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Japan’s Tower Records allows fans to obsess in style

Shannon McNaught Jan 12, 2017
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Don’t just stuff your autographs and fan goods into a box – cover your walls with them!

Even if you’re not familiar with the Japanese music scene, you might have heard about how crazy the fans are (and not always in a bad way). They aren’t satisfied with simply listening to music; they want to live it. They attend concerts, meet-and-greets, and pretty much anything that will get them closer to their favorite artists.

Of course, being a fan isn’t cheap. Many fans spend their money on much more than just the concert ticket fee to enjoy their show fully. They purchase merchandise, create posters and banners, and more to show their support. For meet-and-greets, a CD purchase or two is almost always required to get a signature from the bands or groups that you’re into. Even in the age of digital music, Japan loves CDs.

So, where do you put all that stuff? Tower Records, one of Japan’s biggest retail music chains (also famous for its exciting collaboration cafes), has released a line of decorative storage options that lets you not only preserve your memories, but also show them off. Here are seven items that will change your fandom life.

1. Uchiwa Fan Cover

【タワレコうちわカバー（3WAY）2枚セット】
応援グッズとして欠かせない“うちわ”を保存するカバー！袋ごと入れられて、ホコリや傷がつかない！縦横自由に連結ができ、カードリング(別売り)を使えばファイリングも可能！12/22発売 https://t.co/XdB1u8Nrqy pic.twitter.com/T3mh6rBvuN

— タワーミニ汐留店 (@TOWER_Shiodome) December 19, 2016

Uchiwa fans are a cheap, easy, and decidedly Japanese way to support your favorite artists. You can buy official ones from the artist’s merchandise shops, or you can make your own by taking a quick trip down to the nearest 100-yen store. It’s often difficult to figure out where to put them once the show is over, though.

Luckily, Tower Records came up with these uchiwa fan covers that are the perfect size. You can preserve just one in a file, or you can attach them both vertically and horizontally to the arrangement of your choice. A pack of two uchiwa fan covers currently goes for 600 yen (US$5.16).

2. Streamer Collection Box

【タワレコグッズ】
見せる収納。
「タワレコ銀テープコレクションBOX」¥864
私も収納してみました。1つに20本の銀テを収納できちゃいます♪
これで棚や机の上などにも飾りやすい！オススメ商品です◎
2個目買わねば〜！(かっぱ) pic.twitter.com/iasQ1vA0Tc

— タワーレコード神戸店 (@TOWER_Kobe) November 24, 2016

If you’ve been to an arena or a stadium concert, there’s a good chance you’ve walked home with a shiny streamer labeled with your favorite group’s name and date. To treasure the memories, you could tie it to your bag, hang it as is, or tuck it away for safe keeping.

Another option? You could use Tower Record’s streamer collection box (864 yen). This divided, covered case has 20 slots for 20 glittering streamers. Roll up your streamers neatly and pop them inside. A fair number of fans have expressed their pleasure over the product on social media.

▼ “I put my streamers in this storage thing from Tower Records, and now they look super stylish!”

https://twitter.com/Haruto_x1/status/811178201577721857

▼ I got this at Tower Records! I put all of my streamers in here.”

https://twitter.com/Yukidaruma_RR/status/799673276460957696

3. Streamer Key Holder

年末のコンサートにぜひ！

銀テープをカバンに！腕に！
銀テープホルダー発売中！#タワレコだけで売ってます pic.twitter.com/BgmqvSYpRZ

— タワーレコード池袋店 (@TOWER_Ikebukuro) December 24, 2016

There are also fans who want to show off their streamers when they’re on their way to a concert, or even when they’re just out and about. Tower Records also came up with this streamer key holder, available in nine colors, that lets you do just that. You can grab one for just 600 yen.

▼ Here’s what the streamers look like when you put them inside.

https://twitter.com/ichigen0531/status/809245823154274304

4. Button Wall Pocket

お気に入りの缶バッチをウォールポケットに収納すれば、いつでもお部屋で眺められる優れもの！サイズは３種類！缶バッジのサイズに合わせてお選びください！是非チェック♪#グッズ_タワレコ https://t.co/3Y8B1hD8gI pic.twitter.com/DpKvWzynoO

— タワーレコードオンライン (@TOWER_Online) November 11, 2016

This is a product that’s not necessarily limited to music fans, but it sure is helpful to them. Another popular and cheap piece of merchandise from artists is buttons, or tin badges. They typically cost a few hundred yen each. That means it’s easy to build up a surplus of them.

You can stick buttons pretty much everywhere, but why not display them in style? This button wall pocket does just the trick. It comes in three sizes – M, L, and XL – for 1,000 yen each.

5. B2 Size Clear Poster File

This is something I personally can get behind. One of the most popular (and perhaps most difficult to store) forms of merchandise are posters. Posters are typically pretty large – in Japan, they’re most often B2 size (19.7 inches by 27.8 inches).

Tower Records offers extra protection for these fragile keepsakes in the form of file pockets. They’re a little on the pricey side, though; a pack of ten files goes for 3,980 yen at Tower Records’ online shop. If you’re determined to pass that autographed poster down to your future grandchildren, though, it’s worth it.

▼ In case you’re wondering how big they are, here’s a little comparison.

タワレコのB2ポスターファイル届いた👍💕
めっちゃデカイ😆😆😆ʬʬʬ pic.twitter.com/Lerhc02VW6

— NOB（노부） (@nob3250) December 15, 2016

6. A4 File Holders

https://twitter.com/Rig22/status/774236861711515649

Japan loves creating and distributing fliers. That love is shared by business owners and musicians alike. If you’ve been to a concert in Japan before, you’ll probably remember getting a sizable stack of fliers when you got in or out of the venue.

While most of these fliers will end up in the garbage, you’ll also find some worth saving. That’s where the A4 File Holders from Tower Records come in. They come in a pack of 20 for 900 yen. While they may be a bit more expensive than their competitors, customers have said their durability makes up for the slightly steep price.

7. Tower Records Smart Cases

タワレコでＣＤの収納グッズを入手。
戦力外はこちらで管理しておこう。 pic.twitter.com/L1pIZzrFgF

— 晩白柚 (@ban_pei_yu) December 6, 2016

This one is for the music lovers with way too many CDs. Tower Records Smart Cases free up space on your CD shelf with one simple trick: slimmer cases. You can put in the CD and album cover as is, but without all the bulk of the original plastic case.

▼ This is what the Smart Case looks like next to a typical CD case.

これすごい！マジでいい！タワレコのスマートケース💿✨
🌼花🌼はどんどん買いたいんだけど、スペースがぁぁぁ(*ﾉω<*)って感じだったからコレは素晴らしい🙌
#世界に一つだけの花 #We_Love_SMAP_Forever pic.twitter.com/fhfIcKlHZa

— くろねこ( °―°)❤(^～^●) (@BlackCat_n5) February 25, 2016

If you’re an avid music lover, Tower Records is the perfect place to shop for your fan and storage-related needs, and a great place to pick up ideas for interior decoration. And if your fan goods collection happens to include some figurines, we’ve got you covered with this life-hack for storing and displaying your treasured pieces.

Sources: Naver Matome
Featured image: Livedoor/Tower Records Staff Blog