Did they even serve "roasted sweet potato coffee" during the war?! The truth about jazz cafes

I'm completely immersed in jazz again tonight.
File 1: What kind of shop is "Chigusa"?
(Mayuko Niimura / Jazz Cafe Chigusa)

Chigusa is a long-established jazz café in Nogeyama, Yokohama. I think many people have the impression that it's an intimidating and difficult place to enter.
But jazz is just so cool, isn't it? For those of you who feel that way, here's a message from the Chigusa staff.

When it comes to coffee shops that play jazz records—so-called jazz cafes—the owner's tastes and preferences are almost always fully reflected in the interior design.
Loud music blasts from a high-end audio system. Both the owner and the customers have serious expressions on their faces, their heads bowed, silently listening to the music...
The reason why many people find the shop "difficult to enter" is probably due to its unique atmosphere.

Chigusa is a jazz café opened in 1933 by Mamoru Yoshida in Noge, Yokohama. It is considered the oldest existing jazz café in Japan, but it wasn't initially regarded as a historical or cultural asset.
When it first opened, it was popular with trend-conscious young people as a place to listen to the latest music, and up-and-coming musicians often frequented it. Back then, it wasn't as easy to listen to your favorite music anytime, anywhere, and such an environment didn't exist, so they probably immersed themselves wholeheartedly in the music. Perhaps the unique, somewhat intimidating atmosphere that persists today is a remnant of that time…?
Currently at Chigusa , there isn't a strict "no talking" rule during lunchtime. However, everyone is considerate of other customers, so it remains an environment where you can concentrate on enjoying the music.

Coffee is a fitting drink for a jazz café. However, during the war, coffee was rationed. Because they couldn't make up the difference, they used roasted sweet potatoes as an ingredient, and the café was filled with the smell of roasted sweet potatoes. Incidentally, that "roasted sweet potato-flavored coffee" was made at Kimura Coffee in Fukutomi-cho, Yokohama...that's right, the later KEY COFFEE.

Does Chigusa's coffee still contain roasted sweet potato?!

There's no need to worry about that. Currently, we're using a special blend of coffee grounds made for Chigusa , carefully brewed using a siphon. It takes time, but we hope you'll enjoy the music and atmosphere from the jazz records, along with the aroma of coffee filling the shop.

Currently, in addition to the coffee shop style from when the store was founded, Chigusa has also established a bar time after 6 PM so that customers can more easily enjoy records and jazz.

Chat is welcome!

With more staff in their 20s working behind the counter, we've been able to learn more anecdotes from our regulars and older customers. On the other hand, we've also seen an increase in younger customers, so it's become a place where we can exchange information about hot music, not just jazz, and enjoy conversations.

Currently, Chigusa doesn't have a strong, central figure like a master. Many staff members are involved in its operation, and they spend their days experimenting and trying to find new ways to disseminate jazz culture that are relevant to the present, while continuing to carry on the tradition of jazz café culture.
For just 500 yen a cup of coffee, and with a little courage, why not step into a space where you can immerse yourself in music to your heart's content?