Bug Out! Japanese Portable Record Player Exhibit

Photo Courtesy of Chika Takami

For those of us who dig for records out in the field, our tool of choice is the portable record player. We highlighted a few a while back in a not so official guide here. We’re obsessed with portable record players and buy them whenever we see them. Battery powered only. There are a few collectors in the US who have deep portable collections, but this collection in Japan is truly next level. For those of you who are lucky enough to be in Japan from July 30 to August 28, there is an exhibition of over 100 vintage portable record players from Fumihito Taguchi’s collection. Taguchi runs Koenji record shop Enban, and is a serious collector of these holy grail turntables.

The players, who were made by toy companies and electronics companies alike, were mass produced to keep up with the popularity of vinyl records in the 1960’s for people that couldn’t afford an expensive hi-fi. Taguchi, who not only collects these fantastic pieces of equipment and art (the design, however cheaply made some of them are, is unbelievable), but captured his collection in a 2015 book, now shows them off to the public in this exhibit. This is, by far one of the best compilations of these turntables we have seen, with a nod going out to the Beastie Boys and their epic turntable poster that came with an issue 4 of Grand Royal magazine. We’re in love with all of these turntables featured, but unfortunately it’s a Japanese thing, and most of these never saw the light of day here in the States. We’re just happy that this came our way.