The duty-free treatment for records, CDs, and cassette tapes continues. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) classifies physical music formats such as vinyl records, CDs, and cassette tapes as “information carriers.” As these are not subject to trade restrictions, they remain duty-free.
Over the past few years, many collectors have noticed something interesting: Casiopea vinyl records have been steadily increasing in value. Unlike the explosive rise seen...
Read moreFor many American collectors, Japan remains one of the best places in the world to buy vinyl records. From rare first pressings to audiophile-quality Japanese...
Read moreIf you spend any time exploring Japanese vinyl records, City Pop playlists, or YouTube music recommendations, you've probably come across the name Masayoshi Takanaka. For...
Read moreJapanese press vinyl records continue to attract collectors around the world, and in May 2026, the demand shows no sign of slowing down. Known for...
Read moreDear Customers, Please note that Japan will be observing the Golden Week holiday period, which includes multiple national holidays. During this time, postal and courier...
Read moreDHL will cease operations for the year on December 29, so the last day to place orders for packages that can be shipped is December...
Read moreGood news for our U.S. customers! When you purchase vinyl records or CDs from our store, you won't have to worry about paying any customs...
Read moreBuying records at Book Off in Japan offers many advantages for foreign collectors. First, you can often find Japanese “obi strip” records, which are highly...
Read moreI visited Hard-Off, a reuse store in Sayama, Saitama, Japan. They sell a lot of records. I lose track of time when I am looking...
Read moreThe obi (OBI) accompanying a Japanese record is an important accessory that is highly valued by collectors in Japan and abroad. The obi is a...
Read moreSORTILEGE is a heavy metal band formed in France in 1981 and became an important presence in the French metal scene. The band's music was...
Read moreI took a quick bite to eat at a highway rest spot. I had a hot dog with natto (fermented soybeans), a specialty of Ibaraki...
Read moreI visited a small second-hand store run by a sole proprietor. The items in the small LP store are not very cheap, but there is...
Read moreI went to a store in Nagano Prefecture that deals in used records for sale.For example, the name of the store 'Book off' 'Hard off'....
Read moreWe went to a record store in Nagano to buy an LP. Nagano Prefecture is a city with a lot of snow where the Winter...
Read moreThis is Nana, the other staff member at the store. The meaning of Nana is the number seven. Nana is considered to be a lucky...
Read moreThis cat is a staff member of our store. Her name is Hachi（八）. The meaning of 八 is the number eight. She has the letter...
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