Why doesn't Japan have a world class symphony orchestra?

[springrite]

it seems that the lowest suicide rates are among countries that are the least advanced. Just random wondering thoughts...

Japanese suicide rate has always been high, for hundreds of years since way before the country is economically or otherwise advanced.

[greg]

Japanese suicide rate has always been high, for hundreds of years since way before the country is economically or otherwise advanced.

Well, true, but I was looking at this...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_rates_by_country

9th is still pretty high. It seems that the worst part is around Russia, though.

[The Six]

The Japanese have no problem "getting the hang of" western classical music.

Nobody said they do. The thing is that it's not a part of the culture so much that there will be emphasis placed on new music, or exciting programs. Go to a record store and find one of those "best-of" classical CDs, and there's your classical music scene in Japan. The underground experimental stuff is there, though, it's the mainstream that needs help. I don't know if there's a problem with the musicians as much as there is with the programming and promoting.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

The thing is that it's not a part of the culture so much that there will be emphasis placed on new music, or exciting programs. Go to a record store and find one of those "best-of" classical CDs, and there's your classical music scene in Japan.

However, I have heard from people living there that Japan has some of the most fanatical record collectors and best-stocked record/CD stores of any country on earth. Also, many releases seem to be available in Japan that are not available in other countries. Is this accurate?

[greg]

Nobody said they do. The thing is that it's not a part of the culture so much that there will be emphasis placed on new music, or exciting programs. Go to a record store and find one of those "best-of" classical CDs, and there's your classical music scene in Japan. The underground experimental stuff is there, though, it's the mainstream that needs help. I don't know if there's a problem with the musicians as much as there is with the programming and promoting.

Have you been to a lot of different record stores? Any in Tokyo?
I'm just wondering, because where I live, the classical section is almost non-existent. About an hour from here, there's a section in a bookstore which is pretty impressive- tons of John Adams CDs, for example.

[jochanaan]

Click the picture to find out! (The page has an English-language option)

It's ¥8,000, which is a bit under US$80.

Hmmm--Not as bad as I feared... *wheels spin in head* How is the singing?

[The Six]

However, I have heard from people living there that Japan has some of the most fanatical record collectors and best-stocked record/CD stores of any country on earth. Also, many releases seem to be available in Japan that are not available in other countries. Is this accurate?

Well, I certainly didn't find any in my time there, but I wouldn't doubt they exist. I can vouch that there are many Japan-only releases for Western, not just classical, music.

Have you been to a lot of different record stores? Any in Tokyo?
I'm just wondering, because where I live, the classical section is almost non-existent. About an hour from here, there's a section in a bookstore which is pretty impressive- tons of John Adams CDs, for example.

I lived in Kyoto and couldn't find any decent stores, Osaka wasn't much better, but there might be something there. When I was in Tokyo I didn't notice any good record stores, did find some good restaurants though! There's an underground place in Harajuku about a 3 minute walk from the condom store that was awesome.

[Josquin des Prez]

condom store

wat

[CRCulver]

wat

Stores dedicated to entirely to condoms are not some kind of novelty. When I was growing up in Philadelphia in the mid-1990s, we had two large such stores in the same street.

[imperfection]

Well, I certainly didn't find any in my time there, but I wouldn't doubt they exist. I can vouch that there are many Japan-only releases for Western, not just classical, music.

I lived in Kyoto and couldn't find any decent stores, Osaka wasn't much better, but there might be something there. When I was in Tokyo I didn't notice any good record stores, did find some good restaurants though! There's an underground place in Harajuku about a 3 minute walk from the condom store that was awesome.

Try harder. It does not take an Einstein to find a superlative, let alone decent, CD store in the record capital of the world.

[The Six]

Settle down, chief. I was only there for two weeks, and wasn't even particularly looking for record stores.

[imperfection]

Settle down, chief. I was only there for two weeks, and wasn't even particularly looking for record stores.

Only two weeks? It took me 20 minutes after leaving the airport to notice the the biggest Tower Records and HMV stores in Akihabara. They are both so freaking huge you must have been near blind to have missed them. Then, after passing by both of them, I went looking for the best sushi in the world near Kaminarimon, and came across at least 7 more CD shops.

[Coopmv]

Only two weeks? It took me 20 minutes after leaving the airport to notice the the biggest Tower Records and HMV stores in Akihabara. They are both so freaking huge you must have been near blind to have missed them. Then, after passing by both of them, I went looking for the best sushi in the world near Kaminarimon, and came across at least 7 more CD shops.

Karajan CD's are still selling briskly in Japan.  He is the God of classical music to the older generation Japanese and was a good friend of the late Sony founder Akio Morita ...

[flyingdutchman]

Lived there for 12 years and there are numerous record stores around Tokyo that would make you all drool.

[flyingdutchman]

Only two weeks? It took me 20 minutes after leaving the airport to notice the the biggest Tower Records and HMV stores in Akihabara. They are both so freaking huge you must have been near blind to have missed them. Then, after passing by both of them, I went looking for the best sushi in the world near Kaminarimon, and came across at least 7 more CD shops.

There is no Tower or HMV stores in Akihabara--Shibuya, yes, Akihabara no.

[imperfection]

There is no Tower or HMV stores in Akihabara--Shibuya, yes, Akihabara no.

Trust me, there is. I was there last March. The HMV is near the Yodobashi Camera superstore.

[imperfection]

Karajan CD's are still selling briskly in Japan.  He is the God of classical music to the older generation Japanese and was a good friend of the late Sony founder Akio Morita ...

Yeah, there are indeed quite a lot of HvK fans over there. In fact, there are more exclusive recordings of his concerts made in Japan than anywhere else in the world, and they are usually extremely expensive or just downright unavailable outside the country.

[Coopmv]

Only two weeks? It took me 20 minutes after leaving the airport to notice the the biggest Tower Records and HMV stores in Akihabara. They are both so freaking huge you must have been near blind to have missed them. Then, after passing by both of them, I went looking for the best sushi in the world near Kaminarimon, and came across at least 7 more CD shops.

I believe the Tower Records stores in Japan are not owned by the same management that filed for bankruptcy and went through liquidation in the US.

[greg]

This is all good to hear. I might have to wikimapia this. 

[greg]

The Yodobashi camera places are circled in red. Maybe they don't have the HMV labeled.