Vinyl Shops in Tokyo, Japan and Japan in General

Discussion in 'Music, Movie and Hardware Store Guide' started by mikemoon, Jan 17, 2014.

  1. Johnny Ryall

    Johnny Ryall Forum Resident

  2. mtbikenh

    mtbikenh Forum Resident

    I am moving to Matsue in November. Any suggestions for vinyl or music stores in general? Close by?
    Thanks
     
  3. Johnny Ryall

    Johnny Ryall Forum Resident

    That's uncharted territory for me but I found one hit in Matsue on RECODATA/Search CDs and Vinyl Records close to you and one in nearby Yonago.
     
  4. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    I have my next trip to Tokyo already booked, October 25 until November 10. Cannot wait!!!

    I have been having lower back problems for a while now, even though I've lost 50 pounds in the last year. I've been going to a chiropractor here in Seattle 3 to 4 times a week to try to get everything fixed up, but I have a feeling I may need to try to find a chiropractor in Tokyo as all of the bending-over to look through record bins for eight hours a day on my last trip is what I believe started the problem.

    Does anyone have any recommendations on how I can find an English-speaking chiropractor in Tokyo, preferably in the Shinjuku area?
     
  5. mtbikenh

    mtbikenh Forum Resident

  6. Johnny Ryall

    Johnny Ryall Forum Resident

    Never needed medical assistance while in Tokyo but I rememeber hearing about some phone service that depending on the case will forward you to an english speaking specialist.
    The name escapes me at the moment, you should try asking here Japan Trips & Travel Tips • r/JapanTravel or Tokyo • r/Tokyo
     
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  7. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
  8. Jimmy Agates

    Jimmy Agates CRAZY DOCTOR

    Heading off to Tokyo tonight..can't wait to see the bands and check out all the record stores been over 3 years since my last trip so I've got quite a shopping list at the ready!
     
  9. Johnny Ryall

    Johnny Ryall Forum Resident

    Just got back last week from a 10 days intensive digging vacation. A few updates:

    - HMV (yep, that's not the UK HMV chain as we all know) opened a big store on the last floor of Studio Alta, Shinjuku, right off the big crossing near the JR station. Most prices are a little on the high side but they had lots of 100 yen box to dig thru. They opened another one in Kichijoji that I somehow missed, right in front of the Disk Union location.

    - Disk Heaven re-opened in Kabukicho after a long hiatus. (Google Maps ) The gems I found there, OMG :D Go there for your metal/hard rock fix.

    - Went out to Yokohama: Disk Union so-so, Recofan good, in fact a lot better than Shibuya Recofan this time around.

    - Nat/Warehouse moved to another, smaller space in the same building, same floor. Sadly their selection gets worse every time I visit.

    - Run into this chinese guy a couple of times while at different Disk Union stores: he was buying stacks and stacks of records while being on the phone all time with someone (from the homecountry perhaps?). He and an older woman were filling big travel bags with cheap, uninteresting stuff. Maybe opening a store back home? Record fairs?


    Found a few grails as usual, probably won't be back for a good while now. You guys, go there and give 'em hell :D
     
  10. Papa Montgomery

    Papa Montgomery Forum Resident

    Location:
    Helsinki, FIN
    Hi!

    Does anybody have any experience of record shops in the city of FUKUOKA? I'm heading there next week and I'd obviously appreciate any tips on best shops there! Thanks so much!

    -Andy
     
  11. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Thanks! Leaving for Tokyo next week so I’m already counting the days. Will check each of these out and report back.
     
  12. Sprague Dawley

    Sprague Dawley Forum Resident

    Location:
    Japan
    this stupid place. took a punt on about 30 of their cheap 7" and the whole lot are unlistenable there's so much goddamn background noise


    if its anything like their 100 yen 7" section last time I went a year ago its a pass. Mountains of 00's indie dreck I'd never even heard of

    yeah feels like they've caught up to discogs and its now way harder to "catch them out"

    it's a trek to get there but well worth it

    yeah, HMV drove me crazy, saw all those zillions of cardboard boxes and thought oh yeah but it was all overpriced crap. God dont get me started on the 2,000 yen hipster cassette collection by the door. Stuff you can get for $2 on discogs. After an hour of feverish digging I walked out empty handed. Dead loss.

    yeah the place is a bummer considering its rep. just seems to be all the 2nd rate hardcore left behind that no one wanted, with no cheapies
     
  13. Sprague Dawley

    Sprague Dawley Forum Resident

    Location:
    Japan
    ps my last bin scab in Tokyo Feb this year went like tbis:

    ADRIAN BELEW twang LP 300 yen. yeah kind of bummed about this one
    AFGHAN WHIGS gentleman 12 100 yen. Always a yes these pricks
    AVAIL 4am Friday LP 450 yen. Reacquisition of one I used to thrash in the 90’s. nice nostalgia. will probably never play again
    BATS live wfmu 7 300 yen. Always a yes, The Bets.
    BOB MOULD s/t CD 300 yen. thought maybe a yes but now a bit of a no
    BUCK BILOXI culture LP 850 yen. Flavor of the month darlings. Not rootin it. Sadly I'm now the old git who's heard it all a zillion times before.
    BUTTHOLE SURFERS widowermaker 12 600 yen
    BUTTHOLE SURFERS piough LP 750 yen. still hillaaaaaaarrrious but still a bit ****
    CABARET VOLTAIRE live 79 600 yen. 79, couldn’t go wrong
    CHILLS heavenly 2X7 450 yen. NZ music just does not exist in japenn so this was a breathtaking find
    CHROME flashback 2xCD 400 yen. Some live tracks I didn’t have
    CONVERGE/COALESCE 7 500 yen. Hell on toast MACHIDA
    CORRUPTED/INFAUST 7 600 yen. Best.
    CORRUPTED/BLACK ARMY JACKET 500 yen. munter
    CORRUPTED loss 7 800 yen. Too ambient

    [​IMG]

    DINOSAUR JR quest 7 450 yen. awesome
    EARTH living in the gleam CD 500 yen. Real bummer. Not into it
    ELECTRIC WIZARD dopethrone CD 1100 yen. Another crucialle reacquisiton
    FALL selfish & shiftwork CD 900 yen. Bit discoey but some godhead
    FALL bbc radio 1 CD 500 yen boomfah
    FRICTION s/t CD 700 yen godhead OG japan punks, j-version of SF’s “Crime” for me. Edit: although am actually getting a bit bored with it
    Foul lp 600 yen. gorgeous
    FUZZ s/t CD 700 yen. Hipsters do doom metal, gtfo

    [​IMG]

    GODHEADSILO scientific LP 100 yen. this band were on my reacquistion want list after having it all in the 90's so at 100 yen this was a hallelujah moment. Total ****ign downer that the thing has more surface noise than noise.
    GODHEADSILO/HAMMERHEAD 7 100 yen. **** my drawers when I found this. Bummer, its “experimental”
    HAnK WOOD AND HAMMERHEADS momma 7 100 yen. Wild ride is a yes.
    KARP/RYE COALITION LP 750 yen thrilling find but forgettable after Karp’s godhead lp outings
    LAURIE ANDERSON big science LP 350 yen. besides O Superman, the jury’s out. Mr Heartbreak way better
    LAZY COWGIRLS radio CD 500 yen. Huge raucous glory
    MAGAZINE the light pours 7 400 yen. GODHEAD.
    MARK LANEGAN no bells LP 100 yen 700 yen
    MARK LANEGAN BAND bubblegum CD this guy has been either a huge yes or a huge no for me. These two, the latter.
    MASTERS OF REALITY welcome CD 500 yen. a few munters
    NIGHT MARCHERS allez 12 400 yen. Took a punt, thought their first from 2008 was a bummer for me but man oh man, theyre back on the HOT SNAKES train here
    SLOWDIVE just for a day CD 750 yen. Too dismal, even for me.
    SLOWDIVE Souvlaki CD 900 maudlin a go-go

    [​IMG]

    THRONES white rabbit LP 1400 yen almost had a heart attack in my bumcrack when I found this. I may have actually squealed aloud in the shop, like a little girl finding her long-lost but very, very favourite Barbie doll in the shelves. TOTAL doom metal, TOTAL destruktionne.
    TODAY IS THE DAY supernova LP 750 yen another pant-****ting 90’s amrep find that I'll probably never play again.
    VANGELIS best LP 100 yen yes, yes you can have your laughs, Vangelis, but the wanky Sonab speakers cream their daks to his 70’s synth action
    WEDDING PRESENT live LP 500 yen. Almost always a yes this band.
    WHO tommy LP 700 yen. Sumptuous. Except for Pete’s pedo bits.
    ZAPP heartbreaker 7 100 yen. need entire first 5 years by this band.
     
  14. hockman

    hockman Forum Resident

    :confused::)

    You made it sound like it was a boondoggle in your earlier post yet you got all this great stuff...
     
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  15. Sprague Dawley

    Sprague Dawley Forum Resident

    Location:
    Japan
    haha, totally, some negatives, yes, running around between shops and stations, in my raincoat, like a screaming wet madman, tripping, falling, tears, crying, tears lingering, teeth-gnashing, dragging my stupid little suitcase that I daftly bought solely to fill up with records, drizzling rain, focus Dawley, focus, stay focused you stupid ****, lifting the suitcase, pulling it, up hill, down dale, down stairs, up stairs, too old for this sh**, the financial decisions, more like decishuns, the f****** GERMS 7" sitting there for 78,000 yen, more tears, decisions... but yeah on the whole mostly positives. 4 days, 11 am to 8 pm.

    Shibuya DU 5F punk/metal: only bought 3 lp's, slim pickens this time, still the 100 yen 7" section was a serious yes

    3F/4F: a real bust. no cheapos. 980 yen Billy Joel lp's. Goddamnit you can get his entire discography on vinyl from almost every single recycled shop in the country for that

    Recofan: really cannot stand this place. It LOOKS like paradise but you soon see its every crappy 7" I can get in Sapporo for 200 yen priced here at 700 yen. And The 980 Yen Billy Joel LP Syndrome is in full effect here.

    HMV, just down the street, see post 2 posts up for my colossal whinge

    Machida. lights out awesome. Too bad its halfway to bloody Yokohama. Bought 23 records here for about 9,000 yen. Damn near crapped my drawers when I saw the Chills 2x7".

    Tachikawa: was crap last time I went, awesome this time. 41 records for about 11,000 yen

    Nakano: inverse to above, was great last time and crap this time.

    Kichijoji: really crap. bought TWO lp's.

    Shinjuku: main store (3F) kind of a bust. still bought 13. On to the "new" rock store just down the same street, one floor was too pricey (3?) and the other (4?) was a goddamn bonanza. Their policy of just continually marking stuff down (regardless of what it is?) over certain alloted time frames means so much stuff just sinks to the bottom price range

    6F indie store was total zero. really bummed cos I spent about two hours trawling thru the place last time, bought a boatload, yet this time walked out empty handed.

    7F punk store in its new location, last time in the old place I was there for a solid 3 hours, in the tiny store, buying a bumload, this time bought ONE lp and was out in 15 mins. Wising up to discogs...

    the cinema soundtrack store: again, bought heaps last time, zero this time. price hikes. In summary, amazingly, Shinjuku was a flop

    Takadanobaba: pretty great. really the stores have become a blur by now and I'm having trouble differentiating them, plus so knackered and starving, can't really take my afternoon lie down in the corner, not again...

    Ochanomizu: aces, some scores. the metal shop down the road and up the stairs never has any cheapies though

    Jimbocho: can walk from Ocha, its a solid store

    Tsudanuma: it's GONE. goddamn GONE. Was so tired and disoriented by now I just stood there trying to process this new & shocking information.

    Shimokitazawa: great. bought 22. one the way back up towards the station there's a new shop called "General Record Store" which has bugger all and looks more like a boutique

    Chiba: BEST. well worth the trip. just make sure you get on the express train and not the goddamn local one that dawdles through the countryside at a leisurely pace then stops every 300 metres at a station. Hot damn, bought 56 records here.
     
    Last edited: Oct 18, 2017
  16. Maccaroni

    Maccaroni Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bay Area, CA

    I'm in Singapore. There are a few record shops here where all they do is head to Japan, stock up with a couple of thousand $5 records, then mark them the hell up - in the region of 400%. If the artist is in ANY way desirable, more like 600% irrespective of pressing.

    Your man may have been Singaporean, but I imagine that there are a ton of record shops in China needing that stock - not sure how many copies of Linda Ronstadt's greatest just were being sold in Chengdu in 1978 (or whatever) that are now coming onto the second hand market in the "conventional" way.
     
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  17. Sprague Dawley

    Sprague Dawley Forum Resident

    Location:
    Japan
    That is pretty amazing. Do they sell? Many Singaporeans have high salaries? I can't see it working, discogs sets the market rate these days, if its too exorbitant in the store then a couple of clicks later thru discogs and you've got the bottom dollar copy. Although come to think of it dont think i've ever sold anything off discogs to Singapore...
     
  18. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member

    Question re: Disk Heaven -- is it exclusively a heavy metal specialty shop?

    I think it's sad about Shinjuku -- 10 years ago there were record shops all over the place, now, not so much. Seems like Disk Union rules the roost and forced the rest out. Nat/Warehouse is just a shadow of its former self, Perfect Circle was closed (but still there, at least)...when I cruised the record street a few weeks ago it left me pretty sad, like it's dying and mostly gone compared to just a few years ago.
     
  19. Maccaroni

    Maccaroni Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    They surely do sell. Check out the Facebook page of Hear Records and they document the whole process (without talking about the markup of course).

    For the casual buyer postage to Singapore is reasonably prohibitive for a record or two leaving room for that margin. Salaries are pretty decent here, but there's also the... Shall I say... liifestyle" factor of spending an afternoon crate digging and taking home a copy of The Police's Synchronicity to stick on the shelf, even if you did pay USD20 for it and Discogs lists it for 8.....

    Thankfully I quite regularly travel to Japan on business, and for new stuff take advantage of the fact that Amazon will ship to SG for free on orders over $125. There's a premium on new stuff of about 50-60% as well.
     
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  20. Johnny Ryall

    Johnny Ryall Forum Resident

    Yep, I'd say they cover all the hard rock/metal/death metal spectrum.
    Not that great of an inventory but some prices were the best I saw in this trip.
     
  21. Johnny Ryall

    Johnny Ryall Forum Resident

    Here's a screenshot from Discogs of what I dragged back home.
    Best deals were the Hellacopters comp and Inside the Torn by Napalm Death for under 1800 yen, the Ozric tape from the '80s for 300 yen (also got The Bits for a friend, same price) and those Ultramagnetic Mcs lp's that I had in my wantlist since the dawn of time.
    Almost bought a very expensive og pressing of Volo by Goblin at Disk Union Ochanomizu. But I felt that something just didn't sit right with it. It was the the first copy I had ever seen. A voice inside my head told me to go online and I found out it had recently been re-released. Ordered a new pressing for 18 euro and **** the collector in me.
     
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  22. Sprague Dawley

    Sprague Dawley Forum Resident

    Location:
    Japan
    Killer haul. Prices? Guessing even the reissue of the OUTO is going for big bucks now? You can find the reissues for the CONVERGE at $18 and NEUROSIS $28 online if you scab around wholesale sites. Kicking myself for selling my OG of the CONVERGE. Gotta reacquire with the live Jane LP and new one coming out in Novermber. How's that Church of Misery?
     
  23. Johnny Ryall

    Johnny Ryall Forum Resident

    Everything was basically in the 250o-500 yen range. Of what I really wanted, I only passed that Goblin 6000 yen record.
    Saw a Warrior On The Edge Of Time boxset by Hawkwind in DxUx Jinbocho for 3000 yen but decided it would take too much space.
    I sold the Outo comp on cd a few month back for the big bucks. This lp was around 2500 yen, top condition.
    Jane doe was around 2200 yen from DxUx Shimokita (bought it while thinking about flipping my 2001 press on clear, still unsure). The Neurosis is a brand new copy with a 50% discount from the 'outlet' section of some DxUx.
    Still haven't played that Church of Misery. I'm not really into their latest stuff.

    Could have hoarded in some more cheapies but I was flying for the first time with Qatar Airways and I heard stories about them being real strict with carry on baggage so I kinda restrained myself. That was not a really good idea since they weren't really paying attention when I flew back home and I ended spending over 500 euro on 3 pair of jeans anyways (japanese hi end selvedge denim).
    Sold some Beatles EU pressings at the new DxUx rock store in Shinjuku and got way more that I had anticipated. They paid me around 16000 yen for 5 records, only one mono original pressing in the lot but a G+ copy at best. The rest were later repressings.

    Wanted to go to a few shows (Lizzard Wizzard in Yokohama, Looper and Guevnna in Shibuya, a grindcore matinee at Dues) but stuff always got in the way or I was just too tired.
     
  24. Johnny Ryall

    Johnny Ryall Forum Resident

  25. Jimmy Agates

    Jimmy Agates CRAZY DOCTOR

    Here's my metal/rock haul mostly from Disk Unions in the Tokyo area (prices in Oz dollars)...mostly used stuff and some rarities and new things too...the second hand prices on stuff are amazing and the condition A+

    ACID PUNK DRUNKER – LIMITED DISK (JP) $5.70 2004

    AEROSMITH A LITTLE SOUTH OF SANITY (JP 2CD) $4.30 1998

    ANTHEM LIVE MELT DOWN (JP) $14.25 2003

    BON JOVI 100,000,000 FANS (JP 5CD/DVD) $22.20 2004

    CLOCKWISE NOSTALGIA (JP) $6.65 1997

    CRASHDIET THE UNATTRACTIVE REVOLUTION $8.70 2007

    THE DARKNESS ONE WAY TICKET (JP+1) $3.20 2005

    DOUBLE DEALER DESERT OF LOST SOULS (JP) $8.70 2007

    DOUBLE DEALER FATE AND DESTINY (JP) $7.80 2006

    DOUBLE DEALER DERIDE TO THE TOP (JP) $5.50 2001

    DOUBLE DEALER DOUBLE DEALER (JP 2CD) $4.40 2000

    DOUBLE DEALER LIVE IN OSAKA (JP) $17.45 2005

    DOUBLE DEALER LIVE IN TOKYO (JP 2DVD) $23.35 2006

    FASTER PUSSYCAT WHIPPED (JP+2) $2.85 1992

    GLORY CRISIS VS CRISIS (JP) $11.95 1994

    GLORY 2 FORGIVE IS 2 FORGET (JP) $6.85 1992

    GOTTHARD DOMINO EFFECT (JP) $10.25 2007

    HIBRIA XX (JP) $13.50 2016

    HIDEKI IV (JP) $25.85 2016

    HIDEKI III – NO FATE (JP) $40.00 2015

    HUGO HUGO (JP) $8.00 1997

    JOURNEY ARRIVAL (JP) $8.00 2000

    LIZZY BORDEN DEAL WITH THE DEVIL (JP+1) $20.95 2002

    YNGWIE MALMSTEEN FIRE AND ICE (JP+1) $4.00 1992

    JOHN NORUM SLIPPED INTO TOMORROW (JP+1) $6.80 1999

    PRIMAL FEAR JAWS OF DEATH (+2) $17.80 2010

    SABER TIGER TIMYSTERY (JP) $11.10 2003

    SABER TIGER PARAGRAPH 2 (JP) $6.15 1997

    SABER TIGER AGITATION (JP) $8.20 1998

    SABER TIGER PARAGRAPH (JP) $5.35 1991

    SEVEN SEVEN (JP+1) $14.65 2014

    SIAM SHADE VIII – B-SIDE COLLECTION (JP) $5.70 2002

    AKIRA TAKASAKI MADE IN HAWAII (JP) $11.50 2002

    JOEY TEMPEST JOEY TEMPEST (JP+2) $12.40 2002

    TRIBUZY EXECUTION (JP+1) $2.55 2005

    220 VOLT 220 VOLT (JP) $25.60 1997

    VOLCANO LEVIATHAN (JP) $24.15 2017

    VOLCANO DAVI (JP) $43.30 2001

    VOW WOW ROCK ME FOREVER (JP 2CD) $5.70 2006
     
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