Blue Books Café Jiyugaoka

Blue Note Japan's restaurant empire already included highlights like Shinjuku's hip Brooklyn Parlor and Cafe 104.5 in Ochanomizu, but this new opening in October 2014 pushed the brand to new heights: attracting the discerning residents of Jiyugaoka with gourmet versions of classic Japanese soul food like 'omu-rice', cabbage rolls and napolitan spaghetti, Blue Books also lives up to its name with a selection of 1,500 freely browsable tomes, picked out by passionate curator Yoshitaka Haba. The association with Blue Note practically demands it, so you won't be surprised to hear that the background music consists of supremely laid-back jazz.