Record Day

What Is Record Day?

Every November 3rd is "Record Day" (レコードの日, Rekōdo no Hi) in Japan. The day was established in 1957 by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ), which chose "Culture Day" (文化の日), a national holiday, on the grounds that records are cultural assets. Separately, since 2015 the vinyl pressing company Toyo Kasei has led an annual analog record festival also called "Record Day" on November 3rd, with limited edition vinyl releases and events at record shops across Japan.

Japan's Vinyl Record Culture

Japan has one of the world's most devoted vinyl record cultures. Japanese vinyl pressings — long associated with Toyo Kasei, for many years one of the very few pressing plants still operating in Japan — are widely admired for their quiet surfaces and careful manufacturing. Audiophiles worldwide seek out Japanese pressings (often labeled "Made in Japan" or with country-specific catalog numbers) for their sonic quality.

The Vinyl Revival in Japan

Vinyl record sales in Japan — as globally — experienced a significant revival beginning in the 2010s after decades of decline following the CD era. Japanese record shops — including major chains like Tower Records Japan (which had become independent of its American parent before the parent's 2006 bankruptcy) and specialist stores in Tokyo's Shimokitazawa and Shibuya neighborhoods — serve both domestic vinyl enthusiasts and international visitors who come specifically to browse Japan's extensive second-hand vinyl markets.

City Pop and Global Vinyl Demand

The global rediscovery of Japanese "city pop" (シティポップ) — the sophisticated urban pop music of the 1970s-80s by artists like Mariya Takeuchi, Tatsuro Yamashita, and Anri — has created significant international demand for original Japanese vinyl pressings of this music, with rare records commanding high prices at auction. Record Day events in Japan often feature city pop releases alongside other genres, reflecting this international cultural phenomenon.

Fun Facts

• Shimokitazawa: Tokyo's Shimokitazawa neighborhood (下北沢) is Japan's premier destination for second-hand record shopping — a dense concentration of vinyl shops, vintage clothing stores, small live music venues, and cafés that has made it a pilgrimage site for music lovers from across Japan and internationally.
• Tower Records Japan: Tower Records Japan (タワーレコード) became independent of its American parent company before the parent went bankrupt in 2006, and it still operates dozens of stores across Japan — a survival that reflects Japan's sustained appetite for physical music formats in an era of digital dominance.