The lilt of poetry, melodic rhythms and the buzz of a tattooist’s needle — these are some of the sounds you might hear on any given day at Namnam Space in Koenji, a single-room community center that hosts art events, live music and educational workshops.
Namnam’s open design is inherently confluent, facilitating communication that naturally fosters a sense of community. Low sofas and wooden benches line its walls, while the faint thrum of jazz descends from above.
Hanging on its walls are the trappings of its political foundations, and felt in its collective voice is the warmth of its community, greeting celebrities, friends and strangers alike. Having hosted luminaries such as Noam Chomsky and Manu Chao at previous locations, Namnam continues to offer camaraderie to Tokyo’s queer and anarchic communities while taking on the cadence of Koenji’s countercultural spirit.
