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Tokyo, Japan Inquiry

baggiobaggio 62 Posts
edited September 2008 in Strut Central
Hey there,b,121b,121Visiting to Tokyo for the first time next week. Just wanted to get a heads up on record shops, parties/clubs to check out. I hear there's a Crossover Jazz Festival with Gilles Peterson that should be worth checking out - any additional tips would be greatly appreciated.b,121b,121Peace,b,121B
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  • robert_murtrobert_murt 338 Posts
    For rare groove records.. Disk Union!b,121For cheap stuff and if you like to dig amongst thousands of records: recofanb,121b,121Both in Shibuya, and 5 min walk between the two.
  • youngEINSTEINyoungEINSTEIN 2,443 Posts
    disk union's. you could spend a cool million in those places.b,121peace, stein. . . img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" 21
  • highschemehighscheme 784 Posts
    go to shibuya, kichijyouji, and shimokitazawab,121b,121lots of shops in all 3 places
  • kicks79kicks79 1,343 Posts
    Where's the Disk Union is Shibuya?
  • highschemehighscheme 784 Posts
    2nd floor of a building near the police box 1 street off of center gai
  • luckluck 4,077 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121disk union's. you could spend a cool million in those places.b,121peace, stein. . . img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" 21 b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121When I was there, I actually got some great deals, although the guy in front of me snagged a copy of Sahib Shihab's Companionship LP (sigh). I told him: "That is a great record," and immediately felt like an idiot because the young man - of course - didn't understand me. I ended up looking even goofier after I (to clarify) pointed at the LP and gave a thumbs-up. I certainly hope that JSL does not dictate a raised thumb to mean something impertinent.b,121b,121...and the Shibuya Disc Union for vinyl, specifically, is actually in the basement of its building, though it spans several floors with reissues and CDs.b,121b,121There's also a Shibuya record store that specializes in Reggae on the 7th floor (or so) of the old Tower Records building. It's largely over-priced, but there are some rare and cheap Stax Jamaican pressings with odd label colors and the OG logo. I snagged most of them, but I left a few of the ones I already had.
  • kicks79kicks79 1,343 Posts
    Gloria records is the reggae store your talkin about. Damn I missed out on the Shibuya disk union. I was hitting up the Shinjuku ones and one out in the burbs that i forget the name of.
  • Special_EdSpecial_Ed 315 Posts
    If I was in Japan, I'd love to roll to Muro's spot 'Savage!' as well as JazzySport's shop.b,121b,121Have fun and take some flicks if you get to Muro's, I've always wanted to see what dope things he has up in there!
  • ArksArks 133 Posts
    The thing about Tokyo is that you will run out of money before you run out of shops to visit. I guarantee this with the only exception being those with baller status.b,121b,121All of the above mentioned places recently had spots close down, but for real Disk unions are always a sure thing, and they seem to have carried on unchecked by the advent of microwave. Sadly Spice, Sounds of Blackness, Cisco, etc weren't so lucky (all were dope stores in Shibuya). For bang for buck I'd do Shinjuku and Shibuya, tons of spots in a small area - there are like 7 Disk unions in one street in Shinjuku. In Kichijoji and Shimo Kitazawa the spots are a bit harder to find, although both areas have good Disk unions. Kichijoji is the mad spot for vintage sneakers (mostly Nikes) as well if that's your thing.
  • ArksArks 133 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121If I was in Japan, I'd love to roll to Muro's spot 'Savage!' as well as JazzySport's shop.b,121b,121Have fun and take some flicks if you get to Muro's, I've always wanted to see what dope things he has up in there! b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121Savage is a cool spot to check out, they have some cool hip hop apparel with that bugged Japanese flavor, but digging-wise you can expect to pay top dollar for records that have stickers on them saying "Pete Rock sample", "drumbreak" etc. It's still worth a flick if there are pieces you've been after for ages that you don't mind paying $50+ for. Plus the staff are mad friendly.b,121Same thing goes for Jazzysport with Digging - they have one or two crates of overpriced funk and soul LPs - but their selection of hip hop and club ish is super on point. Love that store - they used to have their hiphop 12"s sorted by producer(!) which was kind of cool (never seen anywhere else do that) although when I was there a month or so ago it was all just alphabetical like normal. They often have stuff in stock that internet spots claim as "exclusives" (stonesthrow fanclub 7s, that Flying Lotus 1/3 12" etc). b,121b,121Also as far as photos, expect the ice grill if you take a flick in any store in Tokyo without asking - and a lot of spots will refuse you if you ask to take a pic.
  • luckluck 4,077 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121The thing about Tokyo is that you will run out of money before you run out of shops to visit. I guarantee this with the only exception being those with baller status self-control img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" 21.b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1
  • djsheepdjsheep 3,620 Posts
    Arks said what I was gunna....b,121b,121The real way to dig in Japan is grab the record map and head to the burbs!
  • ArksArks 133 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121/font1Quote:/font1h,121b,121The thing about Tokyo is that you will run out of money before you run out of shops to visit. I guarantee this with the only exception being those with baller status self-control img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" 21.b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1 b,121b,121h,121font class="post"1b,121b,121Hehe but ballers don't need self control. Think about it - if you have good self control you will more than likely set yourself a limit you aren't going to go over - which means that technically you're still worried about running out of money img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" 21
  • djsheepdjsheep 3,620 Posts
    img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1258/1314918789_641f8b5b89.jpg"1b,121b,121BALLER
  • MondeyanoMondeyano Reykjavik 863 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121Arks said what I was gunna....b,121b,121The real way to dig in Japan is grab the record map and head to the burbs! b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121Truth. Even the Disk Union's a little bit out of the "downtown" area tend to stock more heat and charge a more reasonable amount.
  • ArksArks 133 Posts
    The "head out to the burbs"1thing is hardly news to people around here surely?! Same is true for just about every country I've looked for records in.b,121b,121Just as a general question (I don't lurk that much here - despite what my registration date would suggest, although I did lurk hard from 03-05): how often do you guys get a "what are the spots in Tokyo"1thread? b,121b,121I'm on a couple of sneaker forums and it is generally a monthly occurrence. By this stage you usually just get clowned for asking or told to do a search. b,121b,121You guys don't seem mad at this thread though, does it happen less often here? I realise theres a possibility it's so common that no one is bothering to read this thread, but just wondering.b,121b,121What up B*van!
  • djsheepdjsheep 3,620 Posts
    What up Ni**, you probably know more about the Strut than all these new jack mutherfuckers like y***** anyhows img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" 21,b,121b,121Yeah, SS gets a Japan one, every month, or at least every other...b,121b,121I tried twisting RAJ's arm to start a travel forum, but he has been too busy eating bean dip off his Stark Reality...b,121b,121Well, I've actually decided to be off to Japan in the coming couple of weeks... if anyone is planning on heading out there, holla.b,121b,121B
  • mattBmattB (FTB) Anywhere 673 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121go to shibuya, kichijyouji, and shimokitazawab,121b,121lots of shops in all 3 places b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121No, no records in Kichijoji
  • highschemehighscheme 784 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121/font1Quote:/font1h,121b,121go to shibuya, kichijyouji, and shimokitazawab,121b,121lots of shops in all 3 places b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121No, no records in Kichijoji b,121b,121h,121font class="post"1b,121b,121I lived there for 4 years so unless everything went out of business in the last 4 months, I'd beg to differ
  • selperfugeselperfuge 1,165 Posts
    i'm curious. about two years ago some ebay winner won two spiritual jazz records off me. it was a japanese dude but his address was "fillmore records". i wasn't sure if it was a real store or a label or just some otaku dude living in his parent's basement.b,121b,121then a month ago someone mentioned the store. is this a record store? any good? can't remember if it was tokyo, sorry.
  • MondeyanoMondeyano Reykjavik 863 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121/font1Quote:/font1h,121b,121go to shibuya, kichijyouji, and shimokitazawab,121b,121lots of shops in all 3 places b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121No, no records in Kichijoji b,121b,121h,121font class="post"1b,121I've only been to RARE in Kichijoji and that was pretty good. According to the latest Record Map there are 9 stores there.
  • djsheepdjsheep 3,620 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121/font1Quote:/font1h,121b,121go to shibuya, kichijyouji, and shimokitazawab,121b,121lots of shops in all 3 places b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121No, no records in Kichijoji b,121b,121h,121font class="post"1b,121b,121b,121you got a disk union jazz stuck in an alley, another bigger disk union with everything, you got coconuts disk, rare records, banana records, and a host of other stores on the chuo-sen.... there's that one store with the bowling pin out the front (arks?)....b,121b,121kichijoji is good! i used to work at Nakano, so very close!
  • luckluck 4,077 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121/font1Quote:/font1h,121b,121/font1Quote:/font1h,121b,121The thing about Tokyo is that you will run out of money before you run out of shops to visit. I guarantee this with the only exception being those with baller status self-control img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" 21.b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1 b,121b,121h,121font class="post"1b,121b,121Hehe but ballers don't need self control. Think about it - if you have good self control you will more than likely set yourself a limit you aren't going to go over - which means that technically you're still worried about running out of money img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" 21 b,121b,121h,121font class="post"1b,121b,121Heh. That's why I crossed out the word "baller." I'd be a bankrupt motherfucker with a great collection of paper, wax, and styrene sitting on the shelf if I didn't have self-control. I'm fine with the way things are.
  • mattBmattB (FTB) Anywhere 673 Posts
    Arnt you guys up on your Soulstrut terminology?b,121"No, no records in (your hood)"b,121b,121Sheep, The one your talking about is Ballroom records. Really nice shop but exe as hell.b,121b,121Selperfuge, F'lmore is in Shimokitazawa. I havnt been in a long time, but they have tonnes of psych, rock, folk etc. All foreign stuff from memory. And the raer line the walls....
  • LawrenceLawrence 125 Posts
    does anyone have an actual address on Muro's "savage" ??
  • kicks79kicks79 1,343 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121does anyone have an actual address on Muro's "savage" ?? b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121Street address don't work that well in Tokyob,121Here's the map i used to find Savage. Its on the 3rd floor of the building.b,121 img src="http://www.superfuture.com/city/area/tokyo/shibuya.gif"1b,121Look for the yellow square that says Tokyu Dept Store
  • LawrenceLawrence 125 Posts
    thanks allot man. have you got any advice for navigating the city if street address don't work well there?
  • luckluck 4,077 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121thanks allot man. have you got any advice for navigating the city if street address don't work well there? b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121Ask someone or know someone. Beyond that, Google (map/Earth) it. I'm not being flip - I was fortunate to have my woman (who grew up there) as a guide. Otherwise, I'd have been lost.
  • djsheepdjsheep 3,620 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121thanks allot man. have you got any advice for navigating the city if street address don't work well there? b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121SHIBUYA INFORMATION --b,121b,121Take the JR light green line (Yamanote) which is a loop. Get off at Shibuya station, exit the station at the Hachiko exit (VERY IMPORTANT you exit here). If you are coming into Shibuya from Shinjuku, basically get off your train, and take your right, and walk right till the very end of the platform, then take the stairs down.b,121b,121Once you get out, walk towards the street, then cross the intersection and walk in between the Starbucks (on your right) and the big TV (on your left), Record stores are everywhere in here.b,121b,121If you are looking for Savage!, find the Wendy's in Shibuya (there's only one in that area). When you walk out there will be a Lawson convinience store, it's down that street on your right, right next to the Blackflys store on the ground level... but 3rd floor up.b,121b,121peace.
  • luckluck 4,077 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h,121b,121exit the station at the Hachiko exitb,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121I always thought the dog looked constipated.b,121b,121img src="http://elultimoquecierrelapuerta.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/hachiko.jpg"1b,121b,121b,121Shibuya. Shibuya desu.b,121b,121 img src="http://www.lhup.edu/rsandow/images/TokyoAdd/Hachiko.jpg"1
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