Shibuya: The Holy Land of Record Travel: Capture your heart with music

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Tower records

Address: 1-22-14 Shennan, Shibuya-ku

Time: 10 a.m. ~ 11 p.m

Tower records is undoubtedly a paradise for music lovers in Tokyo, and everything from the online store and app to the online purchase service is very thorough.

The red and yellow building with the logo stands out on the side of the road as soon as it exits Shibuya Station, and there is a huge slogan sign saying "No music, no life" at the entrance.

The entire eight-story building is dedicated to Tower Records, and there is an underground performance space on the ground floor. Although the tower store is a chain, this can be said to be the flagship store in the entire Tokyo area, and it was almost the last record store to open in Tokyo before the epidemic hit, which is much larger than the one in Shinjuku. In 2012, a bookstore, a coffee shop, and an event space were established at the same time as a general store, and the stock is amazing.

Each floor has a different type of goods and music style, so be sure to find which floor you want to go to before getting on the elevator. Every time I'm waiting for the elevator, that classic joke comes to mind: If one day, we end up in jail for downloading music, I want to separate us by musical style.

From J-pop and Hallyu to metal, rock, world music, and classical music. If you're a fan, you have to come, but one of the drawbacks is that the area where vinyl is sold is not very large, and it's not a mainstream medium.

So if you're serious about picking up vinyl records, other pre-owned independent shops are the first choice.

If you are a tourist, please remember to bring your passport, as foreigners can buy more than 5,000 yen directly at a large chain store such as Tadian or HMV.

TECHNIQUE

Address: Shibuya PARCO B1F 15-1 Utagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku Time: 12 o'clock ~ 21 o'clock (open all year round)

The shop is located on the basement level of the PARCO Mall. In Shibuya, TECHNIQUE is almost synonymous with house music and electronic dance music records. All the records in the store are also divided according to various dance music styles, from techno, house, beats, and a small number of jazz and pop.

Most of the staff in the store are knowledgeable, and the store has become the choice of many local DJs. But because it's mostly singles, DJs rarely buy listening vinyl, making it one of the places where electronic music fans can pick up a little bit of a miss.

Union record

Address: Shibuya-ku Udagawa-cho 15-1 Shibuya PARCO B1F Time: 11 o'clock ~ 21 o'clock (open all year round)

I used to be quite confused about the relationship between this store and DU, because this store is small and often has good goods and new products, which is convenient to find dishes and save time, so I go to this store more frequently.

So I went to check it out, and it turned out that Union record was the predecessor of Disk Union, which was born later, and the famous DU should be known to many people.

diskunion ROCK in TOKYO

Address: 32-7 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku, HULIC & New UDAGAWA B1F

Time: 12 o'clock ~ 20 o'clock (open all year round)

Entering through a small door, you will find a wall full of classic vinyl covers, and walking down the stairs is the real thing. It has to be said that it is definitely one of the must-visit stores for rock fans, and it has a rich collection spanning from the 1950s to the 2020s, with a focus on overseas mainstream rock, including hard rock/heavy metal, punk rock/hardcore, and Japanese rock.

There are also many precious plates on display

There are six JBL speakers, CDs, records, music books, clothing, souvenirs, and other miscellaneous items for sale

FACE RECORDS

Address: 10-2 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku, 新東京ビル

Time: 13 o'clock ~ 20 o'clock (open all year round)

The exterior of the shop is small and fresh, and it specializes in 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl for jazz, soul, R&B, and reggae music. If you're a fan of jazz, don't miss it!

In addition to vinyl, there are also music books and magazines for sale, and of course, the audience is obviously much younger. In just a few dozen minutes of my store, a lot of sun-tide guys came in, unlike in a rock shop where only the uncle was accompanied...…

NEXT RECORDS

Address: Shibuya-ku Udagawa-cho 11-11 willow light ビル本館 2F

Time: 13 o'clock ~ 20 o'clock (open all year round)

This NEXT and FACE are both easy to find, FACE is on the side of the road, and NEXT is across the street from it. However, NEXT is relatively hidden, and you have to go up the stairs and turn a corner through the small door to see it.

The owner of NEXT, a 12-inch single-disc vinyl collector, has more than 10,000 vinyl sheets in the store, all of which he and his assistants and friends take turns to find in Europe every year. He once mentioned in an interview that most of the boutiques in Tokyo go to the United States to buy discs, and most of them choose to go to Europe to buy British records and EU records.

The whole NEXT is like a warehouse, although the store is not big, but the amount of goods is indeed very rich, don't just look at the above, there are several rows of unboxed dishes under the shelves in the aisle, the boss is definitely a hoarder.

There are disco from the 70s ~ 80s, clubs from the 90s, and 12-inch vinyl such as hiphop, R&B, and soul.

In addition, you can also buy second-hand record players and stylus at half or a third of the market price, which look like top goods, if you are also interested in the machine, you might as well come here to talk to the owner.

HMV record shop

Address: 36-2 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku, ノア渋谷

Time: 11 a.m. ~ 8 p.m. (Open all year round)

The HMV record shop is located in Udagawa Town, which was considered a sacred place for many DJs in the 90s, and has one of the largest record stores in Shibuya.

If you're looking for a comprehensive collection of records, in terms of collection and stylistic breadth, in addition to Tower Store and DU, you should come here. However, the difference with DU is that DU is more for Taodi lovers, and HMV is more friendly to tourists, and has put a lot of effort into the display, and there are also various film and television animation original sound areas as recommended areas.

The first floor is dominated by Japanese music and Western rock, while the second floor is dominated by electronic and hip-hop, and almost all musical styles are included here.

There are also many areas on the first floor where there are various activities, such as a few discounts on three second-hand plates and a 100 yen special area. But it's not recommended to waste time here, and I don't know when the 100 yen dish was in the last century, and there is basically nothing of value at a cursory glance.

However, if you want to search for a disc, there will still be many surprises to find if you flip through it, and there are many treasures here, and the same second-hand disc may have several different quality options.

名曲喫茶ライオン

Address: 12-19-13, Michigenzaka, Shibuya-ku

Time: 13 o'clock ~ 20 o'clock

Famous songs are not a popular thing in Japan, but a classical music culture that has existential significance. In the fifties and sixties of the last century, imported records were still out of reach for the general public, and when people wanted to hear good music, they would gather in spaces like famous songs and teas, so there were a large number of jazz cafes and classical music cafes that flourished.

Even now, you can still find a place in Tokyo that retains the spirit of that time. Like Lion, it is already synonymous with Shibuya, and it is also one of the few existing cafes in Shibuya that retains the characteristics and imprints of the era.

The shop was founded in the first year of the Showa era, and the decoration style also retains the Showa style, with crystal chandeliers, red velvet chairs, and dim lighting all standing still in time. The interior of the store is like a small concert hall, with a giant two-story sound system and thousands of classical and symphonic vinyl sheets.

It is a place where music is played non-stop, and it is a place of relaxation and tranquility. No one is talking or using mobile phones, and basically everyone is closing their eyes or relaxing, enjoying a moment of tranquility in the city.

However, it should be noted that there are no snacks to eat, only coffee and other drinks. Every day, about an hour from 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. is a timed concert time, and the repertoire selected by the store is played. The rest of the time can be on-demand by guests, but don't order modern music, oh, it will definitely be rejected!!

Lighthouse

Address: 2-9-2 道玄saka, Shibuya District 正実ビル 4F

Time: 13 o'clock ~ 21 o'clock

Lighthouse, which opened in 2008, has existed for 12 years like a "lighthouse" crowded in the business district, just like the logo of their home pasted in the picture above, it is also a very cute lighthouse~

It's not particularly easy to find, you have to enter it from a hidden entrance next to the busy street, and then climb the stairs to the fourth floor. The entrance is very small, and you can see that the interior is almost pure white decoration style, and you will find that it is a bustling oasis when you go in.

The ceilings in the store are good, and the windows facing the street make the whole space very transparent. In front of the window, there is a row of audition machines, and two huge loudspeakers are also installed.

Like Technique, which has a variety of styles, it mainly deals in electronic music records, supplemented by jazz, disco, soul, funk, and a small amount of rock.

This shop has the owner's own will to style, and there are also a large number of resources of famous DJs and second-hand record companies, so you can get rare classic records.

Bosses tend to sell productions that are perfect for listening to at home, with selections ranging from disco to Balearic island-style pre-dance music, to modern houses and the resurgence of Nu Disco, which has a wider clientele than just DJs.

Record bar analog

Address: Shibuya-ku Michigenzaka 2-20-9 Liuguang ビル 3F

Time: 20 o'clock ~ 2 o'clock

Tucked away in Shibuya, Analog is a vinyl record bar that opened in 2018. Its appearance is not eye-catching and even a little unpretentious, it looks like a very ordinary building from the downstairs, and it feels like there is a hole in the sky when you get on the elevator.

The logo at the entrance of the store is instantly recognizable, and the first thing you'll notice when you walk in is the incredibly cozy retro atmosphere. Not only does it have a unique wine list, a unique sommelier and, most importantly, good music.

The dimly lit interior of the store, with two large machines at the bar, a large cabinet in the center stuffed with rows of vinyl records, and the back of the bar is also stuffed with records, which is the most unique "decoration" in the store.

The unique feature here is that guests can choose their own songs from the central record stand. I picked a Weezer disc first, and the boss asked me to choose one to play. After drinking for a while, the boss saw me sitting alone and asked me what I wanted to hear.,I asked if there was a professor's 戦場のメリークリスマス。 He first recommended me a song by a professor he liked, and then played Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence to me.

As for the sound quality, the store is equipped with vintage Altec speakers, Garrard 301 turntables, so you can fully experience the charm of record music.

There's no DJ mixer, no loud dance floor, just a nice music space that starts at 8 p.m. every night. (Actually, it opens at 8 o'clock, but it's actually no problem to go an hour and a half early.)

In general, if you want to buy a new album, then the tower store is the first choice, if you are a first-time student in Tokyo, or if you know what you want to buy with a more purposeful idea, then each chain store of DU and HMV is the safest choice, and if you are a jazz fan, electronic music fan or a fan of other targeted styles, then it is recommended to choose a professional store in the rest of the stores.

In addition, most record stores in Tokyo have their own official websites, such as chain stores, which have their own apps, which not only list the latest arrival information, but also check the specific inventory status through the database. If it's not like a wasted effort, it's a good idea to check the inventory on the website first. Of course, in this way, it will inevitably lose some of the fun that is only available when you are shopping for saucers.

With the advent of digital music and the rapid expansion of our access to information, what was once a common thing in the last century has become scarce in this era.

Of course, I really enjoy the fun of panning for discs, just like when I was a kid, so I always collect them by chance, and I believe that as long as fate comes, I will always find the disc I want someday in a corner of Tokyo.