During a recent trip to Japan, Big Shot paid a visit to Tower Records’ Kyoto store. It’s located on the 9th floor of a building on a busy street in the Shijō Kawaramachi district.
Since Tower Records is no longer in business in America and much of the rest of the world, it was an extra special treat to see the shop.
For me it’s a throwback to a bygone era — there were listening stations, end-cap displays with the latest Japanese music releases and a handful of store employees who weren’t exactly concerned whether you bought music or didn’t.
We browsed the electronic music aisle and discovered a decent selection of ambient, techno and house music. But…NO VINYL! (Otaku alert: the store does have a plentiful selection of manga and anime.)
Watch our full report below and get a feel for the Tower Records shopping experience.