The renowned jazz club Body & Soul, a cornerstone of Japan’s jazz scene, will close at the end of September after more than half a century of live performances.
“For me, jazz is life itself,” owner Kyoko Seki said. “The club was a space where fans and musicians gathered and created something new. I feel sad, but I have no regrets.”
Located in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, one of the country’s busiest commercial hubs and a center of youth culture, the club has long been a gathering place for musicians, showcasing leading artists from Japan and abroad while nurturing emerging talent.
“Live performances are the essence of jazz. I want this place to continue to be a venue that conveys its appeal,” Seki said as the club marked its 50th anniversary back in 2024.
Seki, 85, developed an interest in jazz soon after World War II. Her father, a sound engineer, became involved in radio program production after returning from the war and once took her to a studio, where she heard live jazz performances.
“I knew nothing about jazz, but the energy of the music got me hooked,” she said.
After graduating from junior high school, Seki joined Shochiku Kagekidan, or Shochiku Revue, a renowned all-female musical theater troupe. But her love of jazz led her to leave the troupe and open Taro, a jazz club in Tokyo’s Kabukicho district of Shinjuku, in 1965.The venue gave opportunities to then unknown musicians such as trumpeter Terumasa Hino, now widely recognized as one of Japan’s finest jazz artists, and helped foster a new generation of performers.
Seki expanded her vision in 1974 with the launch of Body & Soul in Shinjuku. Originally conceived as a space for listening to jazz records, the club evolved when it relocated to Roppongi, where the addition of a piano transformed it into a live performance venue hosting jam sessions. It later operated in Minami-Aoyama before moving to its current Shibuya location in October 2021.
A turning point in the club’s history came when drummer Art Blakey, a leading figure in modern jazz, began visiting whenever he toured Japan.
His appearances helped raise the club’s profile among the international jazz community, and from then on, it regularly featured prominent musicians from around the world while maintaining its commitment to discovering young talent.
The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a heavy blow, sharply reducing attendance and at one point cutting sales at Body & Soul to a quarter of previous levels. Despite the downturn, loyal customers and fans from across Japan rallied to support the club through crowdfunding and other initiatives, allowing it to continue operating.
The venue marked its 50th anniversary with a commemorative concert that highlighted its long history and influence.
Its closure, however, was ultimately driven by practical considerations. Redevelopment plans for the building housing the club made relocation unavoidable, and Seki’s age weighed heavily in the decision to bring operations to an end.
World-renowned pianist Makoto Ozone, who developed part of his career at the venue, expressed gratitude for its legacy.
“It has continued to provide a place for people of all ages and genders to express their music, transcending genre boundaries,” he said. “Countless musicians were nurtured here and have gone on to spread their wings, myself included.”
In the coming months, events featuring artists with ties to the club will be held to mark its closure. After it shuts its doors, the pianos and sound equipment used over decades of performances will be auctioned off.
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