About

Here in Japan music enthusiasts really seem to take their passion seriously. Knowledgeable collectors have over years been hungrily buying up music of all kinds and now as more and more record collections become available, we’ve been greedily digging the crates in the pursuit of unearthing those hidden treasures and lost rare gems.

We’ve found that compared to other places record owners here have generally really respected and looked after their records. We are in a record collector’s paradise! Please check out our listings to see a wide range of music for all tastes. We are mostly selling Japanese pressings, including original pressings from the 1960s-80s, as well as more recent releases and reissues.

Why buy Japanese records?

There are a number of reasons why Japanese records are so sought after. Number one is quality. Japanese pressings are loved by audiophiles and collectors because they’re widely regarded as being of the highest quality. Record companies have often used heavy virgin vinyl with attention to mastering producing fantastic super quiet recordings. Covers were generally thicker and tougher, so they don’t tend to get creased and roughed up so much.

You will see also Japanese records originally came with additional inserts with photos and Japanese liner notes and sometimes unique posters. Many also came with the Obi which was usually wrapped around the sleeve with the Japanese title and additional release information printed on it.

You may also find special Japan-only releases, reissues and compilations and sometimes you can see unique covers or covers that are different from the original version. This is especially true of the 7” picture sleeves.

Our specialist stock

Of course we also have a great range of records by Japanese artists. We’re always looking for obscure movie and anime soundtracks, electronic and experimental, jazz and rare grooves. Japan has produced some fantastically talented and internationally acclaimed jazz musicians and groups since the early 1960s and these recordings have been largely unavailable overseas on vinyl.

Please bear in mind that the majority of the records are pretty old so please pay attention to individual gradings and descriptions. We grade records according to the Goldmine standard.