So what’s the scene like for VK shops now in Tokyo (and Yokohama)? I’ll be going to Tokyo in November 2025. I haven’t been in 20 years. Back then there was Closet Child, Pure Sound, Like An Edison and one directly across the street from Like An Edison, and one in Ikebukuro which I think was Disc Union if I’m not mistaken? But I’ve heard the scene has changed and some of these are either no longer around or aren’t selling much in the way of CD’s etc. I’m wanting to shop for CD’s, photo-sets/cheki and other VK band merch etc. Looking for recommendations. Thanks!
Moved to Support because this is your own specific question, not a forum-wide discussion.
Like an Edison and Pure Sound are still open, though both have seen better days. Jishuban Club closed two years ago, and Closet Child now primarily sells clothing, as far as I know. There are a few Disk Union stores, but they are not specifically focused on Visual Kei. A new shop called Little Hearts in Shibuya is doing well and is a great place to find all the latest music.
Thanks, just added Little Hearts to my list. How is the Cross Cat shop in Shinjuku? I might be wrong about the Ikebukuro shop being Disc Union. It may have been that the shop I remember was just in the same bldg as Disc Union. Did all the Closet Child shops move away from music? Is there possibly 1 or 2 of them that held out and still sell music?
There was Zeal Link and Brand-X also but they closed around 2019 sadly. They likely still have a vkei section at tower records in shibuya also for more current releases.
Closet Child only have CDs online now.
If you have any chance, install mercari app. It’s the most fast way to get clothes and goods, if you are searching for a specific items. If you’re looking for an atmosphere, closetchild have a lot of branches in Tokyo (but I don’t know if they are selling cds nowadays?). Tower records, disc union, for cds and records.
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Thanks, I already do Mercari. But there are CD’s on my list that I’ve been doing weekly searches for on there and also on yahoo japan for a few years with no luck. I had this fantasy that I’d be able to find them all in Tokyo at the various shops like the good ‘ol days, but looks like the days of the well-stocked VK shops are over
There’s also Like an Edison.
I checked several stores in Tokyo:
- pure sound is the best, like a physical version of Mercari
- Like an Edison is good
- Little hearts is too small
- Tower records is too boring
- all the other ones like Disc Union — almost nothing
Each time there is a similar post… makes me feel a little sad that so many stores closed.. Yes, now with a proxy+mercari makes everything easier…but visit those stores and go through all the CDs had some “magic”.
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