RECORD BOY

Boy, Have We Got a Koenji Record Store for You!
[published February 2023]

Record Boy has been a staple in Koenji for over 4 decades. First opening in 1980 as a “rock kissa” music café that served drinks and played music, it gradually began to sell music and morphed into a record store. First selling new wave punk selections and then moving onto hardcore punk and metal genres, finally it arrived at what it is today in its current location on Pal Street: an extreme music record store that sells a niche and sought-after collection of records, CDs, T-shirts and other memorabilia from hardcore punk and a wide array of metal artists, especially underground bands. The shop brings customers locally and from overseas alike.

While there are a good deal of releases from well-known bands in and outside of Japan, the true gems here are the releases from underground artists, particularly Japanese bands that deal with the shop directly. Because of this you’ll often find things here that you can’t get anywhere else, not to mention some releases or Japanese versions of certain albums that are Record Boy Exclusives. Japanese bands such as G.A.T.E.S. and Evil as well as overseas artists such as Midnight and even a project by the former singer of Mayhem are all such fans of Record Boy or friends with the manager, Mr. Satoru Okura, that they have released content exclusive to Record Boy’s shelves. Okura-san began running the shop in the 1990’s, and is a genuinely nice guy with a huge appreciation for the extreme music he sells. Even for overseas customers who can’t speak Japanese, he will do his best to help you if you have any questions, despite language barriers. Anyone with a common interest of this music will be an immediate friend. So, if you are intrigued, have no fear and go meet Record Boy!

The shop is a bit inconspicuous as there are no glaring neon signs, and it’s rather hidden. About a 3 minutes’ walk from Koenji Station down the covered shopping street, you’ll find an Italian family restaurant called Saizeriya on the 2nd floor to your left. Record Boy is on the 3rd floor above Saizeriya. Just look for the battle axe on the door!

ACCESS

Writer/Photographer: Greg