Salt Peanuts

Jazz of Japan #246 • Jun 13, 2024 • Brian McCrory

Salt Peanuts jazz club, located near Ekoda and Shin-Egota stations in Tokyo, Japan

Salt Peanuts is a Tokyo jazz fan’s paradise, loved by Tokyo insiders for years and formerly less well-known but now experiencing a boom with appreciation and visits from new customers.

This newfound increase in business has likely been spurred through word of mouth and its long-lived golden reputation. Also surely playing a part is a recent increase in online blogs, travel sites, and listings in prominent guidebooks such as Time Out (see their 2024 Best Jazz Bars in Tokyo article).

Surprisingly, there’s also been a fresh interest in jazz and jazz bars in the last few years that is often suggested to be the result of increasing jazz coverage in popular culture as with the 2023 movie Blue Giant.

In any case, Salt Peanuts is an excellent live jazz destination and a bargain in many ways. Not only does this spot offer an atmospheric setting, a great schedule with both up-and-coming and veteran musicians, and plenty of bar snacks, but it’s also a great bargain in terms of cost. Salt Peanuts is one of the least expensive places to hear real live jazz in Tokyo, and is one of the few places to resist raising menu and admission prices for many years.

First impressions at Salt Peanuts reveal the spot to be comfortable with at-home casualness (but not without rules). A cool industrial style is exhibited in the stylishly distressed metal tables, vintage bar, and aged gates. One wall is strikingly illuminated with a fantastic mural. The other walls sport favorite LPs and CDs (played before and after the live music), a TV used for certain sporting events, and even the master’s beloved bicycle hanging behind the stage area.

The concept of all-you-can-eat peanuts is another draw at this unique spot where Salt Peanuts definitely lives up to its name. Incidentally, the name is a reference not only to the plentiful bar snacks but is a reference to the famous bebop tune “Salt Peanuts” by Dizzy Gillespie and Kenny Clarke, as jazz musicians and fans know. The snacks at Salt Peanuts include peanuts (naturally), crescent-shaped rice crackers (mix with peanuts for the much-loved kaki no tane or kakipi), banana chips, giant corn or corn nuts, wasabi peas, and other crunchy, sweet, or spicy Japanese snacks.

First-timers to Salt Peanuts will likely be treated to a short script about the bar rules. It basically goes like this:

• There’s a music charge of 1500 yen plus a table charge of 500 yen, with one drink per person required. Drinks start at 500 yen and up, so the minimum charge is 1500 + 500 + 500 = 2500 yen per person.
• The nuts and snacks are all-you-can-eat. Each table is set with two jars. Just open a jar, carefully tip it over your dish, and shake out your portion.
• There is a variety of snacks spread out through the bar in different jars on the tables and counter. Bring your small dish to the counter to get different snacks, but don’t take the jars back to your table or exchange the jars between different tables or the counter.
• Please no talking during the performance.

Other informal, common sense customs are not stated upfront but are similar to other small jazz bars. Photos are generally allowed if taken considerately: Avoid flash photography and be mindful of loud shutter sounds and disturbing other customers near or behind you. Audio/video recording is not allowed.

Also, customers should try to stay in their assigned seats when possible and avoid milling about or standing in the back, as having even small crowds form makes it hard to serve drinks or for customers to go to the restroom, may obstruct views or bother other customers, and makes the number and location of available seats confusing.

Although there are no dinner options on the menu, the peanuts and snacks may be filling for some if taken with enough beer. Many customers get dinner beforehand or try to fend off hunger with drinks and nuts. Still, snacks won’t substitute for a big dinner, so planning to eat before or after the show is usually a good idea.

Salt Peanuts offers live jazz on almost every night with two sets per night plus an encore song, typically. There’s no audience changeover between sets. Depending on the night, the bar may remain open for a while after the show for customers to have drinks and listen to recorded music.

The performing musician may also offer their CDs for sale, a great way to support local live music and get signed copies directly from the musicians.

Reservations can be made through social media or phone. On many days, arriving without a reservation is fine. Unreserved seats will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis behind the reserved seats, and sharing tables with others is common at small bars including this one. Keep in mind that some shows may be completely sold out depending on the day and popularity of the musicians.

On busy or almost sold-out nights, one or two latecomers without a reservation may be able to get a seat in the very back if there is any space available. Arriving early before the music starts can help, but sometimes the announcement of a sold-out show (満席, manseki, fully booked) will be posted online on the shop’s social media accounts.

Continuing below are 100+ more photos from Salt Peanuts taken between 2011-2024.

For more information:

• Salt Peanuts’s website
• Salt Peanuts is located near Ekoda and Shin-Egota stations in Tokyo

Images