Bunken Rock Side

The shelves are organized by genre, including rock and other music, film, and fashion. Handwritten signs make it easy to find the magazine you are looking for.

The store’s walls are covered with autographs from notable figures. Musicians and creators from Japan and abroad also visit in search of its valuable magazine archives.

Yamada and her staff carefully check every page of each magazine, including whether any clippings or supplements are missing. Only copies in good condition are put on the shelves, and if a supplement or other item is missing, this is always noted on the price tag.

The store boasts one of Jimbocho’s finest selections of music magazines, with a broad range covering both international and Japanese music, as well as an extensive collection of pamphlets and photo books.

The store also has an extensive selection of fashion-focused culture magazines. Being able to browse so many back issues of a single publication, from its inaugural issue through recent editions, is an experience unique to this store.

The manga, anime, and tokusatsu section, representing some of Japan’s best-known forms of pop culture, is also popular with international visitors.

Toward the back of the store is a section devoted to idol magazines. Yamada began carrying them because her younger sister was an idol fan. Through idol magazines dating from the 1970s onward, visitors can trace the evolution of Japan’s idol culture.

Back issues of "rockin'on," a music magazine focusing primarily on international rock. Issues from the 1980s were designed so that their spines form a single image when lined up together, a feature that continues to appeal to collectors today.

First published in 1969 and still in publication today, "YOUNG GUITAR" is a magazine dedicated to the guitar. Each issue features guitarists and includes explanations of playing techniques and musical scores. For generations of readers who learned to play by following its pages, the magazine has served as something of a textbook for guitarists.

"MUSIC LIFE" is a magazine Yamada fondly remembers reading at the time. This Japanese music magazine featured numerous international artists. The April 1976 issue, with Queen on the cover, includes interviews with the band members during their U.S. tour, photo features, and other content not to be missed by fans.

Duran Duran is a British rock band that achieved worldwide popularity in the 1980s. The March 1984 issue of "Ongaku Senka," featuring bassist John Taylor on the cover, remains so popular that some fans still visit the store specifically in search of this issue.

"METALLION" is a special-edition mook published as a supplement to the heavy metal magazine "BURRN!" This issue features Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx and Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine on the cover and includes interviews with them as well as special reports.

Visual kei rock magazines such as "FOOL’S MATE" and "SHOXX." In recent years, Japanese visual kei bands have gained popularity overseas, and some international fans visit the store while in Japan for concerts to search for past issues featuring their favorite bands.

A flyer from the legendary American rock band KISS’s 2003 Japan tour. Carefully filed and preserved in its original condition, it is sold as a valuable collectible that conveys the excitement of the live music scene at the time.

First published in 1976, "POPEYE" is one of Japan’s leading culture magazines, covering fashion and lifestyle. Pictured is a 1982 issue featuring an “English Picture Dictionary” special, a unique feature introducing local slang encountered by the editorial team in New York and Los Angeles.

First published in 1998, "Free & Easy" was a men’s lifestyle and fashion magazine that extensively covered American casual and vintage styles. The pictured 2003 issue features products made in the United States, vividly reflecting the fascination with American culture at the time.

With illustrations that vividly evoke its era, "Olive" was a women’s fashion and culture magazine originally launched as a special issue of "POPEYE." Publication ceased in 2003, but during the 1990s it was regarded as a bible by many young women. It remains highly sought after on the secondhand market today. Pictured is a 1982 issue featuring a unique special on part-time job information, presented as a special edition to keep for future reference.

First published in 1976, the culture magazine "STUDIO VOICE" featured numerous contributions from leading cultural figures of the time, including Kazuhiko Kato and Jun Miura. Prominent Japanese artists such as Tadanori Yokoo were also featured in its special issues.

"relax" was a magazine that helped lead Japan’s street scene. Its 2001 “BAPEPSI” special featured a collaboration between streetwear brand "A BATHING APE" and Pepsi, including limited-edition camouflage Pepsi cans. The issue remains highly sought after by collectors today.

First published in 1966, "mc Sister" was a monthly fashion magazine that introduced Ivy League and preppy styles and enjoyed enormous popularity among junior high and high school students at the time. Pictured is an issue published in 1982, featuring an in-depth look at 1960s fashion, which was popular at the time.

"Fine" covered the board sports known collectively as the “3S”—surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding—as well as street fashion and lifestyle. Pictured is the December 1986 issue, which captures the mood of surf culture and casual fashion.

Published in 1994, the subculture magazine "mono MA-1" featured street fashion from London, Los Angeles, and New York. From the 1990s onward, many magazines emerged that captured real-life fashion and culture through street snapshots taken in Japan and abroad.

"KERA" was a fashion magazine that showcased street styles originating in Harajuku, including punk, rock, gothic, Lolita, and visual kei. As a magazine emblematic of Japan’s distinctive fashion culture, it remains highly popular internationally today.