There was a time when music at a bar was largely background noise. Now, it could be one of the reasons you walk in. From Japanese-inspired spaces such as Supa San and Idoru, to the newly-opened Nami, our nightlife is seeing a growing interest in vinyl, and music-led experiences with a little help from the island nation. The idea isn’t entirely new. Japan has had a long-standing relationship with listening bars. But could Mumbai be developing an appetite for this immersive way of experiencing music? 

First, a lesson from Japan

Japan’s jazz kissas, short for jazz kissaten (jazz cafés), date back to 1929. The first such establishment, Blackbird, opened near the University of Tokyo. They became particularly popular in the 1960s and 1970s, when owning expensive record players and sound systems wasn’t accessible to everyone. Instead, people gathered to listen to curated records played on high-quality equipment, often keeping conversations to a minimum.