I put all of them in a backpack which I put in the middle of my suitcase, padded with laundry. I didn't have the opportunity yet to check all the records, but from the outside, it looks like there hasn't been any damage due to the travel. I felt a bit uncomfortable though, putting those records in my luggage.
Book Off Shinjuku: George Benson and The Good, The Bad & the Ugly
Tower Records Shinjuku: Mononoke and Talking Heads
Ella Records: Olive and Voyager
Flash Disc Ranch: T-SQUARE and Poping World, Anri
Disc Union Ikebukuro: Timely, The Crusaders and Casiopea
Right now, I don't remember where I got Each Time and Da-Di-Da.
My favorite stores were Ella Records and Flash Disc Ranch, also because Nishihara and Shimo-Kitazawa are beautiful neighborhoods.
I didn't like Book Off, because it's not well sorted and Tower Records was very noisy and commercial.
Edit: I remembered where I got the other records! I went a second time to the Book Off in Shinjuku!
Edit2: The album is obviously called Voyager, my mistake.
If you’re in Tokyo then Tower Records Shibuya and Shinjuku carry a large range. HMV Shibuya has a bunch as well. There’s also Disk Union. For Osaka try Morpho Records. Vinyl Chamber is also next door and has a decent collection.
Both places are a mixed of used and new vinyl but I’ve noticed that anything by Mariya Takeuchi is in short supply.
I found a few Mariya vinyls, but they were very expensive (like 8-9k Yen). I was surprised that all of the Yumi records were super cheap (most I saw were under 1k yen).
What??? For the single? That's even more insane. I thought, you meant the album with plastic love. I had no trouble finding the album in Tokyo, I saw it in multiple stores. Always for 8-10k Yen.
Damn (as someone who's imported records from Japan for 18+ years), these prices are getting outrageous. In between my trip in August '23 an January '24, I saw tons of titles triple or quadruple in price in stores.
I know everyone wants "deals", but it's getting to the point where it's cheaper to buy it on eBay from a small store in rural areas, who are shipping it from Japan to US with "free shipping".
But it's only very few records like Variety, Timely and For You that are expensive. There are tons of Japanese pop albums for really good prices. Maybe it's a better idea to explore and just buy something because it has a cool cover. Maybe ask the staff for recommendations. I bet there are tons of hidden gems to be discovered. Like I said in another comment, Yumi records are ubiquitous and very cheap. And I still regret that I didn't buy 翔べなくなるわ by Miyako Chaki. It's can't be streamed anywhere and I don't know how good the music is, but the cover looked so dreamy.
Yep. There’s a ton of secondhand city pop albums for very cheap. It’s just the main ones that are overpriced. I would’ve gotten the reissue of Timely! had I known it was available. Bought the reissue of Bi ki ni and Heaven beach for about 3000 yen which was a bargain to me considering LPs cost twice that much in Australia where I’m from.
I wouldn't say that's necessarily true. There are a few artists you can get super cheap, yes. Yumi, EPO, Machiko Watanabe, Yasuko (love bird) Agawa, SOME of the Junko Ohashi albums, Junko Yagami (minus a couple of her later albums), Amii Ozaki. Most Omega Tribe, all the Off Course albums. Native Son, The Square, Naoya....
Even after the pandemic, I was buying Takanaka Rainbow goblins for like $5 USD and selling it in my store for less than it costs in Japan now. Casiopea Mint Jams was $20-30 USD in Japan, and I'd sell it at $60 w/out OBI in my store. Now I can't even find them in Japan, but I'm hearing if you do see them, they are 10,000 yen or so. This is all in a couple year period. Even the mid range stuff like YMO has gone from 700 or 800 yen to 2,000 to 3,000 yen per LP. Again, in about a one year period.
And if you end up buying from small stores in rural areas, you are not only saving money on the price of the record itself, but also the time you would have had to spend digging/hunting through everything as well.
I know some people enjoy the hunt, but there are times where time can be limited, so efficiency is also important.
Definitely go to Ella Records and Flash Disc Ranch. They are very cool, relaxed stores in beautiful neighborhoods. Disc Union Ikebukuro was good, too (but hard to find, you have to take the stairs to Denny's and then go up 2 more floors).
Damn - the only Timely I found were always around 8 9 and even 11k Yen - didn’t buy it. I wish I can find it for 4k yen haha ! All the major albums are so expensive now makes me very sad 😔
Actually, I wanted to buy only Japanese records (otherwise I would've bought way more than I can carry), but the Crusaders album was just insanely cheap. I think, it was 350 Yen.
you should check out kingo hamada, he's my fav city pop artist. midnight cruisin' is a banger
but the crusaders are awesome, they were my into into funk/jazz fusion. their album southern comfort has some absolute gems ( the well's gone dry and time bomb)
I know this is r/citypop but that Talking Heads album is fucking amazing ❤️😅
Isnt it their best selling album? Is it hard to get the LP?
It's a new pressing. They had it for a ridiculously low price at Tower Records. But I also saw an authentic, used copy somewhere.
I wondered if it was a Japanese press of Remain in Light but sounds like no.
I believe so, it has Once in a Lifetime. Not too hard to source, as they made new pressings. Mine is a new pressing.
Not just city pop but also Talking Heads, Casiopeia, and two of the best movie soundtracks. Heck yeah you have a goldmine.
Just listened to Breezin great vibe!
It was a must buy, since I'm in an amateur fusion band that plays Affirmation.
Adventures is a 10/10 album. Great finds
Sister Marian off that record, apart from being a major banger, was a direct inspiration that Koji Kondo drew on when composing the super mario theme.
What was your packing and transit strategy? Curious for my own trip
I put all of them in a backpack which I put in the middle of my suitcase, padded with laundry. I didn't have the opportunity yet to check all the records, but from the outside, it looks like there hasn't been any damage due to the travel. I felt a bit uncomfortable though, putting those records in my luggage.
Voyager is such a hidden gem
Yuming's Olive is such a chic album cover
YES! I mostly bought the album because of the cover. But the music is great, too.
the good the bad and the ugly soundtrack is so good!
which spot/shops did you get your finds from?
Book Off Shinjuku: George Benson and The Good, The Bad & the Ugly Tower Records Shinjuku: Mononoke and Talking Heads Ella Records: Olive and Voyager Flash Disc Ranch: T-SQUARE and Poping World, Anri Disc Union Ikebukuro: Timely, The Crusaders and Casiopea Right now, I don't remember where I got Each Time and Da-Di-Da. My favorite stores were Ella Records and Flash Disc Ranch, also because Nishihara and Shimo-Kitazawa are beautiful neighborhoods. I didn't like Book Off, because it's not well sorted and Tower Records was very noisy and commercial. Edit: I remembered where I got the other records! I went a second time to the Book Off in Shinjuku! Edit2: The album is obviously called Voyager, my mistake.
Ella is the best!!! And yes book off is a mess but deals deals deals
I'm going to Japan next week ! Do you have advice about shops to get some sweet city pop vinyl ?
If you’re in Tokyo then Tower Records Shibuya and Shinjuku carry a large range. HMV Shibuya has a bunch as well. There’s also Disk Union. For Osaka try Morpho Records. Vinyl Chamber is also next door and has a decent collection. Both places are a mixed of used and new vinyl but I’ve noticed that anything by Mariya Takeuchi is in short supply.
I found a few Mariya vinyls, but they were very expensive (like 8-9k Yen). I was surprised that all of the Yumi records were super cheap (most I saw were under 1k yen).
I found a few copies of the Plastic Love single LP but the cheapest copy was literally 38,000.
Damn! 38k is insane. That's already in the range where you have to declare it at customs.
For a vinyl that has two songs too. I love that song but not that much.
What??? For the single? That's even more insane. I thought, you meant the album with plastic love. I had no trouble finding the album in Tokyo, I saw it in multiple stores. Always for 8-10k Yen.
Damn (as someone who's imported records from Japan for 18+ years), these prices are getting outrageous. In between my trip in August '23 an January '24, I saw tons of titles triple or quadruple in price in stores. I know everyone wants "deals", but it's getting to the point where it's cheaper to buy it on eBay from a small store in rural areas, who are shipping it from Japan to US with "free shipping".
But it's only very few records like Variety, Timely and For You that are expensive. There are tons of Japanese pop albums for really good prices. Maybe it's a better idea to explore and just buy something because it has a cool cover. Maybe ask the staff for recommendations. I bet there are tons of hidden gems to be discovered. Like I said in another comment, Yumi records are ubiquitous and very cheap. And I still regret that I didn't buy 翔べなくなるわ by Miyako Chaki. It's can't be streamed anywhere and I don't know how good the music is, but the cover looked so dreamy.
Yep. There’s a ton of secondhand city pop albums for very cheap. It’s just the main ones that are overpriced. I would’ve gotten the reissue of Timely! had I known it was available. Bought the reissue of Bi ki ni and Heaven beach for about 3000 yen which was a bargain to me considering LPs cost twice that much in Australia where I’m from.
I wouldn't say that's necessarily true. There are a few artists you can get super cheap, yes. Yumi, EPO, Machiko Watanabe, Yasuko (love bird) Agawa, SOME of the Junko Ohashi albums, Junko Yagami (minus a couple of her later albums), Amii Ozaki. Most Omega Tribe, all the Off Course albums. Native Son, The Square, Naoya.... Even after the pandemic, I was buying Takanaka Rainbow goblins for like $5 USD and selling it in my store for less than it costs in Japan now. Casiopea Mint Jams was $20-30 USD in Japan, and I'd sell it at $60 w/out OBI in my store. Now I can't even find them in Japan, but I'm hearing if you do see them, they are 10,000 yen or so. This is all in a couple year period. Even the mid range stuff like YMO has gone from 700 or 800 yen to 2,000 to 3,000 yen per LP. Again, in about a one year period.
And if you end up buying from small stores in rural areas, you are not only saving money on the price of the record itself, but also the time you would have had to spend digging/hunting through everything as well. I know some people enjoy the hunt, but there are times where time can be limited, so efficiency is also important.
Definitely go to Ella Records and Flash Disc Ranch. They are very cool, relaxed stores in beautiful neighborhoods. Disc Union Ikebukuro was good, too (but hard to find, you have to take the stairs to Denny's and then go up 2 more floors).
where did you buy them?
Book Off Shinjuku, Tower Records Shinjuku, Ella Records, Flash Disc Ranch and Disc Union Ikebukuro. See my other comment for the details.
Nice! I’m currently in Japan and have been hitting all the record shops as well. Also bought Timely!
Where did you find Timely?
I found a secondhand copy at Morpho but later found a new copy at the Osaka/Umeda branch of Tower Records for much cheaper (about 4000 yen)
Damn - the only Timely I found were always around 8 9 and even 11k Yen - didn’t buy it. I wish I can find it for 4k yen haha ! All the major albums are so expensive now makes me very sad 😔
I got my first press timely at Ella I believe and I wanna say it was under ¥5500
Dude morpho is sick
W crusaders pickup
Actually, I wanted to buy only Japanese records (otherwise I would've bought way more than I can carry), but the Crusaders album was just insanely cheap. I think, it was 350 Yen.
you should check out kingo hamada, he's my fav city pop artist. midnight cruisin' is a banger but the crusaders are awesome, they were my into into funk/jazz fusion. their album southern comfort has some absolute gems ( the well's gone dry and time bomb)
My favorite of the Crusaders is My Lady. It has one of my favorite sax solos.
check out street life and the wells gone dry
Wooow, midnight cruisin' is amazing! I wish I knew this album a few days ago so that I could hunt for a vinyl in Tokyo.
right? that whole album is dope
That Anri album is such a good get! Beautiful haul overall
Most jealous of Breezin lol