Photo gear shopping in Tokyo

[garyr]

I am off to Tokyo next month on business and I may look to supplement my lens collection (after flogging just about everything I had to pay for the 40D my bag is really empty )
So I am hoping to learn some advice from folks who have been there please....

Is it significantly cheaper to buy in Tokyo - new and used gear - than it is to buy via HK?
Any recommendations on stores in the Tokyo area for Canon gear?

Many thanks in advance,
Gary

[PiroStitch]

Believe it or not, it's cheaper in HK. Go figure. I was there in Feb. and was hoping to get cheaper gear but nope.

If you go to Shinjuku, there's Yodobashi (about 5 floors of electronic goodness) and M.A.P Camera. Yodobashi mainly sells new gear and MAP sells second hand stuff. With the drop in the dollar lately, it might not be worth it to get in Japan. It's still worth having a look though.

[Antsl]

I had a five minute look about MAP when I was there three years ago... I really needed five hours... it was just a real tradegy that I discovered the place on the day that we were heading out to the airport! Go there with second hand in mind but make sure you know what the equivalent prices are in Australia before you go.

Perhaps the great thing about modern day shopping is that if you do see something in a shop there that you like you can always sneak into an internet cafe for a few minutes and see what the equivalents might cost you at home or on eBay. The main thing though.... have fun on the trip!!!

[garyr]

Thanks Piro and Antsl - appreciate the advice and good perspectives - I reckon I'll take a quick look through MAP but will plan to spend more time taking in the experience than desperately looking for camera gear

Thanks again,
Gary

[PiroStitch]

Btw MAP isn't an easy store to find. I just stumbled across it as well even though I knew it was around Shinjuku. You have to go upstairs and unless they changed their sign in the past few months...and if i remember correctly, it's a black sign with white writing.

[Vodka]

I did a search on a couple of Nikon lenses on (I think) Akhibara and Yodobashi websites recently. The websites were in Japanese, but I was searching in the universal language of 17-55 and 70-200.

It ended up being more expensive than HK and the great auction site. Mind you, these are big retail stores, so you may be able to find cheaper elsewhere in Japan.

Good luck!

Ben