Record stores in Tokyo

[Glide3]

Hi
A friend is heading to Tokyo in a week and would like to know if there are any record stores worth seeking out.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions

 

[ssfas]

Easier to stick to Disk Union. Map here.

https://diskunion.net/pdf/shop/e_shop_routemap_l.pdf

I stuck to the Ichanomizu store, which is vast. Depends where you are staying and how much time you have, but if you are nearer Shibuya or Shinjuku, then I suppose start there.

My son takes these things more seriously and on a trip last October he started with a list of 200 stores and narrowed it down to about 10.

 

[Glide3]

Easier to stick to Disk Union. Map here.

https://diskunion.net/pdf/shop/e_shop_routemap_l.pdf

I stuck to the Ichanomizu store, which is vast. Depends where you are staying and how much time you have, but if you are nearer Shibuya or Shinjuku, then I suppose start there.

My son takes these things more seriously and on a trip last October he started with a list of 200 stores and narrowed it down to about 10.

Thank you very much!!

 

[wcheng]

I think ssfas meant to say Disk Union in Ochanomizu. There are lots of musicians in that area and also a university. If you walk around you will see lots of stores selling musical instruments. I agree that area is excellent for record shopping. There is one Disk Union that carries all genres by one of the train stations. Both subway and elevated rail have separate stations there. There are also other Disk Unions in the area that specialize in individual genres like jazz, rock, etc. There is also an Audio Union (sister store of Disk Union) that sells equipment and is excellent if you are into tweaks and accessories. Japanese brands like Furutech, Oyaide, and Acoustic Revive available at much better prices than in the US.

The Disk Unions in Shibuya and Shinjuku are also excellent. Recofan and HMV in Shibuya are also pretty good.

One of the things that you will quickly realize about record shopping in Japan is that condition of used records is fantastic. Japanese take great care of their records!

If you want to shop for equipment, Yodobashi's main store has lots of equipment, accessories, tweaks, cables, and headphones. Dynamic Audio has incredible equipment, especially on their top floor which doesn't seem to always be open or may be by appointment only. Their other floors (I think there are 5), which are usually open, also have excellent displays of equipment.

 

[Glide3]

I think ssfas meant to say Disk Union in Ochanomizu. There are lots of musicians in that area and also a university. If you walk around you will see lots of stores selling musical instruments. I agree that area is excellent for record shopping. There is one Disk Union that carries all genres by one of the train stations. Both subway and elevated rail have separate stations there. There are also other Disk Unions in the area that specialize in individual genres like jazz, rock, etc. There is also an Audio Union (sister store of Disk Union) that sells equipment and is excellent if you are into tweaks and accessories. Japanese brands like Furutech, Oyaide, and Acoustic Revive available at much better prices than in the US.

The Disk Unions in Shibuya and Shinjuku are also excellent. Recofan and HMV in Shibuya are also pretty good.

One of the things that you will quickly realize about record shopping in Japan is that condition of used records is fantastic. Japanese take great care of their records!

If you want to shop for equipment, Yodobashi's main store has lots of equipment, accessories, tweaks, cables, and headphones. Dynamic Audio has incredible equipment, especially on their top floor which doesn't seem to always be open or may be by appointment only. Their other floors (I think there are 5), which are usually open, also have excellent displays of equipment.

Excellent….thank you for the information!

 

[ssfas]

I think ssfas meant to say Disk Union in Ochanomizu. There are lots of musicians in that area and also a university. If you walk around you will see lots of stores selling musical instruments. I agree that area is excellent for record shopping. There is one Disk Union that carries all genres by one of the train stations. Both subway and elevated rail have separate stations there. There are also other Disk Unions in the area that specialize in individual genres like jazz, rock, etc. There is also an Audio Union (sister store of Disk Union) that sells equipment and is excellent if you are into tweaks and accessories. Japanese brands like Furutech, Oyaide, and Acoustic Revive available at much better prices than in the US.

The Disk Unions in Shibuya and Shinjuku are also excellent. Recofan and HMV in Shibuya are also pretty good.

One of the things that you will quickly realize about record shopping in Japan is that condition of used records is fantastic. Japanese take great care of their records!

If you want to shop for equipment, Yodobashi's main store has lots of equipment, accessories, tweaks, cables, and headphones. Dynamic Audio has incredible equipment, especially on their top floor which doesn't seem to always be open or may be by appointment only. Their other floors (I think there are 5), which are usually open, also have excellent displays of equipment.

Indeed. Last year I walked to Disk Union in Ochanomizu from Akihabara and there are many music and record stores. Osaka is good for records, went to a few independent ones and the HMV there is a good general store. HMV Japan is nothing to do with the Canadian owned HMV and produces quite a lot of vinyl.

I went to a couple of Yodobashi, in Akihabara, Shinjuku and Kyoto. I got an Ikeda 9TS for about £900, half the UK price. Lyra are made in Tokyo but you can't buy one in a regular store or Yodobashi. If they did, they would all end up being sold overseas on eBay. I recall you can buy things like Phasemation and Ortofon are popular, same prices as at home. We both got good wireless Sony headphones, about 1/3 cheaper than at home.

My shopping was quick, successful, and largely unplanned. It was more a cultural trip, the highlight being 4 days in Benesse House on Naoshima Island (with a visit to Teshima Island as well).