Vinyl Shops in Tokyo, Japan and Japan in General

Thanks for the info, I'll be going to Tokyo this coming Saturday, can't wait to take a look at those new Platinum SHM releases.

 

Look for the OOP SHM SACD titles that are still in stock at Tower and other stores.

 

New prices for CDs have to be the same everywhere- it's mandated by law.

 

generally true, but from time to time there are reductions in store and online sellers such as hmv and cdjapan offer discounts, points and other incentives.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Interesting thread. A few questions for anyone who's been or lives there:

1) Are there yard sales and flea markets in Japan like there are in the US?
2) Most records in Japanese record stores are not Japanese?
3) Prices are not much better there than here for Japanese pressings?
4) Any copies of Oz Days Live, Foodbrain's Liver Juice Vending Machine or Speed, Glue and Shinki LPs kicking around?

 

About a month ago, when I was in the Shibuya Tower, there were plenty of every Black Sabbath shm sacd title, for example.

However, that store is real easy to navigate. On the 5th floor is all the rock/classic rock, and it's ordered by genre (metal, blues, classic rock, etc..) and then it's in English alphabetical order.

The shm sacds, sacds, and platinum titles have their own wall. There are other platinum titles mixed in to the artists section as well.

The Sabbath comes easily to mind, also the coveted Supertramp Breakfast In America title. Five weeks ago there were at least 10 copies of that title.

Yamano music in Ginza, right near the Imperial Hotel, also had loads of OOP titles. Print the list of all the Platinum and SHM sacd titles from the CDJapan titles, walk in to either of those stores with it, and I guarantee that from your list, you'll be able to walk out with several titles that show OOP from all sources online except for eBay.

 

I picked up a headhunters inner with a cheap copy of Who's Next on Ebay (10 yrs ago). Seller did not mention or realise the significance. Transferred it to a better condition copy

 

1. The flea markets I've seen are mostly clothing - not worth spending your time if you are looking for music. Hitting the record stores will be more productive.
2. There is a lot of J-Pop but most records are "Western" i.e. Rock, Soul, Jazz etc.. There are also numerous small stores that specialize in a genre.

 

1) no, unfortunately
2) I'd say about 50/50
3) sometime you can find wicked cheap stuff with obi in the Y400 range (I just saw the first Creation LP for that but I already have the CD)
4) I've seen Speed, Glue LPs, but generally that kind of stuff is wicked expensive, like the Flower Travellin' Band Made in Japan box w/ obi: Y25,000 ($250)
the average price for the Japan stuff I like is around Y1,250

...I've been searching out the Japan rock LP sections of every store I go to, but haven't bought anything yet...

 

no immediate plans for a trip to Japan, but this thread definitely added it to my list. it looks like I should probablyl start saving now, for the trip & the vinyl.

 

Anyone have any tips of good vinyl shops in Osaka? I'm going to Japan for 3.5 weeks starting next Friday. I've found a couple places in Osaka in the past, but there must be better ones considering it's Japan's second largest city. I'll also be in Tokyo for a few days, so I'll try to check out some of the places mentioned upthread. But mostly I stay in Kobe. There are a couple of places there, too, one of which has to win the international award for crazy messiest record store. I have photos, I'll have to try to post them in a little while. They're hilarious, but they may also bring some people here to tears to see some of the stacked vinyl.

 

king kong records and timebomb are both in osaka
in america town i think?
could be wrong i had help getting there

 

Thanks for this thread. Will be in Tokyo for three months starting in July for work and will be within a few miles of the shops mentioned here in Tokyo. Looking forward to exploring a bit on days off!

 

King Kong
https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=大...57.5848j0j8&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=91&ie=UTF-8

Timebomb
http://www.timebomb.co.jp/index_en.html

 

To record shop in Japan has always been a fantasy of mine. Very jealous!

 

Thanks guys!!! I'll try to check them out.

Edit: Actually Time Bomb is one of the ones I've been to, I couldn't forget those genre names, I'll have to return.

 

I have an appointment in Harajuku tomorrow, any record or CD shops there near the station ???

 

2 1/2 weeks til I hit Japan...don't buy up all the decent music peoples!!!!

 

Not that I know of. However if you like electronic music and synths there's a great synth shop right next to the station. Go out the Takeguchi exit.
http://www.fiveg.net/

 

I went to Tokyo many years ago, probably about 12 years ago. I had no idea how to find the music shops. I walked around and around. I was mostly looking for Led Zeppelin bootleg shops. Eventually I found them, you need to look up!

I bought some Pink Floyd vinyl too. Very nice and not expensive. But then a few years ago tonnes of old Japanese vinyl came over to China. How? I don't really know but most of it was cheap compared to Japanese prices. I even got an old Red Vinyl pressing of Rubber Soul, but pretty wore out. I now have three copies of Atom Heart Mother and two Meddles.

 

Many bootleg shops (in Nishishinjuku) are now closed, I think.

 

The last time I went I had a box of concert tapes and was eventually taken to a back room in an alley way and was asked what I wanted for them by a small but polite gold jewelry wearing deep voiced man. I said just trade for cd's no cash. He opened a closet in the room filled with many titles, loaded my arms full and said, "this is our secret, now goodbye." Interesting little adventure.

 

I'm kind of curious..... did this exchange take place in English or Japanese? Also, what year was this? And was the guy Japanese..... if so did he have any tatoos? Funny story either way.