Chokuritsu Enjin
直立猿人
Ota & Kamata · Jazz Kissa
A listening cafe for records and serious sound.
Chokuritsu Enjin — 'Pithecanthropus Erectus,' after the Mingus album — has played modern jazz in a Kamata back-building since 1975. A regular took over the counter in 2015, keeping the original interior and a relax-and-listen policy: beer ¥650, whisky ¥550, conversation welcome. Closed Sunday and holidays.
⚠️ Note: Evenings only (from 6pm), closed Sun and holidays. The listed phone is the owner's mobile; payment methods unconfirmed — bring cash.
How to visit
- Address
- 7-61-8 Nishi-Kamata, Ota-ku, Tokyo
- Hours
- Mon–Sat 6pm–midnight; closed Sun & holidays
- Price
- $
- English (?)
- Limited
- Reservations
- Not required
First-timer tips
- Best for
- Unpolished local jazz-bar nights near Kamata Station — 1975 interior intact, drinks from ¥550, conversation welcome.
- Avoid if
- Daytime plans (opens 6pm), Sundays and holidays, cashless payers — payment methods unconfirmed, bring cash.
What makes it special
The name is the Japanese title of Charles Mingus’s ‘Pithecanthropus Erectus’ — the founder liked Mingus and noted no other jazz kissa of the day carried a four-kanji name. Opened in 1975 at the peak of the format, the room passed in 2015 from the retiring master to a new keeper, Ishizaki, who kept the original interior and the records running. The house policy is the opposite of the silent-listening school: relax with a beer or a whisky while modern jazz plays, and talk if you like. There are tatami seats upstairs, drinks start at ¥550, and Kamata — far off the tourist circuit — supplies the crowd.
How to visit
Five minutes from JR Kamata Station’s west exit: the Enrico Building sits along the tracks at 7-61-8 Nishi-Kamata, with the bar on an upper floor. Open Mon–Sat 6pm–midnight, closed Sundays and holidays. The listed number (+81 90-8726-1728) is the current master’s mobile. Payment methods unconfirmed — bring cash. Details at kamata-enjin.com.
FAQ
Can I talk while the records play?
Yes. The shop's stated policy is to relax with a drink rather than face the jazz in silence — conversation is part of the room.
How do I find it?
Look for the Enrico Building on the tracks side, about five minutes from JR Kamata Station's west exit; the bar is on an upper floor.
How much does a night cost?
Drinks start cheap — beer ¥650, whisky ¥550 on the shop's own menu, with no cover charge listed. Payment methods are unconfirmed, so bring cash.