Japan Diary

[kochu]

I am in Tokyo for few weeks on official trip.

Let me share my equipment recce experience.

1. Star Base.

The only good dealer I could find so far.
The shop is easy to reach if you go to Suehirocho by Ginza Line. You can also walk from Akihabara Station (Hibiya and JR Lines) , but it is about 1 Km walk from that station. Shop is well stocked with Takahashi Products (Official dealer). But needless to say, all are out of reach due to unfavourable exchange rate. On second visit, today, saw one re-furbished Epsilon 180, with out clamp rings, for JY 338,000. New one costs 458,000 Yen. However they want to charge 5 % extra for credit card payment (!).
It was interesting to note Kenko Marketing Sky watcher Eq 5 & 6 mounts.
Star base also stocks Vixen , Borg, Kenko, Mizar and products and few Chinese products.
2. Bic Camera.
It Is a big Departmental store very near to Yurakucho station on JR and Yurakucho Lines.
Stocks only Vixen products on Basement 2.

3.Kasi Trading.
Wasted nearly two hrs to find this place. President, Mr. K. Kasai speaks good English.
His house is Deep inside residential area . Nearest station is Naka-Meguro on Hibiya Line. He has no show room and operates from his house. So he normally accepts only on-line orders. He can sell few Chinese products, of course at non-chinese price. For example, a chinese 80 mm Ed triplet costs about JYen 88,000.
He is also the agent for GSO products.

4. Zizco Trading.(Mr. Morikawa@zizco.jp)
Dealer has a small show room on 11 th floor of a building very near to Ebisu station on Hibiya line. Though the building is very near to station , it is not easy to locate. He keeps his phone on only on week days and I found him rather dis interested. He stocks mainly non-Japanese products like Meade, Televue etc..

Now , I think only one left.... Sky watcher Dealer (Sightron Japan Inc.) at Shinjuku.

Kochu/28-7-12

[Mariner]

Hi kochu. Does Kasai-san have any of his HC orthos available? Been looking for those. Wish I could be there right now...

[kochu]

Hi Mariner,

I have not asked him about eye pcs. You can contact him at kasai@kasai-trading.jp or on phone 81-2-5724-5791.

Brgds

Kochu/29-7-12

[kochu]

....Contd.....

Finally managed to visit Celestron Agents Sightron. The address given in their website is actually of their Head Office. Their showroom address is
3-6-10 Ueno
Union Building, 1 st floor,
Tel: 03 58 79 63 98.

It is a bit difficult to find the show room without local help. It is between Akihabara and Okachimachi stations on Yamanote line, more near to Okachimachi station. Getdown at Okachimachi and walk back along the railway line towards Akihabara. After 5 minutes walk turn right to the road neara Chinese restaurant. You can see the showroom about 30 meters away.

The show room is well stocked with Celestron, Skywatcher and Vixen scopes. Lot of Celestron accessories are available.They have few their own Sightron brand refractors and few Borg , Tak items also.
The staff is very helpful.
Price is generally higher than US price. For Example, SW NEQ 6 mount is listed for 190,000 J.Yens.

......So I can come back from Japan empty handed.

Kochu/2-8-12

[Mariner]

The exchange rate is probably the root cause of the high prices.

Thanks for the contact kochu, have emailed Kasai-san but have yet to get a reply.

[VinSnr]

Finally went to Starbase based on Kochu suggested route. Took me many years to decide going Japan, but eventually I got there last week.

Plenty of Taks there, and the price is very fair. I went back twice, but nobody seems to be able to speak English.

Bought the new Tak 1.25" turret. Can't resist....i need a "souvenir".