Hi All,

After spending the last 9 months remodeling my house it's time to get back out there and travel. 4 months and 97,000 miles remaining to retain 1K status. First stop... Tokyo...

I've looked in the archives and couldn't find anything at all on this one... I'm one of those thoroughly strange people who still enjoys listening to vinyl records. I know that vinyl is still a fairly popular format in Japan and am hoping to find a couple of good used/new record stores to visit in Tokyo.

Does anyone here know of any good record stores in Tokyo (that actually sell records, as opposed ot CDs, DVDs, SACDs, etc)? I'm looking for western music, but not necessarily western artists. I'll take classical, jazz, '80s popular, and just about anything else.

I'll be staying at the PHT so something near shinjuku would be a plus.

Anyone know of anything??

Thanks!!
-Andrew

Try Tower Records in Shinjuku -- its right by the station, in essence, to the East of it.. :) If thats not what you have in mind, I'll be glad to help you find used/new vinyl record stores.

Sanosuke!

I once told my kid sister that she sounded like a broken record... then I realized that I was talking about something entirely outside of her experience :eek: :(

Here are some maps -

Who knows what you will find in these places ... if you find these places... I hope you enjoy exploring:

West side
http://www.the-shinjuku.ne.jp/CONTENTS/IN/ENTER/RECORD/nmap.html

East side
http://www.the-shinjuku.ne.jp/CONTENTS/IN/ENTER/RECORD/tmap.html

EDITED TO ADD -
Index of what's in the shops - you should get the gist of things if you stick this through babelfish or some other translation tool:
http://www.the-shinjuku.ne.jp/CONTENTS/IN/ENTER/RECORD/list.html

Hint - If your translation engine tells you the shop sells "forks and locks"... in this context it's probably "folk and rock"

Here's a list (in Japanese) of shops in Tokyo that sell record needles, so I hope they sell records as well! There are quite a few locations in Shinjuku, as well as Shibuya.
http://www.jico.co.jp/hp/shops/tokyo.html

Google "Disk Union" as well. Several locations, some have almost exclusively LPs.

Mike

My first thought was "Vinyl Japan".

Some links here:
http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyofeaturestories/372/tokyofeaturestoriesinc.htm

Many of the places I used to know have gone.

I get comments from people who say they still come across my old 45" releases in Tokyo. Quite a mark up though!

I remember there was a used vinyl record store in Nakano, maybe it's still there. Nakano is a 5 or 6 minute ride from Shinjuku station on the JR Chuo Line (orange, first stop) or the JR Sobu Line (yellow, third stop). Take the North exit from Nakano station and walk on the main cross street towards Sun Plaza, the tall building a short distance away. If the store still exists, it's on the opposite side of the street from Sun Plaza, the side you are on, and before you reach Sun Plaza.

An alternative more "advanced" way to get there is to exit the Park Hyatt, turn left at the bottom of the driveway and walk past the firestation, cross the street, and continue on about 150 yards to the first bus stop -- if you reach the grocery store, you've gone too far. Take bus route 45 (not 41) to the end of the line at Nakano station, costing Y200, and walk under the tracks towards Sun Plaza.

Thanks everyone!! ^ ^ ^ ^

This is all VERY useful information and it looks like the prospects are even better than I imagined. Please keep it coming!

I reccomend taking a swing through Udagawacho in Shibuya. It's a little neighborhood that is full of record stores. Just go towards the 109 building and then fork off one of the streets to the right and walk around. There are plenty of stores around the Tokyu Hands department store. As a vinyl nut I always make a trip here when heading through Tokyo. Many Hip Hop, Techno and House specific stores here, but also lots of Soul, Rock, Blues and Jazz. Plenty to see here for the vinyl junkie. I've spent whole days there. Plus, when you're done you can go to Tokyu Hands to buy a crate to ship everything back in :-)

_m

The two best areas I found for record shopping in my recent trip were the west side of Shinjuku and all over Shimokitazawa - I picked up a brochure there showing over 30 record stores. Shimokitazawa is close to Shinjuku (just a couple stops away) and really fun to wander around and get lost in.

Recofan is a good chain to check out - they have a branch in Shimokitazawa, and others across Tokyo, including Shinjuku.

Other links: http://www.twee.net/countries/japan_shops.html or http://www.bento.com/rekodoya.html.

There are a couple around the Jimbocho Metro station at Sendai Mai, including a Disk Union. Walk east on Yasakuni dori.