ASAGAYA JAZZ STREETS

Two Days of Jazz Filling the Streets of Asagaya
[updated February 2025]

Every autumn, the Asagaya Jazz Streets Festival transforms the charming Tokyo neighborhood of Asagaya into a melodic wonderland, where the rhythm of jazz fills the air from concert halls to cafes, street corners, and even shrines. Since its inception in 1995, the festival has grown into one of Tokyo’s premier jazz events, bringing together over 1,200 musicians and over 60,000 attendees for an unforgettable weekend of live performances.

The Asagaya Jazz Streets Event is usually held on the final Friday and Saturday of October.

Festival Highlights & Venues
The festival features three main types of venues, catering to all kinds of jazz lovers:

– Public Venues (Ticketed Concerts), where you can enjoy professional jazz performances at Asagaya’s top cultural spaces, including Shinmeigu Shrine’s Noh stage, where world-class pianist Yosuke Yamashita often performs in a unique fusion of American jazz and Japanese tradition.

– Variety Venues (Live Jazz with Food & Drinks), where around 35 participating cafes, restaurants, and bars turn into intimate jazz lounges, offering guests the chance to enjoy gourmet food and drinks while soaking in the music. Popular venues include authentic French restaurants, yakiniku (grilled meat) shops, and classic jazz cafés.

– Street Venues (Free Outdoor Performances), where jazz flows freely in the shopping streets and public squares. Expect impromptu performances, lively parades, and interactive street sessions.
One of the festival’s signature attractions is the “Dixieland Jazz Walk”, where musicians playing trumpets, trombones, and clarinets roam through the Pearl Center shopping arcade, the city’s main streets, and public squares, filling the crisp autumn air with upbeat, toe-tapping rhythms.

For great spots to enjoy free street live performances, check the Pearl Center Sub-Dome Stage in the Pearl Center shopping arcade, or in front of the exits at JR Asagaya Station. The South Exit stage is the festival’s symbolic main stage, featuring large-scale jazz performances by renowned groups such as the United States Air Force Pacific Band and an 18-member all-female jazz orchestra. This high-energy stage gets packed, so arrive early to get a good spot!

For some legendary jazz bars in Asagaya, check Jazz Bar Klavier and The Manhattan.

ACCESS

Writer: Joel
Photography: TFF staff