I visited one of the world's largest record shops, and it's like Disneyland for audiophiles

While the team at What Hi-Fi? HQ have been working hard on everything turntable-related for Vinyl Week 2026, I’ve been preoccupied in Japan with Denon and Marantz to see their latest innovations in hi-fi and home cinema.

While most of that is top secret, I did get a chance to explore some of Tokyo, including a stop in Shibuya. Home of the famous crossing that crops up in countless films, including (but not limited to) Lost In Translation and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, the trendy, bustling high street is also home to one of my favourite shops of all time.

Tower Records Shibuya, for those unfamiliar, is a goliath of a retailer, offering up seven whole floors of vinyl, CDs, cassettes, merch, accessories and hi-fi equipment.

It’s a fantasy land for those obsessed with music, with every genre from J-Pop to hip hop, folk to metal, and indie to film soundtracks represented. Each floor has a theme or gimmick in this regard, which makes browsing this overwhelming shop surprisingly easy and fun.

My go-to floors are the top two, with floor six being dedicated almost entirely to vinyl records across every imaginable genre. During my recent visit, I found everything from Charli XCX’s Brat to Jeff Buckley’s Grace, and even the soundtrack to Blade II.

There are entire sections dedicated to specific artists – yes, the Taylor Swift section is the first thing you see when you enter this floor, and it is spectacular – though you'll find a huge mix of artists and genres organised alphabetically in rows along this floor.

Funnily enough, there was a whole wall dedicated to film and TV soundtracks right by the entrance, which supports my argument that more home cinema fans should get into vinyl to preserve their favourite soundtracks.

It’s a feast, and it’s easy to get lost in there both physically and figuratively. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the latest releases are also playing over a pretty bold sound system on this floor, which had me Shazam-ing away gleefully in between flicking through old and new vinyl.

For a change of pace, you can head to the seventh floor, which is dedicated to CDs. There is every imaginable genre and artist here, and if you’re unsure, then you can find a pair of headphones and a “listening box” attached to most of the shelves.

These are loaded up with snippets of the nearby albums, and there are usually a few to cycle through. This try-before-you-buy idea is also a great way to find an artist or album you’d otherwise never have considered.

Sure, I could scour my streaming service of choice to discover these albums, but physically sifting through CDs from artists that I'd never heard of before felt way more authentic and tangible.

And I think Tower Records Shibuya's authenticity is what keeps me coming back. There is a genuine love of music on display here, from the oversized posters promoting upcoming tours and festivals that adorn the exterior of the building to the practically infinite selection of music found within.

If you're obsessed with all things physical media and have some room in your suitcase for a few records, then I couldn't recommend adding Tower Records to your Tokyo itinerary enough.

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