Tens of thousands of vinyl records from the 1970s and 1980s are on display at the Diskunion Shinjuku Showa Kayou Store in Tokyo.
17:15 JST, May 13, 2024
Showa-era idols, American cars and other striking images catch the eye at the Diskunion Shinjuku Showa Kayou Store in Tokyo.
The sign for Diskunion Shinjuku Showa Kayou Store
The record store has tens of thousands of vinyl records from the 1970s and 1980s, and store manager Kenji Shinoki, 48, let me listen to Showa idol Akina Nakamori’s 1983 album “Fantasy.”
He put the LP on a record player, and as I listened to her record through headphones, I realized she sounded a little clearer than when I listen to songs on my phone.
“Songs made back then were meant to be played on vinyl so you could hear them at their best,” Shinoki said.
Showa Kayou Store opened in Shinjuku in 2013, as the popularity of Showa-era J-pop (1926-1989) grew. Last year the store moved to its current location.
I expected the store to be filled with middle-aged men and older customers buying records they couldn’t afford when they were younger. But to my surprise I also saw quite a few foreigners and young people in the store. The store has about 20,000 records, including 12-inch LPs and 7-inch EPs.
A record player at the Diskunion Shinjuku Showa Kayou Store in Tokyo
Some records have lyrics written in the singer’s own handwriting. Others come with posters or concert information. Some even left a note asking if a song would be played on a radio show. The ingenuity of the pre-internet age is fascinating.
Many fans end up showing off the vinyl jackets because of their unique designs.
“The images on the jackets are filled with the worlds of the songs,” Shinoki said. “Many customers say they listened to a record based on the cover and just happened to like the songs.”
The price of a record can range from ¥300 to several hundred thousand yen, depending on its rarity and popularity. The latter part of the 1980s was a transition period from vinyl to CDs, and LPs from this era tend to fetch high prices due to the small volume sold.
The store also sells cassettes, which were widely distributed along with vinyl in the 1980s. However, because they are easily damaged, those that are still in good condition tend to be expensive. Cassettes are now popular among young people because they are ‘small and cute’.
Various cassette tapes are on display.
Many customers came into the store that day, their eyes sparkling as they browsed the records.
“Music that is kept alive for a while will eventually become someone else’s treasure,” Shinoki said.
***
Diskunion Shinjuku Showa Kayou Shop
Address: Yamada Building. 2F, 3-31-4 Shinjuku, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo
Access: Five minutes’ walk from the east exit of JR Shinjuku Station or two minutes’ walk from Shinjuku-Sanchome Station.
Opening hours: On weekdays from 12:00 noon to 8:00 PM, on weekends and public holidays from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM
