Vinyl Shops in Tokyo, Japan and Japan in General

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

  1. yookmook

    yookmook Forum Resident

    last day,i found this one in the bin.[​IMG]
     
  2. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Anyone have any tips on how to determine what shops are still open, or even a map that's relatively current (say - 50% of the stores still exist) that I should use? I'll be there in 3 weeks and still don't know how to put together a list of record stores on my Google Maps app.
     
  3. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    What "vinyl app" is he referring to?
     
  4. hockman

    hockman Forum Resident

    I doubt very much you can find a useful 'app' unless you understand japanese. Sorry, this is Japan, you have do your research the old fashioned way. There's some blogs you can look at for info. There is a guide book you can buy in Japan that describes the vinyl stores open in Japan but it is in Japanese...
     
  5. yookmook

    yookmook Forum Resident

    try all of disk union stores in tokyo.
    i think it's more than 40 shops.
    don't forget to check sales day from website.


    operating hours 11.00 to 21.00/sunday and public holiday 11.00-20.00.
     
  6. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Thanks everyone. I'm compiling a pretty good list of stores, should be enough to keep me busy for 2 full weeks.

    Should I bring plastic outer sleeves, or will the shops sell them in the outer plastic sleeve? I hate to transport vinyl without an outer sleeve. Call me obsessed, it's true. I'm bringing cardboard boxes, packing tape, cardboard stiffeners, etc. Since I was lucky enough to get JAL 1st Class, I have a baggage allowance of (3) checked bags and can fill each to 32KG/70LB so I'm figuring it's better to bring it and not need it then to wish I'd brought it.
     
  7. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    One thing I'm confused about... (actually, MANY things I'm confused about but I'll just ask about one of them here o_O)

    Where or what is "Baba"? It seems in context to be an area with some less-expensive record stores, but all my searches on Google yield inconclusive or confusing results.

    How do I get there from Shinjuku station? What stores should I look for when I get there?

    Man, I'm getting SO EXCITED for my upcoming trip!!!!

     
  8. rcdupre

    rcdupre Flying is Trying is Dying

    Baba is Taakadanababa, good deals at this DU!

    ok heres the list, make sure you get a Disk Union Point Card !
    http://diskunion.net/st/shop/e_index.html
    some words....sen / line .....eki / station....ekimae / right by station
    minami / south....kita / north....nishi / west....higashi / east......___doko des? / where is __?
    all you can eat / viking.....all you can drink / nomihodai

    JR Chuo Line, east to west:
    Ochanamizu DUs: right across from the south exit, 2nd floor, huge!
    also down the street to the right is the 3 floor metal / hard rock store
    and further down at the light is the massive musical instrument street,
    cross the street take a left and at the light is the biggest jazz store on the planet DU
    theres also a smaller DU around the but they only have CDs
    Shinjuku DUs: west exit, to many to mention but find one and they have a map, huge Bookoff
    Nakano DU: north exit, right behind Nakano Sun Plaza, small store
    this is where they sometimes have Saturday vinyl sales, in a little alley off of Sun Road
    right by the small Rare Records theres a CD store upstairs in Nakano Broadway, this is Manga and weird stuff heaven
    Koenji: Rare Records, underneath the station west side, lotsa vinyl, get a point card, it has maps
    theres also a few other record stores, Dope Soul Trax and one on the walking street on the right, upstairs
    Kichijoji DU: north exit, big store..around the corner is a good DU jazz store
    also theres a good record store south-west ekimae: Rare Records, small...
    and another store a few blocks away NW on the tracks..also a huge Bookoff near the DU
    Kokubunji, my station: there are 2 record stores here ekimae, one huge!: Mezurashimonoya, orange sign
    Kunitachi: small Rare Records, west of the station, unfriendly and not really worth it
    Tachikawa DU: north exit right hand side across the 1st traffic light: medium size, good deals
    acroos the street towards the station in Loft theres a huge Bookoff
    theres also two Muzarashimonoyas, south exit, one huge...walk to the left a few blocks

    JR Yamanote Line, north to south:
    Ikebukoro, enjoy getting lost here! The huge DU is west exit, near that big walking street
    huge Bookoff , theres also a big record store north of there is the small red light district, upstairs
    Mejiro: the prog label Belle Antique store is here, they have used prog records, east ekimae
    walk down the stairs and take a right at the Family Mart http://map.goo.ne.jp/place/13000521188/
    Takadanababa: west / Big Box exit ekimae...right past Skakeys Pizza..all you can eat Y1,200
    theres also a small record store a few blocks away towards Waseda University, and west over the river a Bookoff
    Shinjuku
    Shibuya
    : I hate this place, very confusing, but theres a small 3 story DU here across from the Koban,
    and across the street is the massive Recofan, you could spend a day here, also a huge Bookoff across the street...also north along the tracks is the biggest CD store in the world, Tower
    http://www.recofan.co.jp/map/beam.html

    JR Inokashira Line, connects Shibuya to Kichijoji:
    Shimokitazawa, east exit: huge DU, Flash Ranch Records and Yellow Records, further north on the same street, left side
    https://www.google.co.jp/?gfe_rd=ctrl&ei=iacZU62CFYzN8gf5_IGoBQ&gws_rd=cr#q=flash ranch records shimokitazawa
     
  9. hockman

    hockman Forum Resident

    What you need to figure out is how to read a Tokyo map (a good hardcopy is the Tokyo City Atlas). Tokyo addresses aren't like your normal street addresses; they go by neighborhood, then subdivision (#), then block, then no. on block. Not easy without an online map or atlas. Stores often do not have street frontage or are on upper floors of nondescript buildings. That's why you need to do some homework before you go. You can get practically to most places by metro.

    You don't need to bring sleeves, boxes or tape. You can find all that in Tokyo and the DU accessories section (usually part of the big DUs) sells all you need for packing and more. Typically record stores will include an outer sleeve on the records. If they are missing, just ask and usually they will provide for free.

    Rcdupre has given you a good list. You can easily spend all your time and money at the DUs and the Recofan alone without even going to any of the other stores.
     
    MightyVinyl likes this.
  10. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Awesome. Couldn't ask for more help or info. Thanks again, I believe I'm now ready....
     
  11. rcdupre

    rcdupre Flying is Trying is Dying

    or if you have an iPhone with the GPS map it will really really really help!!!
    Addresses here are messed up even for the natives....for the address 1-12-16
    The middle # is the block number (12) so as long as you can find the block you will eventually find the place...the last number is the building or house, but good luck finding a number or address on any store in Tokyo!!.....you also need to get a SUICA CARD 1st thing at Shinjuku eki...it's a plastic card you keep adding money to, a train pass that works all over Japan, the other option is buying a ticket every time, I wouldn't even know how to do that...I'll ask my wife where you can get one at shinjuku eki and what to say
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2015
    MightyVinyl and yookmook like this.
  12. yookmook

    yookmook Forum Resident

    plastic outer sleeves are free with the records.
    cardboard boxes and etc./ bring them all. it's not free,
    you need them if you buy lot of records.
     
  13. yookmook

    yookmook Forum Resident

    suica is very good ,convenience and time-saver.you can buy at suica machine at jr station .
    don't forget to check on 100 yen and 500 yen bin.
    sometimes, you get the gems out of this bin.
    happy hunting.


    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2015
  14. hockman

    hockman Forum Resident

    Definitely buy the Suica card. Vending machines allow you to add money. There's an english menu in vending machines in most stations. If you buy a ticket for individual trips, it is very inconvenient not to mention difficult sometimes - maps in some of the smaller stations don't have english for the station stops (you need to know your destination station because this determines your fare...).

    Please report back on your record shopping experience.
     
  15. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Thanks again! Yes, I had actually planned to buy a SUICA or PASMO card at Narita airport when I land, although I will take the limousine bus to my hotel so if I cannot find one at Narita, I will buy one the next day when I set out to conquer the city from Shinjuku station. Can anyone explain the difference between the two cards? I think I understood that they are pretty much interchangeable, and can be refilled easily.

    I will be bringing my iPad with me, and have already contracted to rent a Wi-Fi hotspot which will be waiting for me at my hotel upon arrival. Much easier to see maps and things like that on the iPad than on my iPhone.

    I've also decided to bring a couple hundred US promotional singles with me to try to sell to diskunion, I will report back on my success or lack there of, as well as the results of the shopping expeditions. Can I take various genres of singles to a single Disk union and try to sell them, or do I need to take them to the various disk unions that specialize in whatever genre they are? And if not, which single Disk union should I go to to sell them?
     
  16. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Also, special shout out to RCDUPRE, thank you for all the great information!

    I think I'm signed up for the point card, I was able to work through the online registration and now I have a login and password from DU, is that what I need to present to get the card?

    Also, does DU still have huge weekend clearance sales on used merchandise?
     
  17. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Forget? That's the whole reason I'm coming! I can spend limitless hours going through the one dollar bins in the record stores here in Seattle, I can't wait to do that on a larger scale in Tokyo
     
  18. wumpah

    wumpah Member

    Location:
    Planet M78
    [​IMG]

    Hi, may i know where is this fair held exactly inside or outside at nakano broadway shopping centre. I have been to tokyo record hunting for years everytime going to Disk union only. So i would appreciate if you could enlighten me where is this fair held at cause 100 yen per Lp is really a good buy.

    My next trip to japan will be at october so i would really appreciate if somebody could give me more information about this fair also is it held at every weekend.

    thanks

    My recent haul was this chet atkins and Los indos record which i got it at HardOff shop at Hachioji @100 yen.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2015
    yookmook likes this.
  19. yookmook

    yookmook Forum Resident

    print out confirmation e-mail from disk union online will be a lot easier for you to communicate with disk union officer.

    tell officer that you are already member of disk union online and you want membership card.

    nearest sales day is 18-23 september/

    you can check sales days from diskunion.net
    good luck.

    [​IMG]
     
  20. yookmook

    yookmook Forum Resident

    The companies that sell the cards are different.
    They are both used in similar ways to travel on railways and buses.

    pasmo can use on JR EAST (for tokyo no problemo) and many others.
    check on their web site.
     
  21. rcdupre

    rcdupre Flying is Trying is Dying

    Re: Nakano DU ¥100 sale: that map is correct, the big black square on the left is the legendary Nakano Sun Plaza concert hall, 2nd only to Budokan, massive you can't miss it...this is in an alley across from it, I've seen people standing in line for hours, opens around noon..I talked to a Brit who went there and it's basically like a rugby scrum, or a rush hour train ride...just boxes of crap Lps and people fighting to find something good, I suggest getting there 2 hours before it opens...I'll get my wife to call that DU and ask when the next one is
     
    Sprague Dawley likes this.
  22. rcdupre

    rcdupre Flying is Trying is Dying

    as I mentioned before, you will find better deals the farther away from Shinjuku you go...it didn't used to be like the but in the past few years it seems DU in particular has finally realized the value of this stuff, maybe thanks to our forum? if it's a first press with an obi it will be prominently displayed on the top shelf for oki ¥!
    The same thing I will eventually find at Bookoff for ¥950
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2015
    Sprague Dawley likes this.
  23. rcdupre

    rcdupre Flying is Trying is Dying

    pretty much everywhere in Tokyo has free wifi....society here would cease to exist if it didn't, your hotel has free wifi, and every train and train station,that hotel is awesome btw, beer machines by all elevators! Awesome view, as the lobby is like 25 floors up, if you go out the lower rear entrance to the right there's a McDonald's and a kombini, Family Mart? Save ¥....regarding selling at DU, I don't know about Lps but the reason you can find a rare black triangle 1st press cd for $4 is because they don't give you hardly anything when you sell...I recently sold a lot of CDs and made like ¥3,000...at least you get a printout showing what they pay you for each thing...they are scientific here, it can take up to an hour....unfortunately the dollar was doing a lot better a few months ago, right now it's at 120.4...it was at 125 at few months ago....the best place to exchange money, best rates is at UFJ bank, there's one I n shinjuku west of the best, northern most DU and right around the corner from the flagship store....don't exchange too much money at Narita, also you get a better rate with Amex travelers cheques
     
    yookmook likes this.
  24. wumpah

    wumpah Member

    Location:
    Planet M78
    Hi rcdupre, pardon my ignorant which i still don't get it. So the weekend sale for 100 yen LP will be inside or outside the nakano broadway shopping center cause i have been there so many times and i don't notice there is a LP fair there. Or is it held at behind Disk Union nakano shop.

    Could you guide me and give me more details as in how to go to the 100 yen LP fair. I would really appreciate your kind help very much.
    [​IMG]
     
  25. rcdupre

    rcdupre Flying is Trying is Dying

    dude its outside Nakano broadway, right where the map says it is, in the little alley, take a left from the Sun Road, before you get to Broadway going north from eki
    but the map is wrong, its on the north side of the alley, Ill get my wife to call ashta to find out when the sale is in the next 2 months...basically its a shuttered space that has no
    identifying marks, no sign or nothing, except for all the geeks that stand around there for hours on Saturday...go to the crap Rare Records and take the next right,
    and find some dismal blank grey shuttered space on the left, basically a block from the small, worst DU...this phone convesation will probably last 5 minutes to ask a 10 second answer, in Amerika is would be a 30 second call, but here it will take ten times the length, maybe they will have to have a team meeting to formulate an answer, baka des !!!
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2015

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