Japan beyond the algorithm: Tangible treasures

Japan’s thriving ecosystem of record stores is an object of international wonder and longing. DJs, diggers and casual music fans alike travel from around the globe to shop their way through the country’s countless repositories of analogue treasures, and often return home with suitcases filled to bursting with finds.

But the country’s love for vinyl goes beyond retail. What was once the only operating record factory in Asia keeps humming in Yokohama. Listening bars from Tokyo to Tokushima boast vast music collections and sound systems tuned to pin-drop perfection. And a sprawling community of aficionados keeps the scene fresh and honest. Japan’s record culture deserves to be explored in depth; here are three places to start.

Inc & Sons

This spacious Osaka listening bar only opened in 2016, but the auditory world that awaits inside comes straight from the 1950s and ’60s. Vintage Altec A7 speakers play classic jazz and reggae at a pleasant, conversation-friendly volume, inviting you to put down your phone and take in the tunes while sipping the bar’s signature Wagyu Old Fashioned cocktail or nibbling on some oysters. Take your time to really engage with the music; this is a space that rewards patient listeners handsomely.

Toyo Kasei

In the late 2000s, Toyo Kasei’s Suehiro factory in coastal Yokohama was the only active record pressing plant in Asia. In the face of calls to withdraw from the business, the company’s founder held firm – and was soon vindicated when quality-conscious music enthusiasts the world over started flocking back to physical media.

Famed for its borderline obsessive quality assurance process, Toyo Kasei is a trusted name especially in Southeast Asia, where demand is high for made-in-Japan vinyl. The company is also noted for its rare ability to conduct the entire record-production process in house, from cutting and pressing to printing custom labels. Keep an eye out for irregular open-door events and record markets.

Universounds

Yusuke Ogawa is no ordinary record dealer. When he’s not busy sourcing obscure spiritual or free jazz pressings or organising the neat shelves of his store into alphabetical order, the Koenji-based scene impresario writes guides to specific times or styles of jazz or supervises the reprinting of rare releases.

‘Secondhand records in Japan tend to be in really good condition compared to many other countries,’ he says. ‘Maybe it’s because vinyl collectors here handle the product with great care.’ Digging at Universounds can open up doors to new worlds even for seasoned aficionados. ‘I still often get surprised,’ Ogawa says. ‘Even some seriously obscure jazz records have Japan-exclusive releases.’