CD stores in Kyoto?

[Big Wheel]

My girlfriend is in Japan right now and offered to pick me up a couple of discs while she was there. Are there any shops in Kyoto that have good jazz selections?

[JohnJ]

No idea about Kyoto but if she is going to Tokyo I could give a number or recommendations. The jazz selection is excellent and the prices surprisingly reasonable.

[Big Wheel]

She actually left Tokyo the other day but should be back there in a couple of months, before she leaves. Also, she will be spending most of the summer in Kanazawa, so if anyone knows of any good shops there (I know, it's probably in the boondocks as far as CDs are concerned) I'll send those recommendations to her also.

[JohnJ]

Sorry Big Wheel, I have never even been to Kanazawa. I will however post some Tokyo recommendations soon.

[Guest Mnytime]

BW

I am sorry I didn't notice this thread earlier. It's been a couple years since I have been in Kyoto but I can highly recommend these stores

Beaver Records, Kyoto-huge & excellent used cd collection when last there.

Time Bomb, Namba, has a used CD section on 3rd floor

King Kong, Namba

The second two are around the corner from each.

I am not sure if all still have Jazz but Beaver at the least should. They all carry a lot of undground and experimental stuff as well.

Here is online site that lists many stores in Tokyo

http://www.bento.com/rekodoya.html

[Ron Thorne]

Hi Big Wheel-

I just discovered this thread by way of another, which you can probably guess.

I don't know if the following will prove to be helpful or not, but several nerves were struck when I read the few posts here.

Our youngest son just returned from a ten year stay in Japan, largely in the Kansai region. My wife and I had the pleasure of visiting him there in 1995, and among other places, we spent considerable time in Kyoto and Kanazawa. He's fluent in japanese and had his own car, so we had the best travel guide possible.

Our son is also a jazz fan, though not quite as "addicted" as me. However, we did some music shopping in Kyoto and I found some fine collections in a store called Riverside Records, which has moved since we were there, so I'm not hip to their "new" location. Also, after talking with Justin on the phone tonight, he recalled another music store in Kyoto (name didn't come immediately to mind) in which he also found a good selection of jazz. He offered some landmarks to help locate it, though. It's near the Sanjo Bridge (on the Starbucks Coffee side of the river), near a camera shop, in a 7-story retail building. Take the elevator to the 6th-7th floor. He said they also have a considerable amount of vinyl available.

We didn't shop for music in Kanazawa, although it's a sizeable city, and is certainly not an "outpost" or the "boondocks". Far from it, though it's not Kyoto, either. We really enjoyed both cities and have fond memories.

If I think of any other resources in the region, I'll add them. Please let me know if you have questions or if this has helped, ok?

* None of this information was gleaned from Google or other online sources, but rather from actual people who were actually in Japan, either visiting or living there.

Edited August 18, 2003 by Ron Thorne

[Big Wheel]

Thanks Ron and David. Unfortunately my girlfriend left Japan a couple of weeks ago, picking me up one JRVG whose title will remain a secret to me until she gets back in the States. If I make it to Japan in a year or two, as is my plan, I'll definitely check out some of those places!

[JohnJ]

Big Wheel, be sure to contact me before you come to Japan, I would be happy to guide you around the used stores of Tokyo. That goes for anyone else on this board too.

[Big Wheel]

Thanks John, I'd be deeply in your debt! It's still kind of a pipe dream but who knows, if I can get a few decent gigs next year, maybe I'll be able to sock enough away to afford it.