Shopping: Fujiya Camera (Nakano)
Hello, everybody! I am going to introduce to you one of my favorite shops here in Tokyo and it’s no other than Fujiya Camera! We moved to this neighborhood just because I want to be able to come here often. Fujiya Camera is considered by many to be the best camera shop here in Tokyo when it comes to used equipment and service. They are only rivaled by another shop but Fujiya Camera is always ahead because their prices are cheaper. For travelers, you can avail of the 8% discount because you don’t have to pay VAT, just show your passport at the counter and they will know what to do. They also accept credit cards and installments. I was tempted to buy a Nikon D850 here because they have a 72-month 0% installment plan! Good thing I got cheap and skipped.
This is the storefront of Fujiya Camera’s main shop (本店). The ground level has cameras and gear from Fujifilm, Sony, Olympus, Canon, Pentax, Panasonic, etc. They sell both used and new gear here. They are very well-stocked so I’m sure you can find something nice.
This map should take you there. The closest station is Nakano Station and it’s very easy to get there via the JR Chuo train line. Fujiya Camera has 3 separate shops but they’re close to each other so it shouldn’t be a problem to get to all of them. They’re open everyday so that also includes holidays, they rarely close. They are open from 10:00 in the morning and they close about 9:00 in the evening. The junk shop closes a bit earlier by the way.
This is their website www.fujiya-camera.co.jp, it can be hard to navigate sometimes since it’s full of information and links but their inventory is constantly being updated so this is a very convenient way to check if something is there or not.
Step inside the shop and you will see this busy scene. Don’t be afraid to ask anything, the clerks are generally very friendly and are all ready to assist you. Some speak English, too.
Here is the view from the other end of the shop. To be honest, I rarely come here because I am only interested in Nikon gear. Be careful when buying Sony cameras in Japan, check the language settings because domestic versions are locked to Japanese. You will need to pay more for the international version which comes with multiple languages.
You can also check what they currently have in Yahoo! Auctions, Japan’s copy of ebay and other similar sites. Yahoo! Auctions is filled with liars and cheats.
Head outside and look for the stairs beside the entrance to get upstairs. Some people will miss this the first time they come here if they didn’t ask the clerks.
I hate walking up this flight of stairs when I have a gout attack.
This is the entrance to the shop upstairs. You know that it’s good when you see that they sell Nikon, Leica, Contax, Voigtländer and medium format gear here. The film here is also cheaper here compared to some of the bigger shops in Tokyo.
The center counter is where most of the clerks are. They will greet you as you enter and I recommend that you greet back as a sign of respect. Again, don’t be afraid to ask for help.
(Click to enlarge)
Here are some pictures of the Nikon corner. They have plenty of Nikon gear here, I would say that 20% of what you see on this floor is Nikon-related. Prices are OK, they’re not the cheapest in town but they’re certainly not the most expensive. One good thing about the goods sold here is that they come with warranties (if applicable) and the after-sales here is pretty good. I love this shop a lot and I have found plenty of good stuff here.
More busy elves. Before the earthquake in 2011, Fujiya Camera’s inventory is the best in Tokyo. They still have a great inventory but it’s not as good as it used to be. The display cases used to be so filled that there are hardly any spaces left on some of them.
They also used bags and cases here. The prices aren’t cheap but you can find some good deals here if you are lucky. There’s also a rack there full of hoods and accessories.
Want to hip and not mainstream? Maybe that Contax T2 is for you!
This is where they put all of their medium format gear. The Pentax and Mamiya cameras here are cheap. This is where you want to be if you’re into medium format photography.
They also have digital medium format cameras. These are pretty recent, I’m not sure why these digital Pentax 645s aren’t selling very well considering that they don’t really have a rival in this category. Maybe medium format photography is not for everyone?
Here are the lenses, they’re cheap lately since they aren’t in-demand.
Here are some higher-end medium format systems from Contax and Plaubel.
Surprisingly, their lenses aren’t really that expensive.
Here is something that I would want!
I always wanted to own one of these. Araki-san used one to shoot his famous book Tokyo Lucky Hole if I’m not mistaken. He is a pioneer in erotic photography here in Japan and is considered a celebrity in the photography circle along side Moriyama Daido sensei.
Wow, I really want to have this! I love the older Contax designs.
Beside the medium format lenses section is where you can find their mount adapters.
This corner is where they put their mount adapters and light meters. I got an adapter for my Sony as you can see from the picture. I can’t find a used one so I had to settle for this.
Now, here’s what I call the “snob’s corner”. Fujiya Camera isn’t a Leica shop but they have a nice inventory of Leicas here. They’re a bit over-priced to be honest but I’ll sometimes see some great deals here such as that cheap Leica 3Gbeing sold for about $400. There’s just some fogging on the finder but everything else is in near-mint condition.
Looks like they have some new things here. Never saw these the last time I was there.
Here’s a closer look at their Barnacks.
This is where they put their non-Leica rangefinder gear. This is where I got my cheap but clean Nikkor-P.C 10.5cm f/2.5 RF and it was a steal! If you are into camera straps, they sell those “artisan” straps here. I don’t buy expensive straps but these may interest you.
These are the owner’s fake Leica collection. They weren’t there the first time I came here, I suppose they put it there just so that one of the display cases isn’t empty.
Once you’re done with the main shop, head over across the street to the junk shop. I love it here and I see to it that I visit at least once a week. There are any faithful customers in this part of the “Fujiya complex” and I usually see familiar faces here.
Head inside and feast your eyes on this scene! If you think this looks impressive then just wait until you see this full of junk! It’s been this lean for a couple of months now but you can bet that this shop will be full to the brim again. Junk supply is seasonal just like that.
Here’s another view of the shop. It can get really crowded here at times so if you have big bags with you please leave them outside the shop before coming in.
Boy, it surely looks very thin lately. Seeing the junk boxes empty like this makes me sad. I am used to seeing these boxes full with multiple layers stacked on top of each other.
I usually come here to find parts but I sometimes get some nice junks here that work OK after a good CLA. Some are just dirty and not even broken at all.
ATTENTION: As of 2018/03/17 the junk shop has moved to the space beside it. This is the temporary location for the junk shop until a more permanent location can be found.
Time to head to the last shop. Walk West about 60m and you will reach their 3rd shop, it is where the developing equipment, tripods, lighting gear and other accessories are at. If you are lucky, you can find a cheap tripod here.
The shop is tiny but very well-stocked. The guy in the black jacket walked into my frame, thank you for ruining my picture.
Here’s a better view of the inside of the shop. Be careful as you don’t want to accidentally bump into anything and cause a scene.
Thank you for reading this article. I hope that you pay them a visit when you’re here. You can surely find something here considering how well-stocked they are. I would consider this to be the best shop here in Tokyo when it comes to used camera gear. They’re cheap in most cases if not reasonable and the after-sales is always amazing so long as you don’t lose your receipt. See you guys again next time, Ric.
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