Three thresholds for record digging

Union opens noon weekdays. Face 11:00–20:00, Shin Tokyo Building 301; MIYASHITA PARK has closed and merged. Tower event conditions are separate.

The difference is how to search: new releases, new-versus-used copies, and used condition, rather than shop-size rankings.

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Three thresholds for record digging

TOWER RECORDS SHIBUYA

Use its breadth to narrow a genre before visiting smaller specialists.

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Face Records SHIBUYA

Choose between a broad genre floor, comparing new and used editions and condition, and a focused search around jazz and soul.

Tower: where jazz meets hip-hop

For vinyl, start at Tower’s sixth-floor TOWER VINYL. Nujabes’s modal soul brings piano and drum breaks together with Shing02’s rap and Terry Callier’s voice. Tower’s 2024 2LP edition was listed online at ¥4,950 including tax on 19 October 2026. It is a concrete choice for a new pressing; CD buyers can instead use 3F for Japanese or 7F for international music. The sixth floor lists around 100,000 new/used records and cassettes. Allow an estimated 30–60 minutes for one or two floors; performances are separate events.

Union: synth-pop or folk/funk

Union in PARCO B1 is the choice for identifying music, then comparing an edition and an individual copy. Junichi Inagaki’s NO STRINGS uses synths and programming for medium-to-slow, soul-inflected vocal pop. Yosui Inoue’s 氷の世界 moves between folk, funk and Japanese popular song. Start by choosing between a smooth instrumental setting and songs that change style across the album.

Check catalogue identifiers such as NO STRINGS 28FB-2013 or 氷の世界 MR-5038, then obi, liner and lyrics. Read separate sleeve and disc grades and the description of dirt or light scratches. Super Dimension Fortress Macross vol. II, JBX-25013, offers Mari Iijima’s songs beside short orchestral cues. Allow an estimated 30–45 minutes to compare the music with the edition and package you want. Hours are noon–20:00 weekdays, 11:00–20:00 weekends and holidays.

Face: a Brazilian direction

Follow the rhythmic interest abroad at Face, room 301, 10-2 Udagawacho. Marcos Valle’s Sempre joins bass, horns and percussion across disco, samba and jazz-funk. Seun Kuti & Egypt 80’s Heavier Yet takes another direction, linking Afrobeat with Damian Marley’s reggae and Sampa the Great’s rap. General hours are 11:00–20:00; estimate 30–45 minutes. For a return to Japanese reissues, choose HMV: SUNSHOWER offers Rhodes-and-sax fusion-pop; LOVE TRIP starts with voice and rhythm guitar.

Union opens noon weekdays. Face 11:00–20:00, Shin Tokyo Building 301; MIYASHITA PARK has closed and merged. Tower event conditions are separate.