Record Store Day in Sendai, Japan
Two dates to know: Record Store Day Black Friday is Friday, November 29, 2026, and the next main Record Store Day is Saturday, April 17, 2027.
What is Record Store Day?
Record Store Day is an annual event built around independent record stores. The main event traditionally lands on the third Saturday of April each year; Record Store Day Black Friday is traditionally held the day after US Thanksgiving. Both days bring exclusive, limited-run vinyl and CD releases sold only at participating independent shops — not big-box retailers, and not mail order until the in-store exclusives sell through. Because pressings are limited, popular titles can sell out within the first hour, which is why a line-early culture has grown up around the day even at shops that are otherwise quiet on a weekday morning.
Tips for the day
- Arrive early. At busy shops, lines for popular titles can start well before opening.
- Bring cash. A cash line often moves faster than card on a shop's highest-volume day of the year.
- Check each shop's own site or Instagram in the week before the date — participating shops post their own opening time, line policy, and which exclusive titles they've ordered in.
- Release lists are first-come, first-served and vary store to store. A title in stock at one shop may not show up at another, even across town.
- Expect one-per-customer or per-household limits on the most in-demand titles.
- Not every independent record store participates every year, and allocations vary shop to shop — confirm directly with the shop rather than assuming based on a past year.
Shops to check in Sendai, Japan
Independent record shops open in Sendai, Japan right now. We don't yet track which specific shops participate in Record Store Day or what they've ordered in for a given year — check each shop's own site or Instagram close to the date for their exclusive-release list, opening time, and line policy.
- Disk Note
Jazz-specialist record shop in Aoba-ku trading since 1981, stock organized by record label with near-daily new arrivals including overseas purchases. Roughly 45% jazz, plus pop/rock and black music.
3 sources
- HMV Sendai E BeanS
HMV's Sendai branch on the 5th floor of the E BeanS building, right by Sendai Station's west exit; sells and buys records alongside CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays, with a dedicated record buyback service.
3 sources
- J&B
Long-running used record and CD buy/sell shop in Aoba-ku near Sendai Station, specializing in jazz, classical, kayokyoku/oldies and classic rock. The former Izumi branch closed in January 2023; this Kitamemachi location remains active.
3 sources
- Loose Records
Curated record and clothing/goods shop about 15 minutes' walk from Sendai Station, mixing current Japanese releases (~30% new) with rare vintage finds (~70% used) across pop, rock, soul, hip-hop, reggae and Latin.
3 sources
- Paradise Records
One of Sendai's largest record shops by floor area, in the rural Sakunami area of western Aoba-ku near the Nikka Whisky distillery. Deep all-genre stock spanning imported rock, soul, neo-rockabilly, reggae, blues and Japanese prog/experimental.
3 sources
- Proceed Music Store
Club-music record shop in Miyagino-ku run by DJ Mu-R of Sendai hip-hop group GAGLE, opened November 2018. About 80% used, 20% new stock across hip-hop, house, jazz and soul, plus an in-house label and regular DJ nights.
3 sources
- Sendai Record Library
50+ year-established used and direct-import record specialist in Aoba-ku focused on classical, jazz, vocal and easy listening, with the owner personally sourcing stock on overseas buying trips.
2 sources
- Slash Record
Record shop in Izumi-ku specializing in hip-hop, R&B, soul, funk, jazz, disco/dance classics and reggae, plus Japanese groove/hip-hop and soundtracks. Keeps irregular closures (不定休).
2 sources
- Staghorn Records Analog Media Cafe
"Analog media cafe" in Aoba-ku: new-release vinyl, cassettes, zines and books curated by one half of a couple, coffee and cocktails served by the other. Indie rock, alternative, dream pop and shoegaze focus. Physical storefront opened March 2026 after years online-only.
3 sources
- STORE15NOV
Specialist near Hirose-dori Station, open since November 1995, focused on electronic, experimental, noise, free jazz, ambient and drone music across new, reissue and used vinyl, CDs, cassettes and imported books.
3 sources
- Tower Records Sendai
Sendai branch of the Tower Records Japan chain, on the 8th floor of Sendai Parco; opened July 1985 as Tower's 3rd Japan location after Sapporo and Shibuya, celebrated its 40th anniversary July 2025.
1 source
- VOLUME1
Small, carefully curated used record shop in a converted Aoba-ku apartment; owner Yasushi Miura hand-picks stock including rare items not listed on Discogs, spanning jazz, rock, Japanese standards and world music.
3 sources
See the full record store listing for Sendai, Japan.