Japan digging 2024
ako
https://soundcloud.com/a-ko 3,413 Posts
Hey all, been a VERY, very long time...
Going
to Tokyo in March, was just gonna see if anybody had any must-see shop
suggestions or anything. Went back through the forum search and I kinda
doubt information from a 2005 thread is still relevant. Gonna be mostly
in the Tokyo area but may be able to travel a little if something is
essential. Any other Japan advice is
appreciated as well.
First time ever leaving the
country and I'm 36...Exciting shit.
Comments
https://maps.app.goo.gl/mmmT1RnGUeXUwRSP9?g_st=i
Welcome back! Better late than never. My first time was at 38.
bittersweet coming back to the forum and seeing Raj's announcement...but the muscle memory to type in "soulstrut" super fast has not left me somehow.
Also, install the Google Translate app on your phone so you can use camera mode - there's not a lot of, um, support for English speakers in some places. I still remember ending up in a quiet part of Osaka one night looking for food and none of the restaurants had (a) English menus or (b) people who speak English working. It's was a bizarre situation (for me)!
Friend of mine is there often, deffo check Disk Union. Also, take photos before you go of stuff you might need (toothpaste, toilet, ticket, water etc) and you can show this where language is a problem.
I missed out on working there in the 90s but dude they did send said I was lucky because he wasn't allowed to leave the office until his boss had left, and the boss couldn't leave until his boss had left etc... He spent 12 hours a day the the office and the rest commuting.
HTH
Yeah, I know.
Florida doesn’t count!
;) just kidding.
Just sent a message.
In Shibuya, there's Face records, Disc Union (rare groove and jazz), and HMV. I don't have the space to stack records but like an old fiend, I'll stick my head in stores and browse from time to time. Last I checked, Ochanomizu Disc Union had crazy soul/funk/rare groove heat. Of course, it ain't cheap, but the sheer volume of raers was incredible.
I go to Japan about 3 times a year. Was there last month. That map is pretty thorough but make sure to open the link on your mobile device then follow it. It renders weird on desk top.
I find that HMV (Shinjuku & Shibuya) and Tower (Shibuya) have been more concentrated that Disk Union. Which is great but you have to go to like 10 disk unions to feel the density.
I also have two separate maps that have food and another for just hi-fi bars. Happy to give you more nuance offline on how I would approach the trip. Yen is so weak right now it's definitely a buyer market.
I've done tokyo a few times and it's always a blast
seems there's plenty of shops to hit and many are specialized....
https://recoya.net/en/area/japan/osaka/
I found that Bootsy's (cash only but amazing selection), Hitozuku (great jazz), and Workshop (Amazing japan jazz and ambient used) were the best shops in Kyoto. Meditations is rad as a place that is completely committed to a specific niche theme (new ambient records). But if you hit those three spots and then go to Jazz Spot Yamatoya (possibly my favorite Hi-Fi bar in Japan) you've fully covered Kyoto records.
Have never been to Osaka. Lot of people call Osaka the Chicago / Philly of Japan. Have heard there are great shop there though.
I’ll be damned. I was there in January. I go two or three times a year myself for work. One time I was in a meeting with a guy who happened to be old friends with Herm and now we are friends as well. Actually herm went I January too but we missed each other by a week.
The dollar is super strong right now. And maybe that’s why there are foreigners everywhere. Or at least in the main areas. Feels like Tokyo has been overrun.
Anyways if you ever need help just go to roppongi or shinjuku where there are Nigerian tour guides standing by to help. They’ll take you where you need to go.
he was my entre' to facebook back when you needed an invite from someone and he had posted literally 10,000 pics of his most recent trip.
he was going out into the burbs and hitting smaller mom and pops and killing it!
this must've been close to 18 years ago if i recall correctly.
as a gearhead i am always looking for synths/pedals/drum machines etc and japan is always cheaper for korg/roland-BOSS/yamaha/esp/ibanez etc for obvious reasons.
the second hand shops are also off da hook cheap with dope gear but they are often hidden in buildings off the street level and you gotta do research.
I once bought a car from Japan because it had a Jet Set Records Tokyo sticker in the window.
thanks for the heads up
did you spend any time doing tourist stuff in kyoto?