Pre-Order: Jazz Kissa: The Soul of Japanese Listening Culture

A Limited Edition Photographic Journey Through Japan's Iconic Jazz Cafés.

Step into the quiet sanctuaries of Japan's Jazz Kissa—intimate spaces where music is experienced as ritual, not background. This extraordinary photographic exploration captures over fifteen years of dedicated documentation by cultural historian Katsumasa Kusunose, revealing the profound listening culture that has thrived in Japan since the late 1920s.

About the Book

Jazz Kissa preserves an almost spiritual relationship with sound that feels increasingly rare in our fragmented world. Each café featured is built around rare vintage audio systems, towering speakers, and meticulously curated vinyl collections that transform listening into a deeply intentional act.

The book offers a special exploration of legendary Hi-Fi equipment design—from the iconic Altec A7s to JBL speakers and bespoke amplifiers—revealing how the physicality of these machines shapes the emotional experience of music. These spaces exist as both temples of sound and showcases of design excellence, where aesthetic choices are inseparable from the sonic experience they create.

Featured Content

- Over 300 stunning photographs capturing the essence of Japan's jazz café culture

- Intimate portraits of the spaces and people who preserve this listening tradition

- Detailed exploration of vintage audio equipment and its design legacy

- Foreword by Devon Turnbull, founder of Ojas and touchstone of the modern listening movement

- Cultural history spanning from the 1920s to present day

Exceptional Craftsmanship

True to ERG Media's commitment to uncompromising quality, Jazz Kissa is printed on specially sourced Japanese paper inspired by the texture of Altec A7 speakers. The book is wrapped in a traditional OBI strip, making it both a cultural document and a beautiful object worthy of any collection.

Specifications

- Format: Hardcover, 336 pages

- Dimensions: 24.8 x 35.5 cm

- Weight: 2.2kg  

- Illustrations: Over 300 photographs

- Language: English

- ISBN: 978-90-835320-0-4

- Publisher: ERG Media

- Year: 2025

Limited Availability

This exceptional publication is released in limited editions through select global retailers. Each copy represents a piece of cultural history and a celebration of the enduring power of intentional listening.

Perfect for photography enthusiasts, music lovers, cultural historians, and anyone fascinated by the intersection of sound, space, and Japanese aesthetic philosophy.