Inside Tokyo's Disk Union All-Prog Store

[Innerviews]

Hey all,

I'm in Tokyo right now, and just spent too much time and money at the Disk Union prog shop. I have never seen anything like it.

Here's an extensive photo gallery:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=cfe50e4d6b

Cheers,
A

[Zalmoxe]

Wow, three floors of prog. Insane!

[No Pride]

Wow, that's crazy! I'm leaving for Japan on Sunday and I'll be in Tokyo on my first night there. I'll be very tired (can't sleep on planes) and broke (as usual) and we'll be moving on the next day, but who knows; might have to check it out! Thanks... I think.

[walt]

Well, if I ever make it to Tokyo,this place will be first on my list to visit.



Da-yum.....

[Esoteric]

ah--a good customer of ours!!

[oilersfan]

Holy shit...

[Staun]

I died and went to Japan?

[JAMOOL]

you gotta hand it to the Japanese - their musical tastes are impeccable. as I recall lots of great New Wave stuff is incredibly popular there as well.

[Innerviews]

Wow, that's crazy! I'm leaving for Japan on Sunday and I'll be in Tokyo on my first night there. I'll be very tired (can't sleep on planes) and broke (as usual) and we'll be moving on the next day, but who knows; might have to check it out! Thanks... I think.

You must go.

[aith01]

Wow! Really wish I could visit Tokyo now.

That is totally awesome though. It's a shame we can't have something like this in the states. But such is life.

[Stickleback]

Hasn't Japan gotten the memo that prog is uncool? Or at the very least not deserving of it's own store?

[moecurlythanu]

Disc Union used to have a table at Nearfest. I almost bought a Monument LP, but didn't have the cash in hand. I think I did buy a Rousseau album in a different year, and one other, but I can't recall which.

[sonic]

I go there almost every week.
BTW, there is only one floor of prog (basement actually). In the same area there are several shops dedicated to different kinds of music. Besides the prog store, the general used store, the 60s ~ 70s floor of the main building and even the metal store also have a selection of prog. Disk-Union has zapped my wallet big time over the years.

[sonic]

Wow, that's crazy! I'm leaving for Japan on Sunday and I'll be in Tokyo on my first night there. I'll be very tired (can't sleep on planes) and broke (as usual) and we'll be moving on the next day, but who knows; might have to check it out! Thanks... I think.

Are you playing here?

[Bazcrim]

Thanks Anil for those wonderful photos. This is the nearest I will ever get to browsing in those wonderful shops. That there are still shops like these in today's world is heartening indeed. Long may they remain!

[No Pride]

Are you playing here?

Yeah, but... first of all, it's just a pop/rock cover band. ( www.ltdanband.com/ ) Second, you need a US military I.D. to get in. If you have one and are still interested, we're at:

July 2: Misawa Air Base
July 4: Yokota Air Base
July 5: Yokosuka Air Base
July 6: Futenma Marine Corps Airfield

I don't know exactly where any of these are, but I guess I will soon.

[sonic]

Yeah, but... first of all, it's just a pop/rock cover band. ( www.ltdanband.com/ ) Second, you need a US military I.D. to get in. If you have one and are still interested, we're at:

July 2: Misawa Air Base
July 4: Yokota Air Base
July 5: Yokosuka Air Base
July 6: Futenma Marine Corps Airfield

I don't know exactly where any of these are, but I guess I will soon.

Cool. Unfortunately I'll be working those dates. I would have loved to see you play.
I know the bases and some people who work there or have connections, but I've never been there myself to date. The bases pretty much are America so unfortunately you won't get a taste for Japan within. Hopefully you'll get a chance to take a look around outside the bases. Anyway, enjoy!

[BakerStMuse]

I go there almost every week.
BTW, there is only one floor of prog (basement actually). In the same area there are several shops dedicated to different kinds of music. Besides the prog store, the general used store, the 60s ~ 70s floor of the main building and even the metal store also have a selection of prog. Disk-Union has zapped my wallet big time over the years.

Right.. the "prog" store itself is only one floor and pretty small.. but there are Disk Union stores all over Tokyo that are well-stocked with prog.

Another great thing is the prices (at least when I was there). I was shopping for LPs and was finding copies of classic European prog titles (Atoll, Cai, Amon Duul II, etc.) for around $7-$10.

I'd advise anyone going to Tokyo to bring an extra suitcase!

[Stickleback]

Did you happen to see the Brand X remastered mini lps? I just heard these were remastered in 2006 and would love to hear the new masters.

[Innerviews]

Because you and I can't get enough. Here is the third and last chapter of my Tokyo Record Store diary -- Reco-Fan and Rare records. These stores are as good as the rest. :-)

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=cf1ac34497

[Innerviews]

Right.. the "prog" store itself is only one floor and pretty small.. but there are Disk Union stores all over Tokyo that are well-stocked with prog.

Your definition of small and mine are very different. There must have been 20,000+ CDs in there.

[sonic]

Because you and I can't get enough. Here is the third and last chapter of my Tokyo Record Store diary -- Reco-Fan and Rare records. These stores are as good as the rest. :-)

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=cf1ac34497

You certainly did your homework. I'd totally forgotten about that Kichijoji store. I usually just go to disk union when I go to Kichijoji.

Your definition of small and mine are very different. There must have been 20,000+ CDs in there.

'Compact' would be a better word ... for J shops in general.

[Joe F.]

there is only one floor of prog (basement actually)

Being in the basement seems only fitting....

[nnknsh]

A local here.
For Prog releases, it'd be great if you have time to visit our store, World Disque at Mejiro (5 min -3stations- by Yamanote line from Shinjuku).
Similar in size and scope from the Disk Union Shinjuku-Prog store, but deeper and wider selection (Bad Dog U CD was a very good seller for us when it came out).

World Disque / Marquee Inc.
102 Maison Mejiro,
3-1-17, ShImo-Ochiai, Shinjuku-Ku,
Tokyo 161-0033
03-3954-5348
Approx. 1 min walk from JR Mejiro Station.
Operation time 13:00 -20:00 (Sun 13:00-19:00)
closed on Tuesday.

map here.
http://www.marquee.co.jp/world_disque/about_shop.htm

sample of recent coming in titles.
http://www.marquee.co.jp/world_disque/d.w.frameset.html

---spam mode off---
As for Disk Union, their Ochyano-mizu (several stores in this area. The Jazz is their largest Jazz branch), Shibuya (3 floors) are pretty good.
Shimokitazawa, Ikebukuro, Yokohama (2 stores) aren't bad too.

Another Prog specialist store (with stronger leaning on Symphonic Prog), Garden Shed have a nice selection of new CDs (no used CDs though) too.
On the same building, there is another store Eurasia that deals only for rare / used vinyls. They have some seriously rare items, though the price might be not very attractive...
Both stores are in the Shinjuku area, approx.15min walk from Disk Union Prog Store.

http://www.record-eurasia.com/Jap/jpeurasiahome.html
http://www.gardenshedcd.com
map here
http://www.gardenshedcd.com/map.html

[nnknsh]

Yeah, but... first of all, it's just a pop/rock cover band. ( www.ltdanband.com/ ) Second, you need a US military I.D. to get in. If you have one and are still interested, we're at:

July 2: Misawa Air Base
July 4: Yokota Air Base
July 5: Yokosuka Air Base
July 6: Futenma Marine Corps Airfield

I don't know exactly where any of these are, but I guess I will soon.

Both Yokota and Yokosuka are in the suburban area of Tokyo, Yokota approx. one hour, Yokosuka approx. 90min by train to Shinjuku.

Misawa is in the North end of the Honshyu (the Japan main island) and hundreds of miles away from Tokyo, Futenma is in the Ryuku / Okinawa islands that are thousands of miles south of Tokyo.