Paddy Field RECORDS
Paddy Field RECORDS is an independent record shop opened by owner Mr. Kobayashi in 2016 in Naka, Ibaraki. Surrounded by the rice fields that inspired its name, the shop offers a relaxed setting in which to explore a wide range of music. Its selection centers on jazz and Latin music, with Brazilian, Afro, ethnic, new wave, and other international records also filling the shelves.
Since the 1990s, Mr. Kobayashi has built connections with overseas dealers through letters and faxes, searching for Brazilian records and other titles that were once difficult to find in Japan. Rather than focusing solely on the prestige of original pressings, he values how a record actually sounds, paying close attention to its recording, mix, and pressing. Around fifty records are added whenever the shop opens, including titles that never appear online. Visitors can listen through a JBL and McIntosh sound system and take their time discovering unfamiliar music, overlooked gems, and unexpected favorites in this quietly distinctive countryside record shop.
