Shibuya

Shibuya is probably the "coolest" place in Tokyo and of course you will have to go there. There are several venues for indie shows (Nest, Club Quattro) and several phenomenal record stores. There are more than I'm listing here, I just can't remember how to get to them (like Warszawa). Then there are probably more than no one ever told me about.

Shibuya (like Shinjuku) is a mind-bogglingly complex place to navigate. Exit the station (many subway and train lines converge here, but all of them have signs that will lead you to the Hachiko exit -- that's where you want to be). Hachiko is a statue of a dog that's in a tiny concrete park right outside the station. It's a famous meeting place and anyone can direct you to it.

I never got around to making photographic directions for Shibuya. Here's a map.

Tower Records

It's rumored to be the biggest one in the world, and to tell the truth you can find a lot of stuff here. They always have a listening station devoted to indiepop on the foreign indie floor.

Zest

Zest is a really hip store. Lots of European releases. I don't have the address so I'll just hope the map will do. Go to Tokyu Hands. Zest is in a building across the street on around the fifth floor.

DMS

DMS is the kind of place that has vintage indiepop and (unfortunately) knows what it's worth. It's a small store situated in essentially an apartment. No sign, insanely hard to find. Good luck. I did notice that they have a mailbox labeled DMS in the lobby of the building, so that can confirm for you that you're in the right place. It's on the third floor of a building across the street from Tokyu Hands.

308 Noa-Shibuya
36-2 Udagawa-cho
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo