JAPAN

RARE Japan BOOK

This Japanese April Music Best Hits sheet music book is an original softcover publication from the early 1980s, produced at the height of JAPAN’s popularity in Japan. Unlike standard Western songbooks, Japanese editions from this period were often printed in smaller runs and feature unique layouts, typography, and cover design not seen in UK or European equivalents.

The book runs to 64 pages and presents piano arrangements with vocal lines, typical of domestic Japanese “piano & song” formats of the time. These editions were aimed at home players and fans, with clear notation and structured arrangements rather than simplified chord sheets.

Publications like this were commonly issued through music licensing companies such as April Music, who handled official print rights for international repertoire in Japan. As a result, they often include curated selections tied to what was commercially active in the Japanese market at the time, rather than mirroring UK releases exactly.

Material relating to JAPAN from this period is particularly collectible due to the band’s strong following in Japan, where they achieved a level of recognition and audience engagement that exceeded their early UK reception. Printed items such as sheet music books are less commonly seen than vinyl or CD releases and tend to surface far less frequently.

This copy measures approximately 12 x 9 inches and remains a genuine period piece rather than a later reprint, making it of interest to collectors of JAPAN memorabilia and Japanese music publications alike.

Rare collectible item from Japan featuring the iconic band JAPAN.

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