t call it an accent or dialect makes me already like him.”
Cornershop Jerk Chicken was already well-known by Jamaicans living in Kansai but after the clip went viral reggae fans from all over the world starting visiting the small shop to enjoy dishes such as oxtail stew, escovitch fish with festival, and rice and peas On a nice day, you can sit outside and take in the aroma of meat sizzling on the grill while enjoying a cold bottle of Red Stipe Beer.
During Expo 2025, the shop saw an explosion of international visitors, including multiple visits by staff from the Jamaica Pavilion and the Jamaica Tourist Board. One glance at IQ’s Instagram is proof that his shop has become a popular destination not only for the Jamaican diaspora but for people from all over the Caribbean and Africa. You never know who you will run into outside, including well known reggae artists touring Japan.
Vinyl at Corner Shop Jerk Chicken
IQ’s experience as a record importer and distributor has allowed him to amass an impressive collection of reggae albums direct from Jamaica. While enjoying a delicious jerk chicken and pork combo, we listened to tracks by Buju Banton, Chaka Demus and Pliers, Barrington Levy, Bounty Killer, Tanya Stephens, and other artists. IQ seems to have encyclopedic knowledge of each one, so you can pick his brain instead of using Wikipedia.
Corner Shop Jerk Chicken also sells records on the premises, and collectors will enjoy digging through crates in search of rarities from Jamaica and around the world. I was tempted to buy Sound Clash Sound 1, a 1989 dancehall compilation featuring tracks by Mickey Melody, Shaka Demus, and eight other artists. I also had my eye on Weh Dem Fah, the 1988 release by Carl Meeks, which was reasonably priced at ¥2,800.
IQ has been involved in promoting reggae events in Japan and often appears as a DJ. He handed us a flier for an upcoming show in Osaka by Leroy Sibbles, the original lead singer of The Heptones, the rocksteady trio formed in 1965. I had never heard The Heptones before, so IQ put on a pristine copy of their 2007 compilation Sweet Talking, which features many of their best songs.
Funk Bar Zip
[Map] 2-5 Tsurunocho, Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0014. Tel: 06-6371-0099. Open: 19:00-24:00. 📷 funk_bar_zipBar Zip is a small bar in Umeda for fans of soul, R&B, funk, boogie, new jack swing, and hip hop, with a collection of 4,000 records from around the world. I first stumbled in here in May 2023 when they were celebrating their 35th anniversary. Earlier that night I had met a table of young digital nomads at Hughes Pizza in Nakazakicho who were traveling the world. Somehow I got invited to tag along as the token old guy, and we ended up at Bar Zip, drinking and listening to great music. In other words, the finer things in life.
The George Clinton Connection
The owner, Yamamoto-san, 66, is a close friend of the Godfather of Funk, George Clinton. When I visited the bar for the second time in March 2026, I asked him how he met the funk legend as he expertly poured me a bottle of Asahi.
“In 1992 I bought a ticket to see George Clinton and The P-Funk Allstars at Sankei Hall in Osaka. The day before the show I got a call from someone speaking broken Japanese who claimed to be a staff member and said George Clinton wanted to visit my bar. I thought it was a prank, but later that evening he actually showed up. He has been here about ten times over the years, which makes him my best foreign customer of all time,” Yamamoto said with a laugh. He estimates he has seen George Clinton live more than twenty times, including flying to New York for a memorable show in Central Park.
George Clinton: Secret Jamming at Bar Zip
Whenever he tours Osaka, George Clinton has made it a habit to play a free, informal jam session at Bar Zip on his day off for regulars and invited guests. On my first visit in 2023, I happened to be there a week before he was scheduled to perform at Billboard Live on May 15. Even though we had just met, Yamamoto kindly invited me to the late night performance. It was set to start at 1:30 a.m., and I had work early the next morning. I still regret not calling in sick for what would have been an incredibly intimate show.
Moments with Visiting Musicians
George Clinton is far from the only visiting musician to leave a mark on Bar Zip. Over the years, artists such as The Isley Brothers and Kool and the Gang have dropped by Bar Zip. Yamamoto has also crossed paths with musicians touring Japan, including Bernie Worrell and rapper Warren G.
Yamamoto occasionally pulls the albums out from behind the bar and flips through them with customers.One of my favorites shows Yamamoto in the 1990s looking supremely confident in sunglasses and a Charlotte Hornets jersey tucked into his jeans, posing with Ohio Players guitarist Leroy “Sugarfoot” Bonner, who sadly passed away in 2013. It’s the kind of snapshot that captures the easy camaraderie that can form between musicians and fans when artists visit Bar Zip.
The photo below shows Yamamoto in a tank top, sporting a gold chain with a dollar sign pendant and holding a paper uchiwa fan. He is joined by Larry Blackmon, the founder and lead singer of Cameo, best known for their hits “Word Up” and “Candy.” It’s the kind of candid moment that captures the easy camaraderie that sometimes develops when touring musicians drop by the bar.
Discovering Funk Music
I asked Yamamoto how he first got into funk.
“When I was 17 I started going to a disco called Bottom Line in Umeda. They played artists like The Temptations, but I really got into funk through Stevie Wonder and The Commodores. Then I heard Not Just Knee Deep by Funkadelic in 1979 and I was completely hooked.”
There was not much information about funk in Japan at the time, so he began traveling to the United States to buy records, sometimes bringing back 300 albums at a time. That was well over the airline limit, so he slipped a worker twenty dollars to avoid extra charges. Getting the records through Japanese customs was harder, but he explained that he was a DJ and needed them for work.
A Fan of Hip Hop and Gangsta Rap
Hip hop fans will appreciate the small shrine to N.W.A. made up of a cap, a gold chain, and a T-shirt. Yamamoto is a big fan of West Coast gangsta rap because of its funk roots. He showed me rare footage from one of Osaka’s earliest hip hop clubs, Zulu in Fukushima Ward, founded in 1988. Zulu was located next to a disco called Dynamite, started by Nick Yamamoto, who now runs Kyoto Metro.
Oral History: Tupac in Osaka
Yamamoto also told me about seeing Digital Underground in Osaka in 1990 at a now defunct club in Fukushima Ward called Paranoia. A friend obtained video of the show from a roadie with a handheld camera, and later they realized the roadie was Tupac Shakur. He said many Japanese hip hop fans who lament that 2Pac never toured Japan assume he never set foot in the country before he was tragically murdered in 1996. I was surprised to hear this, so I did a quick search on my phone and found only three or four photos of Tupac on tour with Digital Underground in Japan. They matched Yamamoto’s description of him at the time.
A Passion for New Music
Unlike many fans who dwell on the past, Yamamoto remains passionate about uncovering fresh sounds in his favorite genre. He points to Europe as the current hotbed of funk, highlighting Malka Family from France and DJ Friction from Germany. Among his personal picks is “Go Anywhere,” a standout track by Kazzy Green and Kurupt.
A seasoned DJ, Yamamoto spins at Bar Zip and other Osaka venues. Check his Instagram for upcoming sets. Since he has to make all the drinks as the sole employee, he plays his favorite tracks straight from a USB full of MP3s. Whether on the turntables or behind the bar, Yamamoto brings his passion for funk to every corner of the room.
Douraku Records
[Map] 202 Naniwa Building, 2-1-4 Motomachi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka City, Osaka 556-0016. Open: 17:00-23:00. Closed: Wed. 📷 dourakurecordsMore Than Just a Record Shop
Douraku Records is located on the second floor of a building on the corner of a quiet street in the neighborhood west of Namba called Motomachi, known for the nearby Yasaka Shrine. It was originally a spin off of a hobby recycle shop called “Nipponbashi Douraku,” focusing only on music and film items. The shop moved to its current location in 2019.
Douraku (道楽) means pursuing a hobby or passion purely for enjoyment. Once inside, you realize it is more of a fun hangout than a proper record shop, and that is what makes it special. I often go to kakuuchi, bars inside liquor shops that are casual, inexpensive, and lively. But a bar inside a record shop where you can dig for records, CDs, DVDs, and VHS tapes and then enjoy a cold beer or hot coffee while discussing your finds with fellow music and film fans is an entirely different concept, one I have come to appreciate greatly.
Holding Court at The Bar
Nakao-san, the owner, was holding court behind the bar, having an animated conversation with two patrons. His conversational skills, sharp wit, and ability to organize events that bring people from different backgrounds together have made him a respected figure in Osaka’s tight knit DJ community.
The banter with the other customers reminded me of manzai, the traditional Japanese comedy style performed by a duo where one comedian says silly or absurd things (boke) and the other responds with quick corrective reactions (tsukkomi), creating rapid fire humor. Nakao was playing the role of tsukkomi to the hilt, and it was uproariously entertaining. So much so that I did not want to interrupt his flow by sheepishly taking a seat at the bar as a first time customer among regulars.
Browsing DVDs
Instead, I bided my time browsing the used DVD shelves, half heartedly scanning the titles while waiting for a lull in the conversation. The perfect moment to make my debut at the bar came and went several times. Eventually I settled on two DVDs: Kid Vengeance, a 1977 western starring Lee Van Cleef, Leif Garrett, and Jim Brown, and Staten Island (aka Little New York), a 2009 film I had never heard of starring Ethan Hawke, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Seymour Cassel.
Japanese 7-Inch Records: Treasures on Vinyl
The racks of used 7-inch singles by the entrance was much more enticing and there were many releases from the 60s, 70s and 80s starting at 100 yen. The first thing that grabbed my eye was a compilation 45 of two prize winning songs from the 1966 Sanremo Music Festival in Italy: “In Un Fiore,” a pop ballad by Wilma Goich and “lo Ti Daro di Piu,”a dramatic orchestral pop song by Ornel Vanoni. This single is an example of Japan’s fascination with European Pop in the 1960s.
When Brenda Lee Sang in Japanese
Priced at only 200 yen, how could I resist a 1964 release of One Rainy Night in Tokyo by Brenda Lee? The A side is sung in Japanese and the B side in English. From the late 1950s through the mid 1960s it was common for Western pop singers such as Connie Francis, Neil Sedaka, and Paul Anka to record songs in Japanese to appeal to local audiences. When I later listened to the record, I was surprised by how natural it sounded in Japanese, even though Brenda Lee must have memorized the lyrics phonetically.
Coffee and Beer
After paying for my purchases I took a seat at the bar and ordered a cup of coffee and a can of Asahi beer. Nakao seemed amused that I wanted both at the same time, but I told him I like alternating between caffeine and alcohol these days. The ice was broken. He asked where I was from, and when I told him the name of my city in Osaka he replied that he had grown up there before moving away while still in elementary school. I had not expected such a strong cup of coffee in a record shop, but it was brewed to perfection.
The DJ Booth: Vinyl and Digital
Douraku has a DJ booth used for in store events at night. Nakao is a fan of soul, R&B, reggae, and dance music. One song I enjoyed while there was “What Is Left Is Music” by the electronic ambient duo Anagrams. The track was playing from an MP3 on a USB drive connected to a Pioneer CDJ 2000 multiplayer, a device popular among DJs because it can handle multiple formats and sources.
A Stop on the Record Collector’s Map
Since Douraku Records is listed on maps of record stores used by international collectors and music fans, the shop gets a small but steady flow of foreign visitors, some who enter the shop in search of music but end up staying a lot longer than anticipated because of the friendly atmosphere and Nakao’s relaxed demeanor. That’s exactly what happened to me. I was having such a good time that I found it hard to leave.
Free Soul Meeting
As enjoyable as that visit was, it was nothing compared to the second time I stopped by a month later with my wife, M. I was scrolling on Instagram on a Saturday afternoon when I noticed an event scheduled that evening called Free Soul Meeting featuring two DJs and curry from a local shop. Admission was only 500 yen, so we decided to go on a whim, something we rarely do.
House Party Above The Street
By the time we arrived it was already 9:30 and we could hear the music from the street. We walked through the door into a party already in full swing. Many people are familiar with Japan’s club culture, such as the packed DJ events at Boiler Room in Tokyo. This gathering felt completely different, more like a casual house party like the ones I attended at university.
As soon as we walked in we were greeted warmly like old friends. Someone took our coats and hung them on a rack. Nakao handed a customer some cash to go out for a beer run because the revelers were about to drink the bar dry. I noticed a trippy, psychedelic film being shown on the TV behind the bar, which turned out to be The Holy Mountain by acclaimed director Alejandro Jodorowsky, on a VHS copy no less.
Soul on the Speakers
As I mentioned earlier, I am not much of an audiophile, but the music coming out of the speakers was so infectious that I had to check the make and model, in this case a Trio KL-5060A. The DJs played one great song after another by Sister Sledge, Loaded Honey, Chuck Jackson and Maxine Brown, Miami Sound Machine, James Walsh Gypsy Band, Celine Lopez, Leon Ware, Simon Said, and War-Ele Juarez. The highlight of the evening was Kiss of Life by Sade, which sounded full and robust on vinyl coming out of the powerful speakers.
In The Court of The Crimson King
A sharply dressed reveler in a King Crimson shirt with an impressive gold chain caught my eye, so I asked to snap his photo. Twenty minutes later I saw him enter the DJ booth. His DJ handle is Masuzoe3 and he specializes in soul and prog rock, a rare but lethal combination.
I saw my wife M. in the corner bopping up and down and having a great time. She has been working long hours recently, so it was nice to see her let off some steam. There’s simply nothing more relaxing than listening to fantastic music with a bunch of people intent on having a wonderful time. I need to start going to these events more regularly.
ee anbai ゑゑ塩梅〜音楽とお酒〜
[Map] 1 Chome-6-1-105 Sennichimae, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0074. Open: 8PM-6AM. 📷ee_anbai_osakaHidden in the Sennichimae backstreets near Namba, ee anbai is a tiny counter-style record bar. I had originally planned to save this spot for part two of the guide, which will focus on late night cocktail bars that spin vinyl, such as Milk Bar and Mile High Club, but after visiting Ee Anbai I realized it had more in common with the other offbeat bars in this article.
The sign uses the old kana ゑ (we) instead of the modern え (e), giving the name a slightly retro touch. Ee anbai (ええ塩梅) is a Kansai expression meaning “just right.” The phrase comes from the cooking term anbai (塩梅), where 塩 (shio, salt) and 梅 (ume, plum or seasoning) refer to the balance of flavors in food. In Kansai dialect ええ (ee) means “good,” so the phrase literally means “a good balance of seasoning,” and eventually came to mean “just right.”
The expression isn’t limited to food. It can also describe things being just right in a broader sense, such as the balance between work and play. It even works naturally when describing the atmosphere of a bar or restaurant. Someone might say, “Kono mise, ee anbai ya na,” which can be translated as: “This place has a great vibe.”
New Sensations
Within a minute of sitting down at ee anbai, the meaning of the name became clear. Soft, warm light pooled over the corner where the TV flickered, showing Akira and its vision of a dystopian Tokyo casting a hypnotic glow, while Lou Reed’s “I Love You Suzanne” from his 1984 album New Sensations drifted through the space. On the ventilation shaft above, a Rat Fink sticker with 塩梅 (Anbai) emblazoned across his chest grinned down, a mischievous little signature I couldn’t help but appreciate.
At the edge of the corner, a small chalkboard balanced on the water heater listed the drinks. Most were familiar: Lemon Sour, Bloody Mary, Gin Tonic, Mojito. Two stood out immediately: a Wasabi Cocktail and a Cardamom Coke. I was intrigued by the unusual choices but wasn’t in the mood to try something so exotic on my first visit.
Speaking in Tongues with the Master
I order a bottle of beer from the friendly bartender, Takuya Okamoto (岡本 拓也), who pulls Speaking in Tongues by The Talking Heads off the shelf behind him, next to a poster of Alfred Hitchcock smoking a cigar. When I ask about the small collection records, he explains that they belong to the owner, who also runs a couple of restaurants in Taisho. I had visited one before, Sōko Sakaba Parking (倉庫酒場 パーキング), a small warehouse bar at the edge of a parking lot in Chishima.
I savor the moment, the quiet thrill of discovering a place before the crowds catch on. This could be my new secret hideout in the Sakamachi section of Ura Namba. I glance at my phone and see only a handful of English reviews on Google Maps. I ask Okamoto-san if other foreigners come here regularly, and he asks, “Do you know Rodney?” “Rodney Smith?” I say. “Yes,” he replies. I swear, this is the third time it has happened in less than a year. The last time was in Ashiharabashi. Three hundred thirty‑three thousand foreigners and over 10,000 places to eat and drink in Osaka. What are the odds?
Godzilla Memories
A quick trip to the bathroom reveals a vintage Japanese poster for Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, showing Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra facing off against King Ghidorah. Seeing it brought back memories of watching a heavily dubbed and edited version on a local New York TV station in the 1970s. It was one of my first exposures to Japan as a young boy.
Put on Your Red Shoes and Dance The Blues
Back at the counter, Okamoto pulls a Japanese pressing of Let’s Dance by David Bowie with a beautiful obi from the shelf and places it on the turntable. I know the critics have never appreciated this mega selling hit album, but in 1983 I was still too young to fully appreciate the genius of Ziggy Stardust and The Thin White Duke, but “Modern Love”, “China Girl”, and the title track were so inspiring to an impressionable music fan that I still get chills whenever I hear these songs.
The mission statement on the Ee Anbai website says, “We select music according to the mood of the day and the guests in the bar.” Well, they certainly managed to get me feeling nostalgic, and maybe a little emotional.
I know what you’re thinking. He’s going to end the article with some tired old tripe about the sorry state of the world and the healing power of listening to music with other people.
But after eight record bars, countless songs, and more than a few drinks, one thing is clear: Osaka remains one of the best places in the world to sit at a counter and listen to records.
