spaces for listening: the architecture of japan's jazz kissa documented in new book

"A new book by photographer Katsumasa Kusunose documents the enduring presence of jazz kissa, Japan's distinctive jazz cafés characterized by intimate interior design for dedicated listening spaces. Titled Jazz Kissa: The Soul of Japanese Listening Culture, the book assembles more than fifteen years of Kusunose's work, presenting these spaces as both inspiring interiors and cultural archives."

"The publication arrives at a moment when interest in high-fidelity environments has reemerged globally (see Isern Serra's take on the jazz kissa in Barcelona here, or Giorgia Longoni Studio's in Milan here). Printed on Japanese paper designed to recall the texture of vintage Altec A7 speakers and bound with a traditional obi strip, the book itself embodies the attention to detail that defines the cafés it follows."

"As documented by the photographer, rooms are often dimly lit, framed by shelves of records and dominated by speaker systems that dictate spatial arrangement. Seating tends to be oriented toward the sound system rather than social interaction. It reflects a design ethos in which architecture, furniture, and acoustics merge into a unified listening experience."

"' From the outside, they often appear unassuming, perhaps just a simple roadside cafe in a small town. But the moment you walk through the door, you're transported into the spirit of the Village Vanguard or Birdland [jazz clubs].'"

A fifteen-year photographic archive presents Japan's jazz kissa as intimate, inspiring interiors and cultural archives. The printed volume appears amid renewed global interest in high-fidelity listening spaces and uses Japanese paper that evokes the texture of vintage Altec A7 speakers, bound with a traditional obi strip reflecting meticulous material attention. Jazz kissa interiors are often dimly lit, lined with shelves of records, and dominated by speaker systems that shape spatial arrangement. Seating is oriented toward the sound system rather than social interaction, producing unified experiences where architecture, furniture, and acoustics converge.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine