Entertainment For Lively Minds
What's Hot in Japan Right Now?
Here's a serious query for the Massive which hopefully won't cause any arguments.
I'm visiting Japan in a week's time. It will be my sixth visit and my first in three years. One of the joys of visiting Tokyo is finding a large Virgin Megastore and buying lots of music no-one has heard of here. However, unless you listen before buying - which you can do in Japan, but I hardly ever have time - your purchases can be a hit and miss affair.
Can anyone recommend any good Japanese artists? I loved YMO when they first came out, and want to know what Mr Sakamoto is doing these days. Otherwise my interests encompass prog, dance music of the likes of Massive Attack and Chemical Brothers, jazz of the Miles Davis/Pat Metheny varieties, Joni Mitchell, inventive rock music such as Elbow, and modern African music. Hardly narrows it down, I suppose, but I don't like metal, country, rap or modern R&B.
Any suggestions will be very welcome, and I promise to keep you posted.
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When you find out
let me know. Am visiting Japan for the first time in July - I particularly want to find some good music stores in Tokyo so if you have some tips let me know.Thanks
What I remember
from 3 years back was HMV shops everywhere but better than the UK counterpart. The Japanese have a great re-issue series of old and rare releases from the '70s in replica cardboard sleeves. Can be very expensive to buy as imports over here but much cheaper if you can find them - they sell out quickly to collectors.
I did find a small independent store - can't recall the name - and they did give me a map of all their other stores in the vicinity. Happy hunting.
Advice to anyone with the time and in the area. Visit Tokyo Disneyland. No seriously. It's where I spent my 2 weeks. It is also the best Disney park in the world, especially Disney Seas. Inbetween the 2 parks is a public shopping area called Ikspiari
http://www.ikspiari.com/ click on the english shop list. The record store there is called Shinseido.
From my bookmarks:
http://www.japan-guide.com/
http://www.quirkyjapan.or.tv/
http://www.tokyoessentials.com/index.shtml - it says on here...
CDs - HMV, Virgin and Tower Records can be found in most central districts. Disk Union and Tsutaya are the Japanese equivalents. Don't know how old that advice is though.
Tokyo
If you are looking for CDs, I would try Tower and HMV (who have a good English website in Japan) in Shibuya in Tokyo (they are also in Shinjuku). As Beany mentioned, there is also Disk Union and Tsutaya although these are smaller. There is also a second hand chain called Reco Fan with a big store in Shibuya which has a great selection. I am not a big fan of Japanese music so cannot recommend anything but Ryuichi Sakamoto puts out CDs quite often (a couple a year I think).
Reissued 60/70s albums in paper sleeves are a big thing in Japan at the moment and I think a lot of these are probably not available in the UK. Hope you enjoy your trip.
I'm on my way now!
Thanks people. I'm on my way now and will let you all know how I get on.