[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":516},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-en-tokyo-record-digging-itinerary":3,"blog-related-en-tokyo-record-digging-itinerary":440},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"cover":356,"date":360,"description":361,"extension":362,"featured":363,"kicker":364,"meta":365,"minutes":366,"navigation":367,"path":368,"seo":369,"seoDescription":370,"shopNames":371,"shops":375,"sources":385,"stem":434,"tags":435,"updated":438,"__hash__":439},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Ftokyo-record-digging-itinerary.md","A two-day record digging itinerary for Tokyo",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":346},"minimark",[9,13,16,21,24,98,106,110,124,130,136,139,145,149,161,164,170,174,178,191,195,201,204,212,233,237,246,250,257,261,264,286,290,293,297,332,335,343],[10,11,12],"p",{},"The hard part of a record trip to Tokyo isn't finding shops, it's fitting them into the hours they're open. Most open around noon and close at 20:00, several close one or two days a week, and the good areas are on different train lines. This itinerary is built around those hours. It assumes two full days, a weekday or Saturday for day one and a Friday, Saturday or Sunday for day two, and it's easy to cut down or stretch.",[10,14,15],{},"Hours below are from each shop's own website or the most recent listing we found (November 2026). Check before you go, especially on public holidays.",[17,18,20],"h2",{"id":19},"which-days-to-pick","Which days to pick",[10,22,23],{},"The closing days that matter for this route:",[25,26,27,40],"table",{},[28,29,30],"thead",{},[31,32,33,37],"tr",{},[34,35,36],"th",{},"Shop",[34,38,39],{},"Closed",[41,42,43,52,60,68,75,83,91],"tbody",{},[31,44,45,49],{},[46,47,48],"td",{},"Lighthouse Records",[46,50,51],{},"Sunday and Monday",[31,53,54,57],{},[46,55,56],{},"CLASSICUS",[46,58,59],{},"Sunday, Monday and public holidays",[31,61,62,65],{},[46,63,64],{},"Echo Records",[46,66,67],{},"Wednesday",[31,69,70,73],{},[46,71,72],{},"Flash Disc Ranch",[46,74,67],{},[31,76,77,80],{},[46,78,79],{},"DISCLAND JARO",[46,81,82],{},"Monday to Thursday (open Fri–Sun)",[31,84,85,88],{},[46,86,87],{},"UNIVERSOUNDS",[46,89,90],{},"Tuesday and Wednesday",[31,92,93,96],{},[46,94,95],{},"Los Apson?",[46,97,67],{},[10,99,100,101,105],{},"So: ",[102,103,104],"strong",{},"day one on a Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday; day two on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday."," A Saturday and Sunday works. diskunion is open every day, from 12:00 on weekdays and 11:00 on weekends and holidays.",[17,107,109],{"id":108},"day-one-ochanomizu-jimbocho-and-shinjuku","Day one: Ochanomizu, Jimbocho and Shinjuku",[10,111,112,115,116,119,120,123],{},[102,113,114],{},"12:00, diskunion Ochanomizu Ekimae."," Start by JR Ochanomizu Station, at the Hijiribashi exit, on diskunion's biggest sales floor in Tokyo: all genres, mostly used, more than 70,000 items. If you dig jazz or soul, ",[102,117,118],{},"JazzTOKYO"," and the ",[102,121,122],{},"Soul\u002FRare Groove"," shop share a floor in the New Surugadai Building nearby.",[125,126],"blog-shop",{"slug":127,"name":128,"store":129},"diskunion","diskunion Ochanomizu Ekimae","du-ochanomizu-ekimae",[10,131,132,135],{},[102,133,134],{},"13:00, Lighthouse Records."," Two minutes from Shin-Ochanomizu Station, mostly new electronic vinyl: house, techno, nu disco and balearic, ambient and downbeat, with new arrivals every week. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 13:00–20:00. Hori watches it.",[125,137],{"slug":138},"lighthouse-records",[10,140,141,144],{},[102,142,143],{},"14:00, Jimbocho: CLASSICUS and Echo Records."," If you dig classical, CLASSICUS (from 13:00, Tuesday to Saturday) sells used LPs and 78s sorted by instrument. Echo Records, between Jimbocho and Suidobashi (13:00–20:00), sells psych, krautrock, prog, world music, ambient and pre-war blues and jazz, and has a bar counter if you need a coffee.",[125,146],{"slug":147,"name":64,"area":148},"echo-records","Jimbocho \u002F Suidobashi",[10,150,151,154,155,160],{},[102,152,153],{},"16:00, Shinjuku."," The JR Chuo Line runs from Ochanomizu to Shinjuku. diskunion's shops are east of the station around Shinjuku 3-chome, and they close at 20:00, so give them the rest of the afternoon. Start at the Jurakutwin B Building (Union Record on the first floor, the Jazz-kan on the third, the Soul\u002FDance Music Shop on the fourth), then pick floors in the Yamada Building by genre. Our ",[156,157,159],"a",{"href":158},"\u002Fblog\u002Fdiskunion-guide","diskunion guide"," lists them.",[125,162],{"slug":127,"store":163},"du-shinjuku",[10,165,166,169],{},[102,167,168],{},"Evening."," HMV record shop Shinjuku, on the eighth floor of Shinjuku Marui Main Building, is open until 21:00.",[171,172],"blog-line-cta",{"eyebrow":173},"Planning your route?",[17,175,177],{"id":176},"day-two-shimokitazawa-and-shibuya","Day two: Shimokitazawa and Shibuya",[10,179,180,183,184,187,188,190],{},[102,181,182],{},"12:00, Shimokitazawa."," diskunion's two shops share a building facing Kitazawa Town Hall (from 11:00 on weekends): the Club Music Shop, which Hori watches, and the general store. Then ",[102,185,186],{},"JET SET"," on Ichiban-gai (new vinyl, most genres, 12:00–20:00) and ",[102,189,72],{}," (used, all genres, mostly bought in the US, 12:00–20:00).",[125,192],{"slug":193,"name":72,"area":194},"flash-disc-ranch","Shimokitazawa",[10,196,197,200],{},[102,198,199],{},"13:30, Rana Musica."," Opens at 13:30 every day: new house, techno, bass, balearic, experimental and ambient, plus used records. Watched by Hori.",[125,202],{"slug":203},"rana-musica",[10,205,206,207,211],{},"The full Shimokitazawa walk is in our ",[156,208,210],{"href":209},"\u002Fblog\u002Frecord-shops-shimokitazawa","Shimokitazawa guide",".",[10,213,214,217,218,220,221,224,225,228,229,232],{},[102,215,216],{},"15:30, Shibuya."," The Keio Inokashira Line runs from Shimokitazawa to Shibuya. Go to Udagawacho first. If it's Friday to Sunday, ",[102,219,79],{}," (jazz) closes at 18:00, so do it first. Then diskunion's Club Music Shop and the Jazz\u002FRare Groove floor above it, ",[102,222,223],{},"Manhattan Records"," (hip hop and R&B, used records upstairs, until 20:00), ",[102,226,227],{},"Face Records"," (used, all genres, until 20:00) and ",[102,230,231],{},"next records"," (original 12-inch singles, until 20:00).",[125,234],{"slug":235,"name":79,"area":236},"discland-jaro","Shibuya · Udagawacho",[10,238,239,241,242,245],{},[102,240,168],{}," HMV record shop Shibuya is open until 21:00 and ",[102,243,244],{},"TOWER VINYL SHIBUYA",", the record floor of Tower Records, until 22:00, so finish there.",[125,247],{"slug":248,"name":244,"area":249},"tower-vinyl-shibuya","Shibuya · Jinnan",[10,251,252,253,211],{},"More Shibuya shops, including Recofan and the Harajuku pair, are in our ",[156,254,256],{"href":255},"\u002Fblog\u002Frecord-shops-shibuya","Shibuya guide",[17,258,260],{"id":259},"day-three-if-you-have-it-the-west-side","Day three, if you have it: the west side",[10,262,263],{},"Koenji, Nakano and Kichijoji are all on the JR Chuo Line west of Shinjuku.",[265,266,267,274,280],"ul",{},[268,269,270,273],"li",{},[102,271,272],{},"Koenji, from 13:00:"," Los Apson? (new and used records picked from every genre, 13:00–19:00, closed Wednesday) and UNIVERSOUNDS (used jazz, 14:00–19:00, closed Tuesday and Wednesday).",[268,275,276,279],{},[102,277,278],{},"Nakano:"," RARE Nakano (used, all genres, 10:00–20:00) and a diskunion general store.",[268,281,282,285],{},[102,283,284],{},"Kichijoji:"," Coconuts Disk Kichijoji (watched by Hori, 12:00–21:00 every day), diskunion Kichijoji with its jazz shop-in-shop (10:00–20:00), HMV record shop Coppice Kichijoji and RARE Kichijoji.",[17,287,289],{"id":288},"on-a-monday-or-wednesday","On a Monday or Wednesday",[10,291,292],{},"Mondays and Wednesdays are the hardest days for this route. On a Monday, Lighthouse Records and CLASSICUS are closed; on a Wednesday, Echo Records, Flash Disc Ranch, Los Apson? and UNIVERSOUNDS are. diskunion is open both days, so a Monday or Wednesday is a good day to go deep in one diskunion area: Ochanomizu in the early afternoon, Shinjuku from mid-afternoon until 20:00. Rana Musica, JET SET, Manhattan Records, Face Records and the big Shibuya floors are open too, so Shimokitazawa and Shibuya still work with one or two stops missing.",[17,294,296],{"id":295},"practical-bits","Practical bits",[265,298,299,305,311,322],{},[268,300,301,304],{},[102,302,303],{},"Carry a bag."," A day of digging gets heavy; a tote or a record bag saves your shoulders.",[268,306,307,310],{},[102,308,309],{},"Ask before you play a record."," Some shops have listening stations, others play records at the counter on request, and policies differ.",[268,312,313,316,317,321],{},[102,314,315],{},"Read the grade."," Used records carry the shop's own grading, sleeve first and disc second. Our ",[156,318,320],{"href":319},"\u002Fblog\u002Fjapanese-record-grading-terms","grading guide"," explains the scales and the Japanese on the price cards.",[268,323,324,327,328,211],{},[102,325,326],{},"Getting it home."," If you buy more than you can carry, Japan Post's international services and the US duty rules are in our guide to ",[156,329,331],{"href":330},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbuy-records-from-japan","buying records from Japan",[333,334],"blog-shop-map",{},[10,336,337,338,342],{},"If you mostly dig house and techno, our ",[156,339,341],{"href":340},"\u002Fblog\u002Felectronic-record-shops-tokyo","electronic record shops guide"," reorders this route around the club music shops.",[10,344,345],{},"After the trip, Hori keeps watching the shops marked as watched for the records on your Discogs wantlist, and messages you on LINE when one turns up.",{"title":347,"searchDepth":348,"depth":348,"links":349},"",2,[350,351,352,353,354,355],{"id":19,"depth":348,"text":20},{"id":108,"depth":348,"text":109},{"id":176,"depth":348,"text":177},{"id":259,"depth":348,"text":260},{"id":288,"depth":348,"text":289},{"id":295,"depth":348,"text":296},{"kanji":357,"label":358,"tone":359},"二日","Two days · 二日","green","2026-11-11","A route through Tokyo's record shops that follows their opening hours: Ochanomizu, Jimbocho and Shinjuku on day one, Shimokitazawa and Shibuya on day two, plus an optional west-side day in Koenji, Nakano and Kichijoji.","md",false,"Tokyo · Trip planning",{},4,true,"\u002Fblog\u002Ftokyo-record-digging-itinerary",{"title":5,"description":361},"A two-day route through Tokyo's record shops, timed to their opening hours: Ochanomizu, Jimbocho and Shinjuku, then Shimokitazawa and Shibuya.",{"diskunion:du-ochanomizu-ekimae":128,"diskunion:du-jazztokyo":372,"classicus":56,"echo-records":64,"diskunion:du-shinjuku-jazz":373,"jet-set-shimokitazawa":374,"flash-disc-ranch":72,"manhattan-records":223,"face-records":227,"discland-jaro":79,"tower-vinyl-shibuya":244},"diskunion JazzTOKYO","diskunion Shinjuku Jazz-kan","JET SET Shimokitazawa",[376,377,138,378,147,379,380,381,382,193,203,383,384,235,248],"diskunion:du-ochanomizu-ekimae","diskunion:du-jazztokyo","classicus","diskunion:du-shinjuku","diskunion:du-shinjuku-jazz","diskunion:du-shimokita","jet-set-shimokitazawa","manhattan-records","face-records",[386,389,392,395,398,401,404,407,410,413,416,419,422,425,428,431],{"label":387,"url":388},"diskunion: store pages (Ochanomizu, Shinjuku, Shimokitazawa, Shibuya, Kichijoji)","https:\u002F\u002Fdiskunion.net\u002Fshop\u002F",{"label":390,"url":391},"Lighthouse Records (official)","https:\u002F\u002Flighthouserecords.jp",{"label":393,"url":394},"CLASSICUS (official)","https:\u002F\u002Fclassicus.jp",{"label":396,"url":397},"Ella Records: Whole Earth Record Store Map, Echo Records (2025-10)","https:\u002F\u002Fellarecords.jp\u002Fen\u002Fblogs\u002Frecord-store-map\u002Fecho-records",{"label":399,"url":400},"HMV: store list (official)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.hmv.co.jp\u002Fstore\u002Flist\u002F",{"label":402,"url":403},"Shimokitazawa Ichiban-gai: JET SET","https:\u002F\u002Fshimokita1ban.com\u002Fjet-set-tokyo\u002F",{"label":405,"url":406},"Sanpo no Tatsujin: Flash Disc Ranch (2025-01-30)","https:\u002F\u002Fsan-tatsu.jp\u002Farticles\u002F374685\u002F",{"label":408,"url":409},"Rana Musica (official)","https:\u002F\u002Franamusica.info",{"label":411,"url":412},"Manhattan Records: shop list (official)","https:\u002F\u002Fmanhattanrecords.jp\u002FPage\u002Fshoplist.aspx",{"label":414,"url":415},"Face Records (official)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facerecords.com",{"label":417,"url":418},"Fashionsnap: next records (updated 2025-07-09)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fashionsnap.com\u002Farticle\u002Frecord-shop-tokyo-9\u002F",{"label":420,"url":421},"DISCLAND JARO (official)","https:\u002F\u002Fdisclandjaro.com",{"label":423,"url":424},"Tower Records Shibuya (official store page)","https:\u002F\u002Ftower.jp\u002Fstore\u002Fkanto\u002Fshibuya",{"label":426,"url":427},"UNIVERSOUNDS: about (official)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.universounds.net\u002Fpage\u002F2",{"label":429,"url":430},"Los Apson?: shop details (official)","https:\u002F\u002Flosapson.shop-pro.jp\u002F?mode=sk",{"label":432,"url":433},"Coconuts Disk (official)","https:\u002F\u002Fcoconutsdisk.com","blog\u002Ftokyo-record-digging-itinerary",[436,437],"Tokyo","Trip planning",null,"PqqIkvZ4f3icVXl0wUGEEYZGwMKxEHOu2hvxn-_kcZk",[441,449,457,464,471,480,490,497,504,510],{"path":442,"title":443,"date":360,"minutes":366,"cover":444,"tags":447},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbest-record-shops-tokyo","The best record shops in Tokyo, neighbourhood by neighbourhood",{"kanji":445,"label":446,"tone":359},"東京","Tokyo · 東京",[436,448],"Neighbourhood guide",{"path":330,"title":450,"date":360,"minutes":366,"cover":451,"tags":455},"How to buy records from Japanese shops when you live abroad",{"kanji":452,"label":453,"tone":454},"送料","Shipping · 送料","ink",[456],"Buying",{"path":158,"title":458,"date":360,"minutes":366,"cover":459,"tags":462},"diskunion guide: which store for which genre",{"kanji":460,"label":461,"tone":454},"ユニオン","diskunion · ディスクユニオン",[436,463],"Chains",{"path":340,"title":465,"date":360,"minutes":366,"cover":466,"tags":469},"Electronic record shops in Tokyo: techno, house, bass and ambient",{"kanji":467,"label":468,"tone":454},"電子","Techno · House · 電子",[436,470],"Electronic",{"path":319,"title":472,"date":360,"minutes":473,"cover":474,"tags":478},"Japanese record grading and terms: obi, 美品, 盤質 and the rest",6,{"kanji":475,"label":476,"tone":477},"帯","Obi · 盤質 · 美品","paper",[456,479],"Grading",{"path":481,"title":482,"date":360,"minutes":366,"cover":483,"tags":486},"\u002Fblog\u002Fjazz-record-shops-japan","Jazz record shops in Japan: where to dig for jazz vinyl",{"kanji":484,"label":485,"tone":454},"ジャズ","Jazz · ジャズ",[487,436,488,489],"Jazz","Osaka","Kyoto",{"path":491,"title":492,"date":360,"minutes":366,"cover":493,"tags":496},"\u002Fblog\u002Frecord-shops-kyoto","Record shops in Kyoto: Kawaramachi to Okazaki",{"kanji":494,"label":495,"tone":477},"京都","Kyoto · 京都",[489,448],{"path":498,"title":499,"date":360,"minutes":366,"cover":500,"tags":503},"\u002Fblog\u002Frecord-shops-osaka","Record shops in Osaka: Amerikamura, Horie and Umeda",{"kanji":501,"label":502,"tone":359},"大阪","Osaka · アメ村",[488,448],{"path":255,"title":505,"date":360,"minutes":366,"cover":506,"tags":509},"Record shops in Shibuya: Udagawacho, the big floors and the specialists",{"kanji":507,"label":508,"tone":359},"渋谷","Shibuya · 渋谷",[436,448],{"path":209,"title":511,"date":360,"minutes":366,"cover":512,"tags":515},"Record shops in Shimokitazawa: where to dig and in what order",{"kanji":513,"label":514,"tone":477},"下北沢","Shimokitazawa · 下北沢",[436,448],1794476466085]