Purple Magazine
— Purple #43 S/S 2025
The Tokyo Diary Issue
masaru hatanaka
BAR NIGHTINGALE
interview
by ALEPH MOLINARI
portrait
by NILS EDSTRÖM
ALEPH MOLINARI — What makes your bar, Nightingale, unique?
MASARU HATANAKA — My bar originally opened in 2001, and about a decade ago, we shifted to a membership-only model. Today, we have around 10 regular customers in Japan, along with visitors from around the world. Admission is very limited: you have to be introduced by your friends. This creates a sense of connection and trust among customers, who often find themselves seated next to someone they know or someone with whom they can connect. Whether famous or not, the customers of my bar are mostly artists and musicians, rather than cultural consumers. They are almost exclusively artists who seek the unknown and the extraordinary. My idea for Nightingale has always been to create a small place where creators from around the world — who are mostly curious about one another’s discoveries — can share ideas and information. It’s wonderful when these exchanges happen spontaneously at night.
ALEPH MOLINARI — It must have been difficult at the beginning.
MASARU HATANAKA — Twenty years ago, noise and experimental music had almost no audience; we rarely had customers, and in Japan, people looked down on me as an oddball. Back then, I felt like E.T., stranded on Earth. One day, a French fashion magazine launched a new edition in Japan, and
I was offered a position as an interviewer for their culture section. Since the bar was usually empty, I had plenty of time. I conducted countless interviews with filmmakers, artists, and musicians: Leos Carax, John Cale, Oneohtrix Point Never, Jan Fabre, Animal Collective, and many more. Some of these artists even visited the bar after their interviews. We’ve treasured the friendships built through these encounters. Over time, our customers introduced their friends, and gradually, our customer base expanded, growing into the community we have today. This small, intimate space works perfectly with a few thousand active, traveling artists as our core clientele.
ALEPH MOLINARI — What’s the musical style of your bar?
MASARU HATANAKA — I approach music with a philosophical mindset. I play contemporary and minimalist compositions, but I am also well versed in classical music. About half of my selection leans toward noise music and experimental pieces inspired by Dadaist philosophy, although I would never define my bar as a “noise bar.” I am also interested in playing unfinished pieces that possess a raw and immediate allure. I find value in music that lacks emotional shifts, incorporates noise or drones, or consists of fragments without clear, intrinsic meaning — I appreciate these musical elements as if they were sculptures. Noise, too, is regarded not so much as something to be listened to but as ambient air within a space. The volume of the sounds we play at our bar is loud enough to hinder conversation. Even self-proclaimed amateurs of noise or experimental music often find it difficult to endure the unusual volume and sound pressure.
ALEPH MOLINARI — Can you describe your sound system?
MASARU HATANAKA — The bar is outfitted with American vintage equipment, inspired by the jazz bars that were common in Japan in the past. But what sets the sound system in my bar apart is not the brands themselves but the unique way it’s set up — a detail that even [Japanese visual and sound artist] Ryoji Ikeda found intriguing.
ALEPH MOLINARI — What kind of films do you project behind the bar?
MASARU HATANAKA — I treat the monitors as windows. Because the space is very small, they are installed to add a sense of depth. Initially, I played footage captured by fixed-point cameras that I filmed myself, but recently, I’ve begun incorporating rare visual works to enhance the sense of the extraordinary. One principle I follow is to avoid deliberately synchronizing the music and visuals. It’s deeply rewarding to see patrons discover moments of synchronicity between the two on their own and genuinely enjoy them.
ALEPH MOLINARI — Did you design and decorate the bar yourself?
MASARU HATANAKA — When the bar first opened, we went years without customers, leaving me with plenty of time. Every day, I would modify something or add new elements — a continuous process. Over time, without me even realizing it, the interior has evolved into a collage-like form. I’m not sure it will ever truly be finished.
ALEPH MOLINARI — Why did Tokyo initiate the listening bar culture?
MASARU HATANAKA — After World War II, resources were scarce, and in Japan, even owning speakers or amplifiers was a luxury. Wealthy music enthusiasts who had audio equipment would bring jazz or classical records to share with friends in communal spaces. This practice was one of the origins of listening cafés and bars. Additionally, the small size of Japanese apartments often made it difficult to enjoy records at a high volume.
ALEPH MOLINARI — Is there an underground music scene in Japan?
MASARU HATANAKA — The past might be the future, and the future might be the past. In today’s world, I don’t think the concept of “underground” really exists anymore. Idol groups perform in Akihabara basements, while noise musicians receive standing ovations in trendy Shibuya venues. If music still exists in the “underground,” it may have transcended mere auditory enjoyment and become something entirely different.
ALEPH MOLINARI — Who are the interesting Japanese musicians today?
MASARU HATANAKA — I am more interested in their philosophy than just their music. For example, Merzbow, a pioneer of Japanese noise music, continues to create sound while advocating for animal rights and vegan straight-edge ideals. I recently got to know Arca, and I was deeply moved by her sensitivity. She spoke through tears about the horrific massacres taking place in the world today.
ALEPH MOLINARI — What music did you listen to this week?
MASARU HATANAKA — Prima Materia, Merzbow, Joseba Irazoki, Okkyung Lee, Hermann Nitsch, Keiji Haino, Konrad Sprenger, Duma, Bob James Trio, Pauline Anna Strom, Éric La Casa, Killer Bong, Tyondai Braxton, Carlos Giffoni, Prune Bécheau, Kazuma Kubota, Ehnahre, Khanate, Black Priest, Jim O’Rourke & Christoph Heemann, Astral Colonels, Zeitkratzer, Dinu Petrescu, John Zorn, Billy Bultheel, Eli Keszler, Bill Orcutt, and many others.
END
