Flash Disc Ranch — Local services in Tokyo

The vibe of the shop reminded me of an artist and their workshop, which is apt, as it seems like the owner travels to the US to bring vinyls back here. He also picks the store background music himself which makes the vibe even more personal. There are some good deals on cheap records but there are also some rare records here that require time finding. It’s not like a normal store where the valuable item is placed front and centre. Instead, finding it through the rows of vinyl provided a sense of awe, like finding treasure. We didn’t end up purchasing that expensive one in the end, but we did still purchase a rare find.

As others have said the owner can be slightly abrasive at first, but you can’t really blame him, especially in Tokyo where tourists can be extremely obnoxious. I saw someone get told off for taking a photo in store when there was clear signage not to and the customer talked back at him. I myself was told off for staying in a narrow space which could be dangerous, but I just sumimasened and moved on. Apparently this record store was featured in a movie recently so that might also be why the owner is apprehensive. Take it as a lesson to not be an obnoxious tourist and you’ll be fine.

The owner also speaks english so if you have any concerns just speak...

Tokyo has a lot of record stores and I don’t claim to have visited all or even most of them on my trip but this one was one of the coolest and charismatic. The owner may seem cold and intimidating at first but if you engage with him it’s obvious he loves and appreciates music and will give you recommendations if you ask him. I was looking for a rare Yasuaki Shimizu record which he didn’t have but he quickly went and pulled a Mariah record which I hadn’t heard and which Yasuaki Shimizu was a member of. I heard someone else was asking about a song that was playing in the store and the owner kindly went to the bins to look up the record (it was by Laidback). While I was there I also fell in love with a song I hadn’t heard before which the owner played like twice I think: “Cry” by Goldey & Creme. This is the kind of old school record store with a grumpy owner where you go not only to find the records you know but do discover music you were not aware of before. He also gave me a recommendation for a cool vinyl bar in the neighborhood. I wish I can come back to this store...

I don’t understand how this store can be so famous. I don’t think appearing in a Wenders film boosts its reputation. Maybe those who shop there don’t visit other used record stores? In any case, the store is certainly well-stocked, but the prices are incredibly higher than many other shops. But perhaps the most irritating thing is the owner. An arrogant hippie who smokes in the store (I’ve left several times with my clothes reeking of smoke) and snaps at customers. Just read other reviews to see that my experience isn’t an isolated case. Unlike many stores, here you can’t listen to records before buying them, and the owner insists on the good quality of records despite visible wear and scratches. His reply in my case was, “When you get home, you’ll see the record sounds fine.” Such an arrogant reply that it completely discouraged me from ever going back...