Image of Spiritland music bar and venue, London. @Spiritland
Take a minute to pause and reflect on the sounds you hear around you. Is it serene? Muted? Echoed? It’s quite unheard of in today’s world to appreciate the sounds that captivate our routines. Outside of this, music is widely popular as a form of escapism that we utilise on a personal level, yet oftentimes can be taken for granted. Japan has a profound acknowledgement and solution for this: the humble listening bar.
A History of Listening Bars
Gaining popularity in 1950s Japan, the listening bar was formed as an antidote to audiofile’s appreciation for high-quality music and sound. Their prominence originally stemmed as a subset of the ‘Kissaten’, or Japanese tearoom, with a nostalgic ambiance, relaxed tea and coffee offering and occasionally a retro-inspired atmosphere.
The first listening bar in Japan is said to be the epochal Meikyoku Kissa Lion, or Cafe Lion on Shibuya’s Dogenzaka street which opened in 1926. After burning down during World War II air raids, Cafe Lion was later rebuilt in the 1950s to its original style, proving nearly a century of tradition cannot be vanquished. Today it continues to pride itself on playing classic music set to the highest volume, where phones are banned and patrons are seated facing speakers spanning two walls, all with one caveat: talking is discouraged. Listening bars have recently gained momentum and popularity worldwide, each riffing on the shared core value, where sound takes priority. It’s not about what’s on the menu, what makes up the interiors nor who’s in attendance. Each space revolves around a sincere collection of vinyl, no bells or whistles, aside from those played on the highest-quality sound system overhead.
“The music is not the background—it’s the main dish.”
The experience is simple. Absorb each note, lose yourself in the audio excellence and appreciate the finer detail. Listening bars are the space to carve out a moment in time, leave discourse at the door and soak in the soundscape around you.
Ambiance, Amplified
The fascination with traditional Japanese-inspired listening bars has led to a spur of notable spaces thriving worldwide, like London’s Spiritland, the ‘Jazz Kissa’ inspired In Sheep’s Clothing of New York and Waxflower in the heart of Melbourne.
These thriving epicentres of ambiance have allowed for a new alternative to the expected night out. In a booming metropolis like London, narrowing in on a local view of listening bars has opened up a new take on recreational activities. It can become easy to get caught up in the hustle-and-bustle way of life in the nation’s capital, but the boom of intimate sound experiences has allowed a more slower and finer appreciation towards how we spend our downtime.
Spiritland, London
Image of Spiritland music bar and venue, London. @Spiritland
Backlit by the glow of the night bus and late-night foot traffic lies a place in London where city dwellers can go to breathe. Nestled in the always beating heart of Kings Cross lies a safe haven in the form of Spiritland—a renowned space, restaurant, and local’s answer to the classic listening bar.
Image of Spiritland music bar and venue, London. @Spiritland
Founder and Creative Director Paul Noble opened Spiritland nearly 10 years ago, and was met with some initial hesitation, “When we first opened, people didn’t understand what we were doing—they asked why there were chairs in the middle of the dance floor.”. What they didn’t yet realise was that Spiritland wasn’t a club, but arguably London’s first true homage to Japan’s century-old concept of these hi-fi spaces. Ones designed for a full, music immersion.
Noble describes Spiritland as “A space for music lovers. One where we go very deeply into music of all genres and eras through a café by day, bar by night.” There’s no pressure to have vast musical knowledge.
Image of Spiritland music bar and venue, London. @Spiritland
Stepping foot inside, the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming to all. At the crux of Spiritland lies a bespoke, one-off sound soundsystem, built by the Nottingham-based Living Voice. Paul mentions its more high-fidelity than club PA, it’s valve-driven and designed to deliver a powerful yet naturalistic listening experience, echoing the audio purity prized by Japanese kissaten.
With a collection of vinyl that covers all tastes and technicalities, sourcing music is an adventure in itself. The team track down vinyl everywhere, from local specialists to record shops and stores stumbled upon while travelling. Resulting in a repertoire that is constantly evolving, a sound that changes day-to-day, and a depth to its weekly programming that draws in neighbours, newcomers, and nomads alike .
Whether you’re looking for a serene nightcap where the atmosphere takes the focus, or a quick sensory decompression after a long day, you’ll find it here.
“It’s a love letter to music.” he simply states.
Knightsbridge Green Collection
The pulsating rhythms of Japan set the backing track for the Knightsbridge Green collection. Marking our first foray into titanium eyewear in over twenty years, each style is handcrafted by experts in Sabae, often called ‘The Eyeglasses Capital of Japan’. For over a century, this region has produced the world’s finest eyewear through the skilled hands of artisans, a tradition that mirrors the values of Cutler and Gross.
Each sunglass and optical is meticulously made to celebrate the natural characteristics of titanium: strength, precision and artistry.
Shop The Collection
The Sounds of Japan
Image of Spiritland music bar and venue, London. @Spiritland
Take a minute to pause and reflect on the sounds you hear around you. Is it serene? Muted? Echoed? It’s quite unheard of in today’s world to appreciate the sounds that captivate our routines. Outside of this, music is widely popular as a form of escapism that we utilise on a personal level, yet oftentimes can be taken for granted. Japan has a profound acknowledgement and solution for this: the humble listening bar.
A History of Listening Bars
Gaining popularity in 1950s Japan, the listening bar was formed as an antidote to audiofile’s appreciation for high-quality music and sound. Their prominence originally stemmed as a subset of the ‘Kissaten’, or Japanese tearoom, with a nostalgic ambiance, relaxed tea and coffee offering and occasionally a retro-inspired atmosphere.
The first listening bar in Japan is said to be the epochal Meikyoku Kissa Lion, or Cafe Lion on Shibuya’s Dogenzaka street which opened in 1926. After burning down during World War II air raids, Cafe Lion was later rebuilt in the 1950s to its original style, proving nearly a century of tradition cannot be vanquished. Today it continues to pride itself on playing classic music set to the highest volume, where phones are banned and patrons are seated facing speakers spanning two walls, all with one caveat: talking is discouraged. Listening bars have recently gained momentum and popularity worldwide, each riffing on the shared core value, where sound takes priority. It’s not about what’s on the menu, what makes up the interiors nor who’s in attendance. Each space revolves around a sincere collection of vinyl, no bells or whistles, aside from those played on the highest-quality sound system overhead.
The experience is simple. Absorb each note, lose yourself in the audio excellence and appreciate the finer detail. Listening bars are the space to carve out a moment in time, leave discourse at the door and soak in the soundscape around you.
Ambiance, Amplified
The fascination with traditional Japanese-inspired listening bars has led to a spur of notable spaces thriving worldwide, like London’s Spiritland, the ‘Jazz Kissa’ inspired In Sheep’s Clothing of New York and Waxflower in the heart of Melbourne.
These thriving epicentres of ambiance have allowed for a new alternative to the expected night out. In a booming metropolis like London, narrowing in on a local view of listening bars has opened up a new take on recreational activities. It can become easy to get caught up in the hustle-and-bustle way of life in the nation’s capital, but the boom of intimate sound experiences has allowed a more slower and finer appreciation towards how we spend our downtime.
Spiritland, London
Image of Spiritland music bar and venue, London. @Spiritland
Backlit by the glow of the night bus and late-night foot traffic lies a place in London where city dwellers can go to breathe. Nestled in the always beating heart of Kings Cross lies a safe haven in the form of Spiritland—a renowned space, restaurant, and local’s answer to the classic listening bar.
Founder and Creative Director Paul Noble opened Spiritland nearly 10 years ago, and was met with some initial hesitation, “When we first opened, people didn’t understand what we were doing—they asked why there were chairs in the middle of the dance floor.”. What they didn’t yet realise was that Spiritland wasn’t a club, but arguably London’s first true homage to Japan’s century-old concept of these hi-fi spaces. Ones designed for a full, music immersion.
Noble describes Spiritland as “A space for music lovers. One where we go very deeply into music of all genres and eras through a café by day, bar by night.” There’s no pressure to have vast musical knowledge.
Stepping foot inside, the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming to all. At the crux of Spiritland lies a bespoke, one-off sound soundsystem, built by the Nottingham-based Living Voice. Paul mentions its more high-fidelity than club PA, it’s valve-driven and designed to deliver a powerful yet naturalistic listening experience, echoing the audio purity prized by Japanese kissaten.
With a collection of vinyl that covers all tastes and technicalities, sourcing music is an adventure in itself. The team track down vinyl everywhere, from local specialists to record shops and stores stumbled upon while travelling. Resulting in a repertoire that is constantly evolving, a sound that changes day-to-day, and a depth to its weekly programming that draws in neighbours, newcomers, and nomads alike .
Whether you’re looking for a serene nightcap where the atmosphere takes the focus, or a quick sensory decompression after a long day, you’ll find it here.
“It’s a love letter to music.” he simply states.
Knightsbridge Green Collection
The pulsating rhythms of Japan set the backing track for the Knightsbridge Green collection. Marking our first foray into titanium eyewear in over twenty years, each style is handcrafted by experts in Sabae, often called ‘The Eyeglasses Capital of Japan’. For over a century, this region has produced the world’s finest eyewear through the skilled hands of artisans, a tradition that mirrors the values of Cutler and Gross.
Each sunglass and optical is meticulously made to celebrate the natural characteristics of titanium: strength, precision and artistry.
Shop The Collection