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

    The Euro/Yen exchange is at a 3 year high and still I'm stuck here without any clue about when intercontinental travel will resume :confused:


    Yes, I know, first world problems :sigh:
     
  2. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    The latest that I’ve heard about Japan opening for foreign visitors isn’t good, and definitely doesn’t bode well for my planned October/November expedition.

    Apparently, the Japanese government pulled a bit of a Trump. Rather than dealing forcefully with the outbreak and having lockdowns etc., they have instead scapegoated foreigners as one of the causes of the problem to try to deflect blame.

    The upcoming Tokyo Olympics in July were expected to be a $1.8b tourist bonanza. Instead, the government has doubled down and announced that no tourists will be allowed into Japan to attend the event. That shows how serious they are about continuing to scapegoat tourism as the problem. Since they’re passing up literally billions in tourist income in July to “keep the country safe”, I can’t imagine that they would go ahead and open up just three months later so little old me can come over and spend some money on records!

    On a more positive note, my online record store sales have been booming. Ever since the lockdowns began in March of last year, I’ve posted month over month gains, with January being the best month I’d ever had and then February March and April each being significantly better than the previous month! I’ve even started a TikTok channel with videos about various bands and their vinyl releases. Just google Tik Tok mighty vinyl.

    If anyone gleans any additional information about when Japan may reopen for tourists please post it here.

    Lastly, I was able to find the online blog about the new Shibuya Tokyo Rocks Disk Union. From the images and things that were posted it’s clearly not what I had hoped - a store specialized in ONLY Japanese vinyl - but it looks like it has some cool stuff.
     
    Briskit likes this.
  3. Sprague Dawley

    Sprague Dawley Forum Resident

    Location:
    Japan
    MV, had a look at your discogs for-sales, first item I randomly see is a dollar bin Thompson Twins LP that you're asking $25 for.

    o_O
     
  4. vakrolme

    vakrolme Active Member

    Location:
    London
    Have you seen this?

    According to The Japan Times, vaccine chief Taro Kono says Japan will secure enough vaccines to inoculate all residents aged 16 and older by the end of September. [source]

    I think if they don't botch it somehow, and if they don't claim that even with everyone vaccinated the borders must remain closed, like most Western governments are saying now, you might get a chance to go in November.
     
  5. Sprague Dawley

    Sprague Dawley Forum Resident

    Location:
    Japan
    Chasm of difference between having enough doses and actually getting organised to inject them. There is ZERO urgency from the dithering bureaucrats here. Inexplicable considerimg they've scheduled the Olympics an international Covid mega-spreader event to kick off in 2 months.
     
    Jimmy Agates likes this.
  6. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    For you, I’d go $20.

    P.S. - it’s a sealed copy of one of their most popular albums. Trust me, someone will pay that much for it in the near future. I’m amazed what sealed dollar bin records go for just a few years later once the supply has dried up and collectors want a true mint unplayed copy.
     
    Last edited: May 7, 2021
  7. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Well, there’s that, but then today there is this:

    Calls to Cancel Tokyo Olympics Grow Louder as Emergency Extended — Bloomberg
     
    Jimmy Agates likes this.
  8. mfidelity

    mfidelity Senior Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    It's starting to look more likely that my late October trip to Tokyo isn't going to happen. At the current rate of vaccination in Japan it doesn't bode well for opening up to tourists - I hope I'm wrong but I'm not holding my breath.

    Does anyone know if the Ikebukuro Record Fair is scheduled to happen in January 2022? That might be a good option to reschedule if October is a no go.
     
    EdogawaRampo likes this.
  9. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member

    Here’s the tentative timeline of Japan’s Covid-19 vaccination programme – UPDATED June 4

    I'd never even heard of it. Did some Googling and the other references I can find anything but info from 2016 for it.
     
  10. Briskit

    Briskit “I don’t know karate, but I know ka-razy!”

    Location:
    St Kilda
    Takes me back to my days in South Korea in the early 'oughts.
    Couldn't give blood because us filthy, promiscous whitey's all had HIV.
    o_O
     
  11. Johnny Ryall

    Johnny Ryall Forum Resident

    You can try looking up the One Box Record Fair site, they always update with the fairs going on in Tokyo and Japan in general.
    One Box Record Fair in Tokyo

    There was another Facebook page that listed some fairs all over Japan but I can't find it ATM.
     
    mfidelity likes this.
  12. Johnny Ryall

    Johnny Ryall Forum Resident

  13. Johnny Ryall

    Johnny Ryall Forum Resident

  14. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Any chance you could provide a synopsis in English? I’ve tried clicking on that and all I can get is a Instagram Japanese page which I can’t really use Google translate on. Looking at the Shinjuku blog using Google translate I can’t really find anything that seems to relate to what you were alluding to. Could you please provide a little explanation?
     
  15. Johnny Ryall

    Johnny Ryall Forum Resident

    Google translate of the Inbstagram post:

    4 Disk Union stores will open on Shinjuku Dori at the same time on July 9th (Friday)!
    Two new specialty stores, "Best Album Store" and "Storage Store," and two existing stores, "Second-hand Center" and "Classic Hall," will be relocated, and four stores will open on the same floor.
    The four stores that will open this time are conveniently located a 5-minute walk from Shinjuku Station and Shinjuku Sanchome Station. It is a store that can be used by more customers near Shinjuku Station, which is easily accessible from a wide area on multiple railway lines.
    ■ Best album store
    CDs continue to decline in the music software market, but with the advent of CDs 40 years ago, best compilation albums and compilation discs have become popular due to their features such as long-time recording and ease of handling. Aiming to restore the CD, which has been a market leader for many years, we will open a specialty store "Best Album Store" specializing in best compilation albums.
    The "Best Album Store" has over 10,000 new and used best album CDs of all genres.
    In addition to reasonable products from high-end CDs such as the latest standards and high-quality sound boards, there is also a record corner, making it a lineup that can be enjoyed by music users of a wide range of genres. We will carry out store-specific benefits and campaigns, events with guests, etc. to promote the goodness of CDs and best compilation albums.
    ■ Storage store
    "Storage store" is a specialty store specializing in storage supplies for CDs, records, and books. We have a wide range of storage products that meet the needs of our customers, from CD record collectors to light users.
    Storage racks are mainly developed from original products unique to Disk Union, from large to small types according to the intended use. In addition, in order to make it easier for customers to imagine using a storage rack in their own room, we will add an image room that actually stores CDs / records. In addition, we have a large selection of display products such as record frames and protective products such as vinyl covers, and we support a more comfortable life with music through storage products.
    ■ Shinjuku Used Center (former name Shinjuku Second Hands Store)
    The largest used specialty store in the Shinjuku area that specializes in used products such as CDs / records / DVDs / music books / apparel of all genres such as Western music, Japanese music, jazz, soul dance music, world music, movies / soundtracks. Regardless of whether you are in Japan or overseas, you can easily search for CDs and records without genre because it is a second-hand specialty store that stocks over 50,000 items in all genres. There is also a audition service, so you can listen to and select your favorite music. In addition, second-hand specialist staff are stationed, and one of the attractions is the purchase assessment that suits the situation of bringing in, which is unique to second-hand specialty stores, from small-scale quick assessments to specialized assessments.
    ■ Shinjuku Classic Hall
    Japan's largest classical music specialty store is back in a reborn new building. We will greatly increase the amount of CDs exhibited and display a total of about 50,000 items. In addition, the sales floor for DVD and Blu-ray video software, music books, and sheet music has been revived. In addition, we will always provide a healing space for classical fans with a lineup of over 15,000 LP records. From Shinjuku Station and Shinjuku Sanchome Station, you can access the building from the underpass. We also purchase classic CDs, DVDs, etc., and our staff specializing in classical music will carefully assess your collection. We look forward to welcoming you to the classic sanctuary.
     
  16. mfidelity

    mfidelity Senior Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    A store that only sells compilations. Gotta love DU.
     
    dlemaudit likes this.
  17. LoveYourLife

    LoveYourLife Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    Only in Japan.
    I'll never forget walking into DU one time in the last 10 years and finding I was on a sort of Brazilian-only floor (if they had any Hispanic Latin stuff in there, I certainly couldn't see it). I saw more stuff on offer than in specialty music stores in Rio de Janeiro...
     
  18. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Thanks!

    Sort of reminds me of an old Saturday night live sketch from the very early years with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. I think it was Dan Aykroyd that was running the Scotch Boutique. People would come in looking for kilts, bagpipes, Scottish pipes, maps, etc. And every time, they would reply, “no we only sell scotch tape.”
     
    mfidelity likes this.
  19. hockman

    hockman Forum Resident

    Well, in Japan, you have stores that only sell cassettes and players. And I think there may be stores that only sell Beatles items. It's all part of Japanese 'otaku' culture.
     
    longdist01 likes this.
  20. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
  21. mfidelity

    mfidelity Senior Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    Look like it's only for Japanese citizens traveling abroad. They are asking countries to accept the passports for the Japanese but they are not reciprocating. I just pushed back my trip to mid-December. Maybe enough people in Japan will be vaccinated by then to let tourists back in but I'm not holding my breath.
     
  22. yookmook

    yookmook Forum Resident

    hello long time no see
    how are you?


    i buy a lot of vinyl from yahoo auction
    i find that disk union, hmv also list their catalog there
    you also can buy from their website via proxy company.
    good luck
     
  23. LoveYourLife

    LoveYourLife Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    Interesting idea...
    Yahoo? I thought they went bust years ago.
    I'll have to check it out; thanks for the tip
     
  24. Harvey Rickenbacker

    Harvey Rickenbacker Forum Resident

    Thanks for that info Yookmook. I spent several hours just now on the yahoo Japan site. Fun! Not as much fun as being in a Disk Union store or some little store at the top of several flights of stairs, but it'll do for now! I also went looking for proxy companies and found one Music | FROM JAPAN . Anyone used them?
     
    Johnny Ryall likes this.
  25. MightyVinyl

    MightyVinyl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle

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