Japanese pressings have long been more than just an insider tip among audiophile vinyl lovers. High time to take a closer look at this phenomenon.
Who hasn’t seen them at trade fairs or at their trusted second-hand dealer? LPs, mostly from the 1970s and 1980s, which usually have a loose-fitting sleeve with Japanese characters on the left-hand side of the cover. This sleeve, known as an “obi” – the word normally refers to the belt of the kimono – is the trademark of Japanese pressings and a must-have for hardcore collectors. The significance of the obi is less mysterious than is sometimes assumed. As the front covers of Western productions are usually copied untranslated, the essential information can be found here in Japanese. In the world of audiophiles and record collectors, Japanese vinyl enjoys a legendary reputation. Whether it’s the sound, the pressing quality or the care taken in production – records from Japan are regarded by many vinyl nerds as the ultimate, even ahead of current high-end reissues. But what makes them so special? After all, the heyday of Japanese vinyl was a good 40 to 50 years ago.
The key lies in a combination of high-quality material and precise production. A central point is the use of extremely high-quality vinyl. In most cases, so-called “virgin vinyl” was used, i.e. non-recycled material. This ensures less contamination, which not only makes the records more durable, but also minimizes surface noise and crackling. In Japan in the 1970s and 1980s, precision in the production process was a top priority. The records were produced with technical care and each batch was checked by hand for defects. As a result, the sound quality remained consistent – production errors such as off-center pressings or bubbles in the vinyl were rare. Another reason for the popularity of Japanese records is the fact that they were often produced in smaller quantities. Fewer production cycles per pressing mold means that the molds are less worn. The result are more precise grooves, which in turn mean better sound quality. Above all, however, this shows that the weight and thickness of an LP are probably just a marketing gimmick, as the Japanese pressings rarely weigh more than 140 grams, but are completely flat and without any waves. The author of these lines prefers any Japanese pressing to an audiophile pressing of 180 grams.
Even if it is not always clear to this day which master tapes were available to the Japanese production houses, the remastering was done to a high standard and close to the original. In jazz, this meant that Japanese pressings were and still are often the first choice when the first or second editions are no longer available or the prices for these have risen to dizzying heights. In addition, many reissues – from Blue Note, for example – were released as mono pressings for stereo pickups, giving jazz fans the opportunity to appreciate the powerful mono sound of the originals without a technical mono setup. Paul Chambers’ masterpiece Bass On Top, for example, shows how difficult the decision can be for audiophiles. On the one hand, there is the very recent, sonically excellent stereo edition from Blue Note’s Tone Poet series, but on the other hand, there is also the mono recording released by Toshiba in 1976, which probably conveys the more authentic feeling.
Of course, not all European and American releases were released in Japan; rather, the release strategy was based on local fan taste. One must always bear in mind that Japanese vinyl was not intended for the world market, but only to satisfy domestic needs, which also explains the low quantities. In terms of music history, this also makes it possible to reconstruct which music genres and which bands played a major role in Japan at which time. For example, the preference for fusion sounds is striking – almost all releases by Weather Report or Spyro Gyra appeared in large quantities and are still available from the relevant dealers today. For music lovers who think outside the box, Japanese LPs are above all a treasure trove of musically undiscovered worlds. Not only the greats of Japanese pop and rock music can be discovered, but also strokes of genius from the Japanese free jazz of the early 1970s or Asian avant-garde composers from this period are waiting to be explored. Worth mentioning in this context is the Camerata Tokyo label, which produced vinyl until 1987 and released a daring mixture of German baroque music and Asian avant-garde, such as the first recording of Isang Yun’s monumental violin concerto. Friends of Japanese free jazz can discover gems such as the LP Daguri by the Japanese Kohske Mine Quintet.
As we have often mentioned here in the Vinyl Corner, we vinylists are often not only interested in the analog sound, but also in the overall LP package. Here too, Japanese LPs score big. They are often released with extensive inserts, posters, gimmicks etc. and delight collectors not only with their audiophile sound. As a rule, the price of a Japanese second-hand record is determined in part by the presence of these inserts. Even if the condition of the used vinyl is usually beyond reproach, as LPs have only been touched with the proverbial pointed fingers and played with proper pickups, the inserts are often only partially preserved. And so the community of Japan vinylists is divided into two camps: on the one hand, there are the pure sound fanatics, who don’t care about the completeness of the obi and inserts, and there are the collectors of the original editions, for whom an undamaged obi and the complete additional material is an absolute must.
Of course, there is never the one sole Japan edition of a release. A striking feature of the Japanese market is that several editions of a single LP are often released – sometimes with different release dates and in different series. One example of this is the debut LP by jazz rock band Weather Report. In Japan, it was released in several special series, including “SX68 Sound”, “Big Jazz Fusion” and “Best Jazz Collection”. This goes to show how Japanese labels categorized their releases differently. Series such as “Big Jazz Fusion” were based on musical content, while series such as “SX68 Sound” focused on technical innovations in sound and mastering. The “SX68 Sound” system was based on a CBS/Sony cutting system that used a Neumann SX-68 cutting head and proprietary transistor amplifiers. These different editions are not only recognizable by their characteristic obi, but also by their different cover designs.
So how do you get hold of these rare gold nuggets from the Far East? Just keep your eyes peeled at the relevant high-end trade fairs, it’s not unusual for the record stands there to offer Japanese pressings; and otherwise you’ll also find two Discogs dealers below that we’ve picked out for you and where you’re sure to find what you’re looking for. Of course, there are even more dealers on the net who specialize in Japanese vinyl, and direct imports from Japan are easier than you might think. The best thing to do is to browse discogs.com and go in search of the audiophile grail made in Japan yourself.