Years ago, during a conversation with Walter Schofield, who currently is a partner with the 2WA Group, he fondly recalled times in his youth when friends would sit around and listen to records.
Schofield mentioned those experiences because at the time he believed that digital music and products like the Apple iPod while great for reigniting interest in music, were eliminating those group listening sessions.
Looking back, Schofield was right about those communal listening experiences, and now that physical media is making a comeback, it should be no surprise, those group listening sessions are also making a comeback.
Unlike the days of Schofield’s youth, today’s generation Z is taking a cue from Japanese culture. Gen Z is helping to revitalize communal listening by going to Japanese Kissa (kissaten) listening bars.
Japanese Kissa bars fuel communal listening:
- Gen Z is reviving group listening sessions by going to Japanese Kissa bars
- Japanese Kissa bar popularity peaked in the 1970s but its popularity is growing as physical media experiences a resurgence
- Japanese Kissa Bars can be found across the country and across the globe
- Components and price points allow for lots of choices without compromising sound quality
- Music fans don’t need to go to a Japanese Kissa bar to create group listening experiences
Japanese Listening Bars Bring Communal Listening to the Masses
According to a recent story from Smithsonian Magazine, Gen Z are skipping the dance clubs and instead going to Japanese Kissa listening bars.
The story by Claire Turrell points out that Gen Z are going to these establishments, drinking cocktails and coffee, and taking part in curated music listening sessions. Turell says in the story the first Japanese listening bars or ongaku kissa were first introduced to the public about a century ago.
By the 1970s she continues, these communal listening facilities played a variety of rock and jazz music, and the trend seemed to have reached its peak. More recently however, global interest in vinyl, has sparked a resurgence in Japanese listening bars.
Today, these kissa listening bars can be found everywhere from Tokyo and Berlin, to New York, Boston and other major cities. The Smithsonian Magazine story notes that major business is hopping on the communal listening bandwagon. Turrell states in her write up the Italian fashion brand Valentino opened a pop-up listening bar in New York and the Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch introduced its Hidden Grooves listen room.
Following a similar idea, The Lightning Society in New York is working with the technology integration firm OneButton to outfit its facility in gear from Sonos, Leon Speakers and Sonance. The concept for the Lightning Center is employing is to take the communal listening experience a step further by creating what it says are immersive listening experiences.
Finding a Japanese Kissa Listening Experience Near You
Someone doesn’t need to be in the Gen Z demographic to enjoy the fun of a communal listening experience in a Japanese listening bar.
An article from July 2025 on the WBUR website in Boston suggests to locals several locations in which someone can enjoy communal listening experiences. Taking the WBUR story national, here are some locations across the U.S. where music fans can meet with fellow music lovers to bask in the glow of vinyl within an intimate setting:
Boston:
- Temple Records, Downtown Crossing
- Vinyl Index, Union Square Somerville
- Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston Seaport
New York:
- Tokyo Record Bar, 127 MacDougal Street
- All Blues NYC, 87 Walker Street
Washington, DC:
- Kuro Listening Bar, 3632 Georgia Avenue NW
Chicago:
- Wax Vinyl Bar and Ramen Shop, West Town
- Charis Listening Bar, Bridgeport
Atlanta:
- Stereo ATL, DeKalb Avenue
- Himitsu, Buckhead
Dallas:
- ShyBoy Hi-Fi, 1313 Main Street
Petoskey, Mich.:
- Malted Vinyl, 316 E. Mitchell Street
Montana:
- Shapes Hi-Fi Bar, Florence Building, Missoula
Seattle:
- Shibuya Hi-Fi Vinyl Bar, 4912 Leary Avenue NW in Ballard
Las Vegas:
- Pachi-Pachi, 211 S. Las Vegas Blvd, Suite 120
- Vinyl Room, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd.
Los Angeles:
- Gold Line, Highland Park
- Vinyl Room, Hollywood Palladium
With the popularity of physical media surging, Japanese listening bar patrons can listen to newer artists such as Chappell Roan and classic artists like David Bowie. (photo credit: KMB Comm)
Listening Bar Etiquette
Not surprisingly, anyone familiar with Japanese culture knows how steeped the Japanese are in etiquette. Arguably, the most famous etiquette the Japanese have shared with the world is the moral code of the samurai: bushido. The communal listening environments of Japanese kissa bars may not be as strict as bushido, but there are rules of etiquette patrons are asked to follow.
If these listening bars sound like a place of interest, there are a few rules to follow:
- It is recommended to order some type of drink whether it be coffee or some adult cocktail.
- Keep conversations to a minimum, and speak in softer tones
- Stay seated.
- Many Japanese listening bars have “no phone” rules that include no image posting.
- Don’t touch the gear—ownership has made investments in turntables, speakers, amplifiers and preamplifiers and they don’t want patrons touching the components.
- Try to keep groups small with no more than a few people.
Of course, if someone has a turntable, amplifier and speakers, who’s to say, that music lovers can’t host communal listening parties in their homes. Equipment shouldn’t be the hurdle, these listening parties can be hosted using high-performance modern components from companies such as Sonos, Victrola, and U-Turn Audio.
Or, if someone wants to assemble a classic system that mimics the solutions used in the kissa bars back in the 1970s, manufacturers such as McIntosh, JBL, Thorens, Luxman, Accuphase, and Linn Products are still available.
Additionally, there’s always the option of going to resources such as Reverb.com, Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist to find authentic vintage gear from the previously mentioned brands, as well as classic brands like Dual, Sansui, and Acoustic Research.
Regardless of whether a system consists of modern gear, classic brands or vintage components, Vinyl is back and so is communal listening and kissa bars. Audio has come full circle.
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Classic components like this Thorens TD-160 can be found on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and Reverb.com. (photo credit: KMB Comm)