One of Europe's biggest contributions to jazz, Gypsy swing jazz -- now more correctly called "jazz manouche" -- comes down to one man, famed Belgian guitarist Django Reinhardt. Together with violinist Stephane Grappelli and a rotating ensemble of musicians, Django's Quintette du Hot Club de France shot to fame in 1930s Paris, playing a new energetic Gypsy mix of flamenco, Balkan music, folk and jazz.

Given the brilliance of Django's technique and compositions, it's not surprising his legacy lives on in clubs throughout Europe and annual festivals such as the Samois Gypsy Jazz Festival in France.

But these days, the flame of the Hot Club is burning just as brightly in Tokyo. Two local clubs, in particular, fill their weekly schedule with accomplished Gypsy jazz groups who love nothing better than to reel off line after line of intense solos amid taut, swinging rhythms. The musicians and clubs have gradually expanded into a community committed to this beautifully lyrical and technically demanding style of jazz.

Ikebukuro's Blue Drag and Sendagi's Jazz Club Django are both shrines to the legendary guitar player. Images of patron saint of Django are everywhere -- on the walls, above the sink, on the video screen, on the matchbooks and even on liquor bottles. Both clubs attract devout worshippers, who come to hear his spirit invoked by a continuous procession of dedicated musicians.

In addition, both clubs host open-mic jam-session nights, in which a house band plays and amateurs are welcome to join in. On nights with no live shows, these clubs play rare videos of current European stars such as Bireli Lagrene, the Schmitt brothers and Jimmy Rosenberg. On occasion, Blue Drag will invite jazz manouche musicians from Europe, and Club Django arranges all-day open-air concerts at temples near the club.

While other cafes, restaurants and music clubs in Tokyo sometimes feature Gypsy swing jazz, Blue Drag and Club Django are the true hot spots. Here is a handful of the groups keeping the flame alive in Japan:

The Swing Niglots offer the most authentic revival of the seminal Hot Club Quintet. Keeping the original lineup of two rhythm guitars, bass, lead guitar and violin, the Niglots get the rhythms and tones just right. Not only that, but they also know their history. Lead guitarist Nobutake Ito has presented a series of evenings that are part-lecture, part-demonstration and part-hardcore playing.

The Niglots also replicate the music with vintage guitars and handcrafted specialty instruments. Just ask rhythm guitarist Laurent Prieur about his guitars and you will set off a club-wide discussion of wood and strings.

But more than being just Hot Club otaku, the Niglots can swing hard. With two rhythm guitars humming, bass thumping and lead guitar and violin trading melody lines, they get right to the heart of the music's appeal, one which easily transcends cultures. Their authenticity seeps out of their warm and luminous sound. The heart of Django's pieces, they have realized, is not the fingering but the feeling.

Kiyoshi Kobayashi and the Gypsy Swing Gang also maintain a reverent approach to Django's music, but they branch out as well. Kobayashi is a string-bender of amazing ability. In addition to the guitar, he has mastered the ukulele, and can easily switch between the two. On both instruments, Kobayashi keeps a full, rounded tone even at the fastest tempos. At first, it is a little unusual to hear classics like "Swing 42" or "Nuages" with the ukulele sound, but his full-on dexterity and the group's tight rapport make it all seem natural.

Kobayashi and Gang have several excellent recordings out, most recently, "Douce Ambiance" and "Ukulele Swing 42." The group members also play in their own separate groups and hold open-mic jam sessions at Blue Drag. The band keeps the rhythm while salarymen and freeters (and one evening, a black leather clad heavy metal refugee) bop through favorites like "It Don't Mean a Thing" or "Caravan." Kobayashi clearly enjoys playing with different people, and his infectious joie de vivre has been passed down to his high-school-senior son, Nao, who plays second guitar. Hearing their tandem lead lines inspires high hopes for the second generation of Japanese jazz manouche.

The Gypsy Swing Project of Hisao Fukushima takes a more relaxed approach to the music. Fukushima is one of Tokyo's most in-demand acoustic guitarists, and accompanies other projects from tango to straight jazz, playing in clubs all over Japan, as well as at festivals in Europe.

Despite his various groups and recordings, Fukushima is extremely devoted to Gypsy swing, and after a few numbers, it becomes clear his laid-back manner conceals a highly refined technique. Fukushima is a true improviser. On top of his seemingly endless supply of melodic ideas, he plays with an expressiveness and fluency that are startling. He has a good ear for other musicians and always brings in new talent to his sessions, such as the amazing Nathan Bonin on violin, a natural heir to Stephane Grappelli.

Guitarist Hiroki Miyano leads a flamenco group that blends jazz, Gypsy accordion and Latin percussion with flamenco-style guitar for a different, but equally intense flavor. It makes sense: Flamenco and Gypsy music are cousins after all, and both are intense, passionate styles that overflow with energy and captivating rhythms.

Unlike the more traditionally-oriented groups, Miyano incorporates flamenco vocals and foot stomping. This shifts the swing without losing the fiery hot soloing. Backed by accordion and percussion, Miyano extends the sound beyond its acoustic swing roots, creating room for flourishes and nuanced embellishments. Miyano leads a diverse set of musical projects, from bossa nova to jazz and beyond, with groups formed around tabla, bandoneon, sitar and steel drums. But listening to his high-speed runs, rhythmic blasts and delicately fingered arpeggios, it seems obvious that his flamenco group is, if not his favorite, then certainly his most cathartic.

Indeed, no matter what the exact incarnation is, Django is alive and well and living in Tokyo.