Where to find City Pop in Tokyo

A lot of people ask me this question seeing as I have a collection of over 200 City Pop records and know a thing or two about record stores in Tokyo. I've put together this guide to help you plan your trip to Tokyo better...

One huge tip before we begin: Plan your luggage space accordingly for how many records you want to bring back! Don't be like me hauling a crate of vinyl around Shibuya station fighting waves of commuters that come at you from every direction imaginable.

Have a clear idea of how many records you can reasonably carry in addition to whatever plushies, toys, and misc crap you know you will want to bring back, and maybe train in parkour because it can be an obstacle course getting around with a large amount of vinyl.

Fast-forward to your trip: So you're finally in Tokyo and ready to start crate-digging for some City Pop gold that's sure to impress all those Reddit and Instagram fanatics. Bonus points if you get a record from each one of these stores, and display the bags (Ok, that's a bit over-the-top but I'm a vinyl otaku so yeah). It's a known fact that if you haven't gone digging in one of Tokyo's various record shops for city pop then you can never be an ultimate fan!

Well, maybe that's not 100% true but there is nothing like actually going to Japan and experiencing the wonderful shops selling vintage vinyl that are sure to make any vinyl lover drool with envy. After all, City Pop was invented in Japan, and by going there and bringing back a record with you it's almost like completing a sacred pilgrimage.

But anyone would be lost with how many record shops there are in Tokyo. It's difficult to know exactly where to look for the good stuff without getting distracted by everything going on around you. As someone who's been crate-digging many times in Japan let's start with the top shops to dig for City Pop!

RECOfan

RECOfan is huge, like really big. Relatively newer than older stores in the area this one is from 1996. This isn't a casual walk-in where you can ease through the aisles and find exactly what you are looking for immediately. This is a whole afternoon of finger-numbing dig kind of place.

You can find almost any genre imaginable here, and while City Pop is definitely on the menu it's a bit of a safari to find it sometimes. Often things are a bit disorganized, and the staff while helpful seem at home in the madness of the towering records often without the slightest clue of where to find whatever it is you are searching for.

This is a place where you kind of have to frequent to know exactly where to find the kind of vinyl you want, but it's definitely someplace to check out at least once if you have time, just don't lose precious hours browsing aimlessly if you don't have that kind of time!

Most likely to find City Pop records that are a bit more obscure and less popular if you can find them.

Please note they are closing down permanently soon and switching to online sales only

〒150-0042 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Udagawacho, 31−2 渋谷ＢＥＡＭ4Ｆ
Hours: Opens 11:30AM – 9:00PM
Phone: +81 3-3463-0090

DISK UNION

Disk Union is a large chain of record shops that dot the city like a funky constellation of vinyl planets. The stores are highly visible throughout parts of the city and their logo is something of a cult status kind of thing. You can usually find a moderate amount of City Pops at their stores where they usually feature a corner with artists like Ohtaki Eiichi, Yamashita Tatsuro, and Yuming.

Locations vary along with which genres you can find at that specific store (they have an actual map of genres) and some are located right in the middle of bustling areas like Shibuya and Shinjuku. They are usually slightly more organized and attract a more “hip” kind of digger or casual tourist skimming through crates pretending they know what they are looking at.

The staff are usually very friendly and knowledgeable enough to point you in the right direction if the multitude of English signage isn’t enough for you. Definitely, a cool record shop and you'll probably stumble into one on accident while just walking around.

Most likely to find City Pop records that are across the board in terms of rarity & popularity.

You can find the majority of their City Pop records at their Shinjuku Main Store

〒160-0022 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Shinjuku, 3 Chome−31−４山田ビル
Phone +81 (0)3-3352-2691
Hours 11:00 – 21:00

TOWER RECORDS

Tower Records is an actual tower. It is a massive behemoth of music that dominates its corner on the street like an unmissable rocket ship. It's a more teen beat sort of record store on the lower floors, but they tend to carry popular City Pop records that are usually mint or re-releases on the upper floors.

They carry a very tailored selection of City Pop that you can tell was intentionally placed in such a way that any fan of the genre can easily find and browse through records they can immediately recognize or at least have heard of. It's very much more of a commercial feeling shopping there, and the ubiquitous teenage Japanese girl idol fans practically dominate certain floors with their presence, especially at the store's open.

Overall it's a great store but tailors to younger people and those looking for a more relaxed record shopping experience in a more open retail space. They put their logo on literally everything too, it's funny.

Most likely to find City Pop records that are brand new or widely known and in “style.”

1 Chome-22-14 Jinnan, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0041, Japan
Hours: 11 AM - 9 PM
Phone: +81 3-3496-3661

HMV

HMV is the record shop that is the most dedicated to City Pop on a level not many else can match. Having been the motivating factor in tons of incredible re-releases like Mamiya Takako's Love Trip, Aran Tomoko's Fuyu Kukan, and Akimoto Kaoru's Cologne just to name a few. They have really helped revive the availability of City Pop vinyl by getting some iconic stuff repressed and made available for all the gaijin on the hunt for those classic bops that are featured on all the trendy City Pop mixes.

The stores are easy to find and feature a simple layout that leads you right to the City Pop almost as if already knowing that's why you're there. They know that's why you're there, and they aren't subtle about their signage so you don't waste your time and can start picking up records right away. If you are looking for some harder-to-find re-presses then you should definitely visit HMV, and you'll find some interesting names for bargain prices too.

Hard to pass up HMV when considering places to find the sort of City Pop records you want without wasting time in the process. Highly recommend.

Most likely to find City Pop records that HMV recently had rereleased in addition to a very nice catalog in general.

〒150-0042 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Udagawacho, 36−2 ノア渋谷 1F/2F
Hours: 12 PM - 9 PM
Phone: +81 3-5784-1390

MANHATTAN RECORDS

Manhattan Records is just a short walk from Shibuya station, and usually carries a small amount of harder-to-find City Pop that you don't have to dig very hard for. They are known for their Hip-Hop and Rap records but lately, most record shops recognize the lucrative nature of carrying even a small selection of City Pop. This is a mid-size store that's near a lot of bars and restaurants.

It's a fun place to just walk into on a night out and skim through what they have that week. Their selections move quickly, as its accessibility and friendly staff make it a convenient destination for a more casual digging experience. Don't expect too much in terms of City Pop but it's still an offering of theirs and interesting finds make their way to the display shelves.

Most likely to find City Pop records that range from obscure to more widely known. Selection varies.

〒150-0042 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Udagawacho, 10−1, 木船ビル
Hours: 12 PM - 8 PM
Phone: +81 3-3477-7166

COCONUTS DISK

The vibe is comfy at this record store that is more of a local dig than the bigger names in the Tokyo scene. They have a few locations, and one stocks more city pop than the others. The staff are all musicians, DJs, and music fanatics who are usually more than happy to just talk to you about the music. It's a more un-rushed experience than at other places.

You can find a lot of good Jazz Fusion and Disco-ish City Pop at their Kichijoji location. You'll find some great CDs and tapes too as their selection while contained is diverse in sub-genres that make digging more productive. A nice departure from the usual record shops, these feel more local-focused and sometimes that's better than the tourist experience you get elsewhere.

Going here you can get some decent LPs and also have an interesting conversation with the staff at less busy times.

Most likely to find City Pop records that are on the Jazzy/Disco side of the spectrum without too much pop in them.

〒180-0004 Tokyo, Musashino, Kichijoji Honcho, 2 Chome−22, -22- モミジビル３

AOR

Adult Orientated Records is probably my favorite smaller record shop for many reasons but the acronym it goes by really sells it. It's a boutique record store and caters to the City Pop/Light Mellow/AOR fanatic. It's extremely well-curated and just about everywhere you look there will be a familiar album cover or something you've heard on a mix.

The owner knows his stuff and has an exquisite taste that practically drips from the walls. If you want a unique experience that is almost custom-tailored to obtaining as much good City Pop as possible with minimal effort then go to AOR in Yoyogi. It's off the beaten path and well worth the visit. I found 3 original Piper LPs there that weren't even listed on Discogs that made my head spin. Bring money because you're going to want to throw it in the air.

Most likely to find City Pop records that are curated wall to wall for fanatics of the genre.

〒151-0062 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Motoyoyogichō, 10−7 代々木五月ビル 102
Hours: 2PM - 9PM
Phone: +81 3-5738-2045

Happy Digging…

This is not a definite list of every record shop there is in the Tokyo area because there are ALOT. But, this is your best list for where to find City Pop. Seriously though, it's vinyl heaven, and if you're not careful you'll spend a small fortune on vinyl while not even aware. It's easy to drift on the high that finding City Pop records in the wild gives you.

It's truly an amazing hobby and there's something to be said about the experience in itself. You will feel a whole range of emotions and be enthralled, elated, confused, and accomplished. It's always a unique experience when you go digging at different locations and there's a certain delight in finding City Pop gems and holding them in your hand as if you found the holy grail. You'll pick something up with your two hands and let out a gasp, knowing you've finally found paradise. - Van

AUTHOR

Van Paugam is an Internationally-Acclaimed DJ and leading figure specializing in 70s and 80s Japanese Music, dubbed City Pop. He has organized and hosted over 100 events dedicated to the style, and actively promotes Japanese culture while on the board of the Japanese Arts Foundation of Chicago. He has been featured on CNN, NHK, and many other publications for his dedication to City Pop. Van is credited with being the first person to begin popularizing City Pop online through his mixes on YouTube in 2016, and subsequently through live events. Learn More…

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