Best Record Shops in Tokyo: Vinyl and CDs by Area

Most of Tokyo's good record shops are specialists. Disk Union, the big used chain, splits itself into separate shops by genre, and the small independents in Shibuya and Shimokitazawa tend to stick to a few styles they know well. Pick the genre first, then the shop.

Shinjuku and Ochanomizu: Disk Union

Disk Union is where most collectors start. Its shops buy as well as sell, so the used stock turns over constantly.

Shinjuku. The main building near the east exit has a different genre on each floor: Heisei-era J-pop in the basement, anime and game music on 1F, Showa kayo on 2F, prog on 3F, Latin and Brazilian on 4F, rock CDs on 5F, indie and alternative on 6F and punk on 7F. Disk Union also runs a separate jazz shop in Shinjuku.

Ochanomizu. JazzTOKYO is Disk Union's jazz flagship, and the company calls it one of the largest jazz shops in the world. Stock runs from a few hundred yen to rare originals in the hundreds of thousands, with a listening area on vintage audio and a jazz book section.

Shibuya: Tower Records and Udagawa-cho

Tower Records Shibuya is the biggest music store in the city for new releases, with seven sales floors. Recent refits gave more room to vinyl and to K-pop. Go for new Japanese releases and Japan-only editions; go elsewhere for used records.

The streets of Udagawa-cho, a few minutes up from the crossing, were Tokyo's record district in the 1990s. A handful of shops are still there:

• Manhattan Records — hip-hop, R&B and soul, new and used, on Inokashira-dori since 1993.
• Disk Union Shibuya Club Music Shop — hip-hop, R&B, house and techno, and the only Disk Union that sells DJ equipment.
• HMV record shop Shibuya — used vinyl and CDs only, mostly Western music from the 1960s to the 1990s.
• Face Records — open since 1996: soul, jazz, reggae and world LPs, plus house, techno and disco 12-inches.

Technique, the techno and house shop many older guides still list, closed its Shibuya store in 2020.

Harajuku: Big Love

Big Love Records is a small independent shop that also runs its own label. It stocks new imports, mostly indie, garage and alternative rock, with electronic and ambient alongside, and has a small bar inside.

Shimokitazawa: Flash Disc Ranch and Jet Set

Flash Disc Ranch has been open since 1982. It is vinyl only, takes every genre and aims to sell out-of-print records at fair prices. It closes on Wednesdays.

Jet Set is a short walk away and open most of the year from noon to 8pm. It carries hip-hop, house, jazz, soul and indie pop, much of it new, and straightens warped records for free.

Shimokitazawa is the best area for browsing without a list. See the Shimokitazawa guide for the rest of the neighbourhood.

Before you buy

• Obi. Japanese pressings come with a paper strip, the obi, around the sleeve. Collectors pay more for copies that still have it, so check whether it is there and whether it's in the listed price.
• Prices are fixed. Don't haggle.
• Tax-free. The big chains offer tax-free shopping to visitors with a passport. The refund process changes from November 1, 2026; see the tax-free shopping guide.

FAQ

Where should I start if I only have one afternoon? Shibuya. Tower Records for new releases, then the Udagawa-cho shops for used and specialist stock, all within a short walk.

Where is the best jazz? Disk Union JazzTOKYO in Ochanomizu.

Is Technique still open? No. The Shibuya store closed in 2020.

What is an obi? The paper strip around the sleeve of a Japanese pressing. Copies with the original obi sell for more.