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Parade in Morishita: Where Jazz Finds Its Light and Soulful Core

2025.1.9

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Nestled on a quiet side street in Morishita’s nostalgic shopping district, parade stands out with its charming exterior and fresh approach. While classic jazz records fill the air, the café sheds the weighty ambiance of traditional jazz spots, offering something delightfully lighter.

Opened in 2024, parade redefines the jazz café experience—a theme unraveled by music critic Mitsutaka Nagira in the 11th chapter of “Places to Discover Good Music.”

Newly Recommended: East Tokyo’s Latest Gem

As a music writer who mainly covers American and British artists, one of my closest collaborators is a translator. When I say “translator,” it can mean many things, but the ones we work with are specialists in music translation. With their deep knowledge of music and ability to grasp various contexts, they sometimes even lend us writers a helping hand. They are, without a doubt, among the most trusted people we work with.

Why start with that? Because it was one of these translators who recommended the café “parade.”

After an interview, she said, “Yanagaku-san, there’s a place I think you’d really like. You should check it out.” Though I appreciated the suggestion, I live in Tama, on the western side of Tokyo, and the idea of heading to Morishita—located between Kiyosumi-Shirakawa and Ryogoku in the east—felt like a hassle. And yet, I’ve already been there several times. That’s how much charm this place has—it’s worth transferring trains to get there.

Parade opened its doors in January 2024, and its simple interior feels fresh and brand new. The overall atmosphere is warm and welcoming, giving off the impression of an approachable space that anyone can easily step into, rather than a place with overly meticulous or niche features. What drew me to Parade more than anything else, however, was its exceptional music selection.

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