Vinyl Shops in Tokyo, Japan and Japan in General

I like the store but have never found a used lp that wasn't at least double the price of Disk Union. They make HMV look like a bargin. I've never bought a used lp there but have bought many new items over the years. I always stop in knowing that I'll leave empty handed just to wander around and experience the vibe of the place.

 

Horses for courses I guess! Last year I had a good time at the Tower in Shibuya, and TBH I don't think I've ever made a purchase at the HMV. I actually found a few cool things at Tower last year, but would agree they're not a bargain bonanza. Guess it just depends upon what ye seek and luck of the draw.

 

My luck has not been good with Tower. I haven't given up though. I'm looking forward to seeing the new vinyl department.

 

I watched the Oscar nominated foreign film Perfect Days last night, directed by Wim Wenders. It’s a quiet study of the daily routines of a man who cleans toilets for a living in Tokyo.

At one point, one of his coworkers is desperate for cash and begs him to sell some of his prized collection of classic rock cassette tapes. He tells him he knows a shop in Shimokitizawa that will pay good money for them. Jump cut to the sign on the street in front of Flash Disc Ranch Records, then upstairs to the store. Was really coo seeing it.

 

So…. I kept asking why it wouldn’t be a good idea to stop in Nagoya on my way from Tokyo to Osaka. Remember that? You all said it would be boring.

Well, I regularly watch an NHK World Japan series on my local PBS station called Journeys In Japan. Tonight it happened to be an episode about Nagoya. Two European residents of the city set up the premise by saying that “everyone says Nagoya is boring. But it is not! we are going to show you why Nagoya is not boring”.

Over the next 30 minutes, they convinced me. Nagoya IS boring. Sorry ladies. You guys were right. Glad I didn’t put it into my travel plans

 

But do visit Kobe while in Osaka. Start the day at Himeji Castle. Get there when it opens at 9a, it takes about 90 minutes to tour the castle. Then head to Kobe. You'll arrive just as the record stores are opening.

 

Stopped by the new “Tower Vinyl” store today. It is still on the 6th floor like before. The remodel looks nice. The 50 percent increase in vinyl is new stock. The used inventory looks about the same as before.

 

Arrived in Tokyo this morning after a week JR passing around Japan. Went up north first to Akita and Morioka. Cherry blossoms still in full bloom but no record stores of note. Then down to Osaka and Kyoto.

Visited my favourite stores down there. Hanky Panky, Forever, Maru Ka Batsu and Redbone in Osaka and a few others. There is a new HMV on the 8th floor of the Opo centre in Shinsaibashi which was right opposite my hotel as it happens. Very similar to HMV Shibuya and Shinjuku with a decent amount of used records and lots of new stuff and books as well. Found that King Kong store in a shopping centre called Big Step. It’s in a corner surrounded by a store selling capsule toys. Has very reasonably priced records but nothing for me.

Only got to Workshop and a new branch of Face Records in Kyoto. The Face was on the 4th floor of a flash shopping centre Takashimaya and sharing a space with hipster clothing stores. It had a decent range of most genres but I’m showing restraint early in the trip and didnt find anything to buy.

In Tokyo for the best part of a week now and plenty of room in the cases. Golden Week starts on Saturday though with discounts promised at all the stores. Has anyone been here during Golden Week? Are the discounts across the board? Is it crazy busy? I guess I’m about to find out!

 

I’m at the end of my Tokyo trip now. Golden Week is great for record shopping in Tokyo. The Disc Union stores will be having sales and adding a lot of inventory. Wish I was here for another week but I’m close to the maximum number of records I can manage taking home.

Looks like we have at least 3 forum members here right now. I saw @MightyVinyl at Disk Union in Shinjuku last night.

Taking a break from record shopping this morning and going to the new Teamlab Borderless installation. Can’t wait to see the new location.

 

Golden Week is when most Japanese in the cities return to their childhood homes, often in the country or away from big towns. So Tokyo is relatively quiet, with many stores closed for the period as the owners and staff retreat for a well earned break.
I wouldn’t have expected many if any discounts, but I see from above there are, so good luck and enjoy!

 

Thanks for the feedback @mfidelity. Sounds like my timing might be good for this trip! My wife got to see the cherry blossoms (finally) and I get a crack at some discounted records. I’ve already been to Donki for an extra suitcase this morning!

 

Hadn't considered Golden Week for sales. I do know some of the independent stores will be closed. Heading to Shimokitazawa tomorrow. Good news is the yen dollar rates- think the yen is at its lowest in over 30 years.

 

If anyone needs a new cartridge consider buying one while you are here. I wish I hadn’t bought a new Rega Exact last month. I paid $575 with trade in the US. It would have cost $330 here (straight up without a trade-in) at Yodabashi Akiba. It’s probably worth just buying another.

 

I was there on a RSD and it was a zoo, at least 75 people in line to pay and good RzsD selection. Quite pricey though but I don’t remember RSD being a big deal in Tokyo last year. Didn’t buy anything but good to see the younger crowd there. There is a lot of inventory there and always crowded. In fact, I don’t think I have ever found anything to buy there like I have at DU and others.

 

I was at the Disk Union in Ikebukuro on RSD. 3 people in line when they opened at 11:00.

I think Tower is going to make a fortune selling new vinyl to tourists. I saw a lot of Taylor Swift records going out the door.

 

I was at Anchor Records in Nishi-Shinjuku having a nice conversation with the owner today, he mentioned someone from Australia was there asking about soul records. Any relation?

 

Ah yes that sounds like me. I was there today. What a lovely man. He let me in even though it was appointment only and we had a good chat. I’d actually been to the nearby Dub Store and Record City Shop as I buy off them online. They were disappointing stores though. I noticed Anchor was nearby on google maps and I hadn’t heard of it before so stopped by. I’m going to check out his web store and maybe place an order to collect next week https://www.anchorrecord.com/

 

I checked out Tower today and got there just before 11. 50-60 people waiting out the front and most of them went straight to the k-pop floor. There were only 3 or 4 shopping on level 6. A massive amount of new stock and took me a while to find the used.

 

I was at those stores as well today and was also disappointed. I did stumble across a store called Beat Collectors that only sold 12” singles. I bought 4 nice UK Factory New Order singles.

 

I hit up all the Disk Unions in Shinjuku and the one in Shimokitazawa today. Seeing a lot of Westerners with suitcases( 4-5 today) seem to be buying in bulk. I have been over here over a year now for work and focused on only perfect ( B plus or A graded) with perfect OBI and inserts. And I always ask to check them. Japan classic rock mainly. Try to go to discogs and verify first pressings. For example got Scorpions In Trance, AC/DC Back in Black, Goatshead Soup. Grand Funk Live , Purple House of Blue Light, Queen News of the World, Zep In Through the Out Door today. The only way I can somewhat keep buying in check with the weak yen is to only buy perfect vinyl/ cover with OBI. I am kind of hooked on the OBI.

 

One other observation- even though the stores are busy there are so many that have closed mostly the mom and pop independents from when I was here on business pre pandemic. Guessing the pandemic did them in or they moved on. They were everywhere before and many specialized shops have disappeared. Not sure if they went online gave it up or what but there are way fewer stores now in all areas of a Tokyo.

 

I was in the Shinjuku stores today as well from 11a - 1p. Suitcases are now packed and will be off to Haneda in the morning.

 

Safe travels sir. I was in Shinjuku later in the afternoon. Hope jet lag isn’t too bad on your return home- I always struggle on the travel back for some reason,

 

It was great to see you again and get to chat a bit! I was quite shocked at first when this unknown person approached and said “would you happen to be MightyVinyl?” Really threw me for a second till I recognized you. Safe travels.

I don’t know what the science is behind it, but I know I’ve read many times that traveling from east to west is much harder on the body clock than the reverse. My first day in Tokyo, I usually go to bed at 11 but then awaken wide-eyed and bushy tailed at 4 AM. As long as I don’t nap during the day, my body adjusts pretty quickly. But when I get back home in Seattle, it’s usually much worse. Falling asleep in my chair at 4 PM, but then wide awake - like “I just had 8 cups of espresso” awake - at midnight. And it seems to go on for a few days.

I am having an absolute blast, this is probably the most fun I’ve had here since my first & second trips 10 or 11 years ago. The stores don’t feel as crowded, and the incredible exchange rate allows me to buy stuff that otherwise I would’ve had to pass on. I’ve got six shopping days left, but I’ve already filled three large suitcases and will probably have to pay for 4 to 5 large boxes as additional baggage on the flight home.

I’ve already got my next trip booked for October to November, then I have my Seattle to Tokyo flight booked for next March and I am currently watching for the return flight to open up in business class using frequent flyer miles.

I was amazed to discover a few decent items at the RecoFan in Shibuya this week. They still have **** that I think they put in the racks just for laughs, Olivia Newton-John albums for ¥2000 for example.

At this point though, I am pretty much giving up on both of the Coconuts Discs shops as their grading is so god-awful. And a couple of days ago I was stunned to discover that the Disk Union Shinjuku Second Hand Store (the one that shares space with the classical store and is above the Disney store) had some of the worst grading “errors” I’ve ever seen. The first record I opened was graded “A” but had ugly visible scratches. I handed it to the clerk and told her this was crazy, figured it had to be an error, but then as I went through the rest of the stuff I’d pulled I discovered it wasn’t an error, it was a strategy. All of their stuff was Abysmally graded. Of the 30 or so records I checked, I think I ended up buying one. Caveat emptor!

 

I found some nice stuff in Recofan Shibuya this trip as well. The added benefit of Tax-Free purchases is nice. The other two Recofan stores were not good. I think most of the good stock is going to the Shibuya store.