What's Available
As one of the photography meccas of the world, you can buy just about anything
made for a camera here. I've been here on four previous trips and am now working
about an hour outside of Tokyo in Kamakura, so by no means do I know even a large
percentage of the camera shops. Here's a general introduction to some shops in
Tokyo and the type of equipment they offer. There are three approaches to take
when searching for a camera. One, obviously, is to go to a camera shop. The
second choice is to visit one of the large chain stores. The last is to go to
Akihabara in Tokyo (or Nipponbashi if you're in Osaka).
Akihabara
Practically anything that runs on electricity is sold there. The majority of
electronics produced here are not even exported. Unlike in most other shops in
this country, bargaining is expected here. Most large stores in Akihabara cater
to tourists, meaning there are duty-free floors and salesmen who speak foreign
languages (I've even seen one saleman speak Hindi!). From my experience of half a
dozen or so visits to Akihabara over the past 4 years, I've found that the price
of Japanese-brand cameras are not as competitive as in the large Tokyo chain
stores. On the other hand, if you're looking for a tv, vcr, etc, that works with
PAL, SECAM, and NTSC or want a tv that allows you to watch a dozen channels
simultaneously, this is the place!
Camera Chain Stores
Probably the most well-known electronics chain store in Japan is Yodobashi
Camera, which sells everything from cameras to fuzzy-logic rice cookers. Unlike
the Akihabara stores, appliances sold here are designed for the domestic market
(110V, 50 or 60 Hz). Most of the photography equipment carried here is produced
by the Japanese camera giants (Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Kyocera, Pentax). For these
brands, the large chain stores probably offer the most competitive prices. I've
found that the prices for Nikon and Canon are about the same as compared to New
York City mailorder. For example, the new Nikkor 80-200/2.8 zoom costs about
115,000 yen (about $930 USD). The real surprise for me was that although Contax
SLR bodies costs about the same as in NYC, the Zeiss lenses, at least the more
expensive ones I was looking at like the 100/2.8 macro planar and the 25/2.8
distagon are considerably less. I recently purchased a Contax RX w/ 50/1.4 planar
for about 150,000 yen, plus a 25/2.8 distagon for 59,000 yen [$750 in the US],
and the 100mm/2.8 macro planar for 138,000 yen [about $1800 in NYC]).
The price of point and shoots seemed to have come down in the past year. Now,
the Yashica T4 (called the Kyocera here) with 35mm Zeiss lens is around 19,800
yen. I did purchase a Sekonic 408 lightmeter at Yodobashi in december 1996 for
about 35,000 yen, though.
If you are in the market for Mamiya medium format equipment, it is
significantly less here than in the States. As of Spring 1998, the 43mm lens was
about 185,000 yen, the 65mm was 92,000, and the 150mm was 102,000 yen. I'm told
that the Bronicas are also significantly less expensive, too. Pentax medium
format bodies seem to be comparably priced to those in America, though I admit I
didn't pay much attention to the prices since I was only considering Contax,
Hassy, and Rollei for my new system. By the way, the Fuji GA645i's are about
110-120,000 yen depending on which lens configuration you get, and the GA645zi
zoom is around 156,000 yen.
Obviously, the prices I have quoted are approximate to give you the idea of
the potential savings. For tourists, bring your passport and you don't have to
pay the 5% consumption tax. For the locals, there's a Yodobashi "gold point
card," which is an account with the store. When you make a purchase they credit
10% of the total, after-tax price to your account towards a future purchase (can
be the same day, it just has to be another transaction) if you pay with cash in
yen. Yodobashi does accept plastic, but you don't get the full 10% credited to
your gold point card.
Speaking of film, there's probably one of the largest selections of film
available here in the huge refrigeration section in the basement. A box of Velvia
120 runs 415 yen, while Provia 120 (ISO 100) is 395 yen a box. They are also sold
in bulk packs, although you really don't save anything until you buy the
vacation-sized 20 box (of 120 film) pack. One note: 220 medium format film is not
nearly as popular as 120 film; Yodobashi certainly carries it in their head store
in Shinjuku, but it's difficult to find in other stores (the Yokohama Yodobashi
store, which is quite large, has been out of Velvia 220 and Provia 220 for at
least several weeks), while the smaller independent shops located near train
stations are unlikely to carry 220. There is also a good selection of Kodak film,
including the new 100S and 100SW films (at least in 120). Other brands are
carried, such as Ilford, AFGA, Konica, etc., are also available, as are sheet
film, darkroom and image storage supplies, refrigerator-like, de-humidifier
units, and 3 (working) day developing.
Camera bags, at least US-made brands like Tamrac, are cheaper in NYC. I've
found that developing color prints is more expensive here than in the States. So
far, I have yet to find any mailorder laboratories. It costs almost the same per
exposure to shoot and develop 6x4.5 color transparency film as it does to shoot
35mm color negative film when you factor in the prints, which are about the same
size or smaller than the diminuative 3.5"x5" prints in America. For viewing your
color transparencies, I've discovered that the brands of light tables are
different than many of those in the US. There's Hama, Fuji Professional, Fuji,
Cabin, and assorted others, though the prices of the Fuji Pro and Hama Pro models
are in the 30,000 yen and up range (at least they run on 50 and 60 Hz!).
A few European labels are carried here (Leica, Hassy, Rollei), but I've found
that independent shops generally have more competitive prices and a better
selection of accessories. Yodobashi stores are located all over Tokyo and in
other major Japanese cities, but the largest store is probably the Shinjuku store
on the west side of Shinjuku station (about 5 min walking from the west exit).
There's actually at least three stores clustered in the same area, one that sells
cameras, one for video, etc. On weekend afternoons, it's almost as crowded in the
narrow alleyways around the store as in the subway cars! To get to the Shinjuku
store from the JR lines, follow the signs for the main west exit. You should see
a rotary for cars. Veer towards the left and follow the major shopping corridor
(used to be a cardboard shanty-town of homeless people until a fire struck last
year; it's now boarded up) and head straight until you reach the entrance of the
new Keio line. You can take exits 3 or 4 or any other one nearby. Yodobashi is
located in the backstreets across from the Lumine store. If you're standing on
the corner at the Lumine store, look for the corner with the large Konica sign on
top. It's in the backstreets behind the sign. If you're in Yokohama, there are
two stores near Yokohama station. Take the west exit from Yokohama station and
exit the building until you reach the curb. Walk to the left down the sidewalk
into the indoor shopping arcade (Takashimaya Dept. Store is on the right) and
stay to the left when the hallway splits. You'll see the store (like 5 m in front
of you) as soon as the passage terminates at the street. The second store (annex)
is found if you continue to head straight from the station, past Takashimaya, and
over the bridge lined bumper to bumper with cars (just follow the crowds),
straight down the street on the right side near HMV records. Recently, as of late
summer 1998, Yodobashi has begun a web page at http://www.yodobashi.co.jp.
Although it's virtually all in Japanese, click over the first few frames until
you see the main page with product icons (it may help to change the language
encoding on your browser). Under the camera icon, most of their producsts will be
listed according to category (the section with products with words "APS" and "35"
are the bodies, including medium format), and lenses and film are under a
different section. Not all products are listed, but prices are given. Japanese
residents can order over the internet, but they still won't ship overseas.
Finally, there are other major chain stores like Yodobashi Camera, Bic Camera
being one of them. Although bargaining does not occur at these stores, if you
find a lower price at a competitor's store, the other store will presumably match
that price. The salesmen in these chain stores tend to speak very little, if any,
English since the vast majority of customers are locals. A couple of blocks from
the head Yodobashi store in Shinjuku is Sakuraya camera, also another chain
store.
Camera Shops
I've found that if you are in the market for a European label such as Leica,
Linhof, Hassy, or Rollei, these are the places to go. They generally offer better
prices and customer service than what the big chain stores offer. One surprise
was with Rollei equipment, which, even after the price reductions in the US, is
still less than that in NYC.
There are a large number of advertisements in Japanese photography magazines
such as Asahi Camera, but you'll have to be able to read katakana to identify
your favorite brand and to read the directions on how to get to the store. All
the used equipment, as well as European equipment is advertised in these
magazines (the best is Asahi Camera for advertisements). This is where
significant savings for Rollei, Leica, and Hasselblad compared to what the chain
stores charge can be realized. This is when the hotel staff may be of assistance.
I bought a Fuji G617 used in mint. condition (fewer than 50 exposures taken) with
case, center filter, and cable for 240,000 yen from Sanwa Shokai, a camera shop
in Osaka, via mail. However, buying used via mail is very tricky (for one, you
have to be fluent in Japanese); you're best off having someone fluent in Japanese
call the shop for you to confirm that the goods are available at the advertised
price and then visiting the shop yourself.
Two stores with which I have experience:
- Fujikoshi camera (in the "New Biru" building just west of Shimbashi station
on the 2nd floor in the shopping mall, there's also a store in Nihonbashi). The
salesman tells me their prices are normally 20% off on lenses/accessories with
cash, 15% w/ a credit card. They belong to the distributor network in Tokyo
(PROSYS: contact Allan Morrison for information on other dealers, etc. at
morrison@gol.com), so if they don't have it in stock, they can probably get it
provided it's a weekday. For example, the 90mm Schnedier APO symmar lists for
about 495,000 yen, which is 396,000 yen or $3000, compared to $3500 in NYC. Since
you're probably a tourist, you might not have to pay the 5% consumption tax. I
recently bought a 6008 integral kit with zeiss 80/2.8 PQ planar for 398,000 yen
during a special sale. At this time (July 1998), then yen was 146/dollar, so it
was about $2700 USD! The 6008i with zeiss 80/2.8 PQS can easily be purchased for
around 478,000 yen.
- Lemon Camera in Ginza is a gray market importer of that sells Hasselblad,
Leica, Rollei, Linhof, Schneider LF lenses, and misc. imported bags/tripods, etc.
The prices on Leica and Hassy seem to be about 10% less than the prices in NYC
when you factor in the strong dollar (A Hassy 203 FE w/ 80mm/2.8 and E-12
magazine runs about 695,000 yen for a set, and the basic 503 cw w/ 80mm/2.8 and
A-12 magazine can be purchased for about 358,000 yen. These were the prices I
found in the summer '98.). Here, you don't have to pay sales tax if you're a
tourist, but they lack follow-up service (if you're a tourist, it probably won't
matter). Their Rollei prices are the same as what you pay for at the non-gray
dealers in town, but their Linhof cameras/accessories cost less. I bought a
Linhof profil 2 ballhead for 26,000 yen and a profil 3 ballhead for 41,000 yen,
signficantly less than the NYC mailorder prices. Lemon is in Ginza near the JR
Yurakucho station. Take the east exit and follow the major road at the south end
of the station eastward into Ginza. Cross the major intersection (the Nikon store
[sells only used Nikon stuff] is on one corner, the Sony building on the opposite
side. Continue straight and make a left on the first sidestreet. It's on the
right-hand side on the first, fifth, and eighth floors in adjacent
buildings.
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