On a Slow Boat To…
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Jimbocho & Kanda · Jazz Kissa
A listening cafe for records and serious sound.
On a Slow Boat To… is a 16-seat jazz kissa and coffee roastery in Jimbocho, opened in 2021 and named after a Haruki Murakami short story. House-roasted coffee, refrigerator-sized vintage Altec Lansing speakers, and regular live sets. Cards accepted; closed Sunday through Tuesday, so check Instagram before you go.
⚠️ Note: Closed Sun–Tue, and café service ends at 5pm on live-show days — check @slwboat on Instagram before visiting.
As seen on Instagram
Original post by @slwboat
How to visit
- Address
- 1-5-20 Kanda-Sarugakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Hours
- Wed 11:30am–6pm; Thu–Fri 11:30am–10pm; Sat 12pm–9pm; closed Sun–Tue
- Price
- $
- English (?)
- Limited
- Reservations
- Not required
First-timer tips
- Best for
- Coffee-first jazz listening in the used-book district — card-friendly, lunch-hour open, and gentle for first-timers.
- Avoid if
- Early-week visits (closed Sun–Tue) or late nights — service winds down by 10pm, earlier on live days.
What makes it special
Opened in March 2021, this is the new generation of jazz kissa: a 16-seat room in the Jimbocho book district where the owner roasts the coffee beans in-house and plays vinyl through vintage Altec Lansing speakers the size of refrigerators, fed by TEAC turntables. Condé Nast Traveler named it one of the world’s three best jazz kissaten in 2025. Live sets run regularly — the shop’s own calendar listed dates through July and August 2026 — and unlike most rooms of this kind, every cashless payment method works here.
How to visit
Six minutes on foot from Jimbocho Station, ten from JR Ochanomizu. Hours are irregular by design: Wed 11:30am–6pm, Thu–Fri to 10pm, Sat noon–9pm, closed Sun–Tue, with café service ending at 5pm on live days — the shop directs visitors to @slwboat on Instagram for the current week. Phone: +81 3-5244-5655.
FAQ
Do they take credit cards?
Yes — cards, e-money, and QR payments are all accepted, which is unusual for a Tokyo jazz kissa.
Should I check anything before visiting?
Yes — the shop itself points visitors to @slwboat on Instagram. It closes Sunday–Tuesday, and on live-show days café service ends at 5pm before doors reopen for the concert.
Where does the name come from?
From Haruki Murakami's early short story 'A Slow Boat to China' — the shop prints the reference on its own site.