I *Love* CD Shopping in Tokyo

I just had to post. Spent the day in Shinjuku and later an hour or two in Shibuya. Hoo boy!

This is what CD shopping used to be. I bought more in one day in stores than I have in the US in ... well ... years. I'm not counting online purchases.

Some nice scores today, including the Japanese DVD-A for Donald Fagen's Nightfly and the 30XD-1000 pressing of John Coltrane's My Favorite Things.

The best snags of the day were the two A&M gold discs (the old D33Y pressings that go for crazy money) I picked up for a total of about 2500 yen (about $25 US) total - not EACH. I saw the Police Synchronicity one for about 6000 yen today and passed. Later in the day I saw both Ghost In The Machine and Bryan Adams Reckless. To boot they are promo/sample!

Even if Recofan and Disk Union didn't exist, you could go broke on only HMV and Tower Records (especially if you are into jazz).

And this is only day one ... many Recofans and Disk Unions to peruse still.

 

hope the map helped...you should try the Disc Union is Kichijoji

 

wow! I'm jealous!

just kidding.

I'd love to see Japan someday...

 

It did; they also had maps in the stores. That Jazz store in Shinjuku is amazing.

Hey, it was day one ... other stores as the week progresses. My wallet already hates me.

 

If I did no other CD shopping but went to Japan once a year, I'd be happy. Seriously.

 

I go every other year--yeah, it's great!

 

Don't you have to pay customs fees to bring them back to the US?

 

The Japanese know about quality when it comes to music products.

 

Not if your purchases are under the $800 ($1,000? Not sure)/individual limit.

 

I live in Kyoto. Can anyone reccomend and good places in Osaka to go to? I know there are a lot but if you have some experience with them it would be good.

 

The Shinsaibashi area has most of the best stores. King Kong and Time Bomb are both good.

 

Thank you.
I will check them out on Monday

 

Is it true they don't have used CD stores in Japan?

 

How is that one for vinyl?

Dale

 

Pick up the (Japanese language only) "Rekodo Mappu" guide at a bookstore. It's published every year and lists every record store in every major town in the country, along with a map to it and the kind of stock it carries.

Dale

 

no

 

they have a lot, but I'm not into vinyl so I didn't really pay attention

 

Thanks, I'll have to check it out.

Dale

 

Maybe my friend just didn't know where to look!

 

There aren't that many outside the big cities, so he may be half right.

I am lucky enough to work in Shinjuku at the moment. I think I can tell when an SH member has been through the upper floor in the main DiskUnion shop!

 

Nah, nearly every town of 40,000 or 50,000 population has a BookOff or a HardOff and they carry used CDs...of course, if you're not a resident you might not know that, despite the big CD logo on their signs.

Last time I was there it was thin pickens, like either the place is getting regularly Hoovered of the good vinyl, or there aren't as many sellers giving up the good stuff. Wonder which it is?

Dale

 

Bring me back some Miles Davis, willya?

 

We have a BookOff location here in New York City in mid-town between 42nd Street and 5th Ave across from the public library. I was pleased to find out that they too have a well-stocked used CD section. More U.S. issues than Japanese though.

Always loved the name.

 

Book Off is cool in the Tokyo suburbs, I've found some good stuff there, some really cheap PFM and Crimson boots (and some Miles ones too, actually)....I actually once brought a buncha rare German prog records to Disc Union Shinjuku from the U.S. to trade in at the prog store downstairs, it wasn't really worth the hassle though...and you get absolutely nothing for your CDs at Book Off...