Visiting Sarigenaku for the first time

A jazz bar can look like a closed room — full of regulars, dim lighting, music you don’t know. We understand why some guests hesitate at the door. Sarigenaku has tried, for sixty years, not to be that kind of room.

A few notes, in case it helps.

You don’t need to know jazz

You don’t need to know the title, the year, or the player. If the song catches you, you can ask the master; if it doesn’t, you can let it pass. Either is fine.

Coming alone is normal here

Many of our regulars come alone. They sit at the counter with a glass in front of them and let the evening do its own work. You won’t feel out of place by yourself.

Talk with the master, or don’t

Many guests spend the evening talking with the master across the counter — about the record playing, about Kobe as it was. That conversation is part of what this place is. And if your evening is for listening only, no one will press you to talk.

Not a live music venue

This is not a noisy room, and there is no live performance. The music comes from records. We’d ask, gently, that conversation stays at a level that doesn’t cover them.

Useful for a Kobe evening

Five minutes’ walk from JR Sannomiya / Hankyu Kobe-Sannomiya Stations, up Kitano-zaka, in a small second-floor room. A reasonable place to add a quiet hour to a Kobe night.

A few common questions

Dress code?
None in particular. Everyday clothes are fine.

What if I don’t know much about jazz?
That’s perfectly fine. Asking “what is this song?” is a good way to start an evening here.

Requests?
We can’t promise to play them, but they sometimes come up naturally in conversation. Mostly, the master picks a record that suits the room that night.

Reservations?
Reservations are welcome — please call +81-78-331-9762. Walk-ins are fine too, but the room can fill up, so calling ahead is the safest way to be sure of a seat.

Finally

This is a small room for quiet hours. If you want a louder night, Kobe has many fine places for that. But if you feel like sitting still with a glass and good music, you are welcome to push the door open.

For the bar’s history, see About. For directions, see Access.