Universal Music Japan

Photo Credit: UMG

Universal Music Japan opens a UMG retail destination in Tokyo, dedicated to serving music superfans.

Universal Music Japan has announced the grand opening of a concept UMG retail store dedicated to supporting music superfans. The four-story superstore opened to the public on Friday, October 20, in the heart of Harajuku, Tokyo — a world-famous destination for fashion, culture, and fandom.

Locate on Takeshita Street, Universal Music Store Harajuku will serve as a hub for UMG artists and fans from around the world to connect in person. Spanning four curated floors, the store will feature dedicated fan experiences, product launches, and retail pop-up shops, while also serving as a platform for artists to express their creative visions and share them with their fans through exciting, unique events.

“We are excited to welcome the new Universal Music Harajuku concept store to Tokyo’s world-famous Harajuku district, a gathering point for people, styles, and culture from all over the world,” said Naoshi Fujikura, President and CEO of Universal Music Japan.

“This store represents an exciting new venture for UMG and celebrates the incredible impact and role that fans play in supporting their favorite artists. In the coming months, the store will offer unique fan experiences for our artists, both domestic and international, creating new commercial opportunities for our artists and business.”

“Like Harajuku as a district, Japanese music fans are globally known for their dedicated fandom, and this store will only help to strengthen the connection between our artists and their fans, while becoming the go-to destination in Tokyo for all fashion, culture, and music lovers.”

The new music store features the launch of the RS No. 9 Harajuku flagship store — a brand born in London, now opening its second global location. In 2020, RS No. 9 opened a street-level store on London’s Carnaby Street, gaining widespread attention from fans of the Rolling Stones for its apparel, merch, and exclusive collaborations, both online and in-store.

The Harajuku RS No. 9 location features the Stones’ globally recognized lips and tongue logo and offers a variety of unique items on display and for sale. The shop also offers exclusive Japanese-only merchandise to coincide with the release of the Rolling Stones’ new studio album, Hackney Diamonds.

“We’re thrilled to bring the RS No. 9 brand to Japan to support our new album,” said the band. “We hope our fans are excited to experience everything the store has to offer.”

UMG will announce additional artist and fan experiences to feature across the four floors of the Harajuku store in the coming months. IFPI notes Japan is the world’s second-largest music market and leads the world in physical music sales.