Photo/Illutration The most prominent spot at the storefront of the Kichijoji outlet of Coconuts Disk in Musashino, western Tokyo, features an exclusive minidisc section. (Taku Hosokawa)

Remember the mini-CD that was all rage in the 1990s when songs that dominated the charts in Japan all seemed to reach platinum status? Well, the 8-centimeter disc is making a comeback.

At the Kichijoji outlet of record store chain Coconuts Disk in Musashino, western Tokyo, the most prominent spot at the storefront has featured an exclusive minidisc section since last year.

The display features hit songs from the 1990s, including Eiichi Otaki’s “Shiawase na Ketsumatsu” (Happy ending) and rock band Unicorn’s “Hataraku Otoko” (Working man).

“The number of customers making inquiries (about mini CDs) and purchasing them has increased since about three years ago,” said manager Kazuyoshi Yajima.

A growing number of customers in their 20s and 30s are also buying 8-cm CDs, he added.

168 MILLION UNITS IN 1997

The minidisc singles are referred to as “tanzaku CDs” because their packages are similar in shape to “tanzaku” paper strips for writing wishes hung on bamboo trees for the traditional Tanabata star festival held each July 7.

They were first released in Japan in 1988, according to the Recording Industry Association of Japan.

Record show that 168 million units were produced in the peak year of 1997.

They started to be replaced by 12-cm maxi singles in or around 2000 and began to disappear from the market following the surge in the popularity of subscription services.

The number of tanzaku CDs produced in 2021 plummeted to 9,000.

But production is rebounding.

CD production company CDPress.Me has been making 8-cm CDs in small lots on a made-to-order basis since July 2022. It accepts orders starting from 100 units.

INSPIRED BY ROCK BAND

The company’s head, Ryosuke Kida, was originally inspired to produce tanzaku CDs after rock band Sakanaction released a CD single in 2019, containing “Wasurerarenaino” (Can’t forget) and “Moth.”

Kida decided to start production after reading a social media post by the band’s vocalist, Ichiro Yamaguchi, who said he had always wanted to release an 8-cm CD.

Musicians and labels soon began showing interest in the format. CDPress.Me has so far worked on nearly 200 tanzaku CDs.

Kida has also been working with a domestic label since last year to host a promotional event at a CD shop each July 7.

Branding the Tanabata festival day as “Tanzaku CD Day,” the company re-releases hit songs from the 1990s and offers tracks released only on vinyl records.

“Tanzaku CD Disc Guide: 8cm CD Maniacs,” a guidebook featuring reviews of about 600 songs, was also published in July.

Hiroyuki Nakamura, one of the writers for the guidebook, is a blogger with the handle nakamura8cm who has been writing to promote tanzaku CDs for nearly 20 years.

At his home, Nakamura has at least 15,000 mini CDs.

“Japan’s music industry was in its heyday in the 1990s,” he said. “There are hidden gems among unknown songs.”

According to one theory, slimline cases were developed to package 8-cm CDs so they could be put on shelves originally designed for vinyl record singles. It was because two tanzaku CD sleeves came to the same size as one vinyl single when placed side by side.

“They are simply made, but that is all the more reason the sleeves and lyrics cards are ingeniously designed, making (tanzaku CDs) adorable to me,” Nakamura added.

A special event was held in mid-August in Tokyo’s Shibuya district to celebrate the release of the guidebook, to which Minoru Komorita, a composer who provided songs for SMAP, Folder and other artists, attended.

Chihiro Inoue, 27, listened to J-pop songs from the Heisei Era (1989-2019) and dance music at the venue.

“When I listen to music on subscription services, I feel like it just goes in one ear and out the other,” she said. “But with a physical thing like a CD, it feels like I’m in contact with music, and that’s good.”

Musician Discyurion, who served as supervisor for the guidebook and organized the event, said, “I hope we can bring young people and enjoy (8-cm CDs) as a form of culture together.”

(This article was written by Taku Hosokawa and Kazushige Kobayashi.)

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