TOKYO JAZZ JOINTS

Philip defies the bookmaker's odds by avoiding the mother of all meltdowns in Yokohama, while James watches on, and invents a name for a kissa that no one will ever steal. Ever.

In addition to some bonus DIY content, three absolutely banging Tokyo joints to get us back on the trail for May 2025!

No passion fruit or lychee for you, but we close out 2024's shenanigans with three gorgeous joints – old and new – in Philip's old neighbourhood. Long live Shimokita!

Some cheap Prosecco and a little bad language to mark the TENTH anniversary of the project with an Instagram Live.

Despite zero documentation, we reminisce on two lovely Tokyo joints to almost round off 2024's adventures. Thank as ever to Brian for sound assistance.

A final couple of belters in Okayama and one of the weirder interactions we've ever had in a joint. And James defeats a fence.

As the end of our latest regional adventure beckons, we take a walk down the Avenue in Kurashiki and visit the charming Gojitoma, a jewel of a joint in the middle of nowhere. Thanks as ever to Brian for his patience and assistance with sound.

At the Vanguard, but not the Village by Philip Arneill & James Catchpole

It's May 2024, and after an Onomichi underwater detour, we find ourselves in nighttime Hiroshima, where Mother Teresa and Charles Mingus meet in perfect harmony.

Taking professionalism to new heights, this week we are live (and barely audible) from the incredible Pithecanthropus Erectus, birthplace of the Tokyo Jazz Joints project, the joint featured on the slipcase cover of the Tokyo Jazz Joints photobook, and our spiritual home. Even we don't know what we talked about...

We ring in the new year with some new kids on the Tokyo jazz kissa block, and a fair bit of coughing. Thanks as ever to Brian for audio assistance.

All the Ks (and a 'P') as Philip wraps up the last day in Tohoku alone and finally (!) heads home to Tokyo as a special guest makes hi presence felt.

Planes, trains and taxis assist Philip's epic 1,500km odyssey to check out the incredible Elvin to see if James was overstating how incredible it really is. Thanks as ever to Brian for assistance with sound.

A mixed bag in Miyazaki with windswept Sonny Rollins photos to die for and a rather melancholic end to the visit, before Philip sets off on an epic one day journey north. Thanks as ever to Brian of Grooves Ahead for his assistance with sound.

The band breaks up to pursue solo careers, as James heads home with a man and and a squid, and Philip takes off across Kyushu in a search of four more highly-rated joints. Thanks as ever to Brian of Grooves Ahead for his assistance with sound.

We go bananas before a bowl of lemon (yes, lemon) ramen and making it at last to two deeply different old school joints in Nagasaki. Some top Japan travel hacks, and James finally reveals at last that he's a 'two t-shirt a day' man. Thanks as ever to Brian of Grooves Ahead for assistance with sound.

We take a fast boat ride across the bay as we head for Nagasaki and Philip mistakenly masquerades as Japan's greatest living photographer. Thanks as ever to Brian of Grooves Ahead for his assistance with sound

James continues to alienate local tourist boards as we suffer further frustration in Saga, and finish the night with an utterly surreal stop in US Navy-town Sasebo. Not every day can be better than yesterday! Thanks as ever to Brian of Grooves Ahead for assistance with sound.

We finish our first full – and utterly epic – Kyushu day with 3 more joints, burnt records, posted kimonos, tiny whisky shots, some unexpected royal family action and our regular late night konbini run. Oh, and James offends an owner’s son. Thanks as ever to Brian of Grooves Ahead for his assistance with sound.

Still making our way around Kyushu, it's an emotional return for us both as the project comes full circle. Thanks as ever to Brian of Grooves Ahead for his assistance with sound.

Jam, a quick Jab and an inauguration into the Adams family in Fukuoka as a new Kyushu adventure ensues! Thanks as ever to Brian from Grooves Ahead for his assistance with sound, and to Louie Lastic for the theme tune.

We take a more free jazz approach to this episode as we waffle unashamedly for about half an hour and reflect on what's been a truly incredible year for the project. James continues to reframe the English language in his own image. Thanks as ever to Brian of Grooves Ahead for his patience and assistance.

April's trip comes to an intimate end, not in that way, and we wrap up things with two stunning, and stunningly different places in the drinking lanes of the oddly tropical-feeling city of Kochi. Thank as ever to Brian for the sound mix and Louie Lastic for our theme music.

We are in Shikoku at last as James continues to expand his palate while Philip comes to grips with an unexpected response (and not James' this time...). Thanks as ever to Brian of Grooves Ahead for his assistance with sound.

A powdered-up James eats mountains of the shaved stuff as Philip tentatively dips his toe in the lesser-known jazz kissa art world in this last part of our three-day Kansai adventure. Thanks as ever to Brian of Grooves Ahead for his assistance with sound.