I don't know how often any of you get to Japan, but if you do here is a guide to all the AD's and best USED watch shops in Tokyo.
My job takes me to Japan about three to five times a month. I thought I would share with you the wonderful watch shopping of Tokyo. When you combine population density, wealth, and brand fanaticism into a relatively small area, you get a lot of watch shops. Here in the US I have one Panerai AD near me and zero good used watch shops. My next nearest AD is 180 miles away. And some folks don't even have it that good. (Like poor ol' Montana Rob who has to travel 600 plus miles for an AD.) In Tokyo on the other hand, there are TEN AD's and countless used watch shops in a ten mile radius. In one day you could see many thousands of watches.
I've put together a watch shopping guide of Tokyo. Since this is Paneristi.com the guide will of course be centered around Panerai. (There are some used watch shops which I have excluded because of their lack of Panerai inventory.) The guide is divided up into areas of Tokyo. The areas are listed in order of most Panerai AD's and used shops to areas of least shops. But less shops doesn't mean it wouldn't be worth going there. Most shops wouldn't allow photos to be taken inside so I couldn't get as many I would've liked. The maps I have included are basic but I couldn't find much better with English labeling.
Getting around Tokyo is fairly easy. You will mostly use the JR Yamanote Line (the green line that goes in a circle around Tokyo). All the stations have signs in English. Here are some Google image searches of useful train maps:
Most large shops and department stores can do "Duty Free" sales. So, if you don't live in Japan, then bring your Passport shopping with you. This will knock off the 5% of Japanese sale tax. Also, if the exchange rate is 120 Yen to the dollar, then you're getting the same as US retail prices at the AD's. If the Yen goes above 120, then you're getting a discount.
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Ginza Area
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Ginza is located south of JR Yurakucho station on the JR Yamanote Line (green line). You can walk there from JR Yurakucho station or go directly to Ginza by subway. There are three AD's and three good used shops that regularly have Panerai.
(A) M&R Salon de Montres -AD-
M&R had three cases and many mini displays. They had about 30 watches. If Japan had a Boutique this might be it. They also had the most high priced and rare SE's including a 200, 201, and 262. Upstairs they had four Richard Mille's that totaled over a million bucks... Ouch!
Address 8-7-22 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061
Hours 11:30 - 19:00
Tel 03-5537-5805
Web http://m-and-r-salon.com
(B) Nisshindo / 4th Floor -AD-
A decent size watch shop, Nisshindo had two cases of Panerai, but only about 8 watches at the time of my visit. Many other brands to check out, too.
Address 7-9-13, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061
Hours 11:00 - 19:30 (closed Sunday)
Tel 03-3571-5611
Web http://www.nsdo.co.jp/
(C) Matsuya Department Store / 4th Floor -AD-
Your run of the mill department store Matsuya had one case with about 15 watches. Great service but the staffs' knowledge of the brand and its history was lacking.
Evance had two cases, about 15 watches. They had some nice pieces but their prices were off in high earth orbit. Lots of other brands as well. Evance is a chain store and also has a location in Shibuya, but I didn't go to the Shibuya location because they did not have any Panerai at the time.
Address 6-8-19 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061
Hours 11:30 - 20:00
Tel 03-3569-7073
Web http://www.evance.co.jp/
(E) Kome Hyou -USED-
Kome Hyou is a chain store and is like a high end pawn shop dealing in all kinds of goods. They had two cases and about 35 watches including some wall clocks and other accessories. Prices were reasonable. They had a couple of U-Boat watches in the Panerai case, I gave them a hard time about it.
This guy is a one man show, with his little hole in the wall shop. It is small and had very little inventory, but what he did have was impressive. At the time of my visit he had a 1a, 2a, 127, 190, 232, 249, 262 just to name a few. I almost bought the 2a. Definitely worth a visit!
Address Tokiwa Building 1F, 7-12-6 Ginza Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Hours 12:00 - 19:00 (closed Wednesday)
Tel 03-5550-0868
Web http://www.k-one-watch.com
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Shinjuku Area
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Shinjuku is located on the JR Yamanote Line (green line). There are two AD's and the other Kome Hyou chain shop.
(A) Isetan Department Store / 4th Floor -AD-
Isetan is like the Saks or Macy's of Japan. It's a high end department store and always has the latest trends. They had two cases and 15 watches including a 249, 262, and 286. Due to all the requests for the 249 they had a very interesting and fair solution. Over a week long period you could fill out an application to be entered in a drawing and at the end of the week they drew a name of the person who was allowed to buy it.
Maybe not the BEST as the name implies, but definitely a great shop. Two cases of Panerai and many mini displays, they had about 25 watches. They also carry a plethora of other brands including some low production, unique stuff that I had never seen before.
Address 3-17-12 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0022
Hours 11:00 - 20:00
Tel 03-5360-6800
Web http://www.best-watch.com
(C) Kome Hyou / 2nd Floor -USED-
One case, 10 watches. This location was not as inspiring as the Kome Hyou in Ginza but they did have a near perfect 172.
These guys only had about 10 Panerai, but had TONS of other watches. They are located on the 4th floor of a very inconspicuous building. You might walk right by it. You can see a photo of the entance on their website. http://www.u-s.co.jp/shop/contents/access.aspx I tried to sneak some photos of the inside, but they were like camera nazi's.
Address 28-3 Udagawa-chou, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0042
Hours 11:00 - 20:00
Tel 03-5458-5429
Web http://www.u-s.co.jp
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Harajuku / Omotesando Area
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Harajuku is located on the JR Yamanote Line (green line). You can also get to the Omotesando side directly by Subway.
(A) Ishida -AD-
Ishida is a walk from the JR station, but the shopping and people watching will entertain you along the way. Ishida is a partner store of BEST in Shinjuku. This one is located underground, underneath the Ralph Lauren store on Omotesando Road. They have three cases and many mini displays, maybe 25 watches, including a 192. Along with many other watch brands they have a corner of the store dedicated to straps. You can have a custom strap made in any shape or size for any watch from about 100 different leathers and materials. Very cool!
Ikebukuro Area
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Ikebukuro is located on the JR Yamanote Line (green line).
(A) Tobu Department Store / 6th Floor -AD-
The Tobu Department Store is directly attached to the station so you should see signage as soon as you exit the train station. One case, some mini displays, about 15 watches. This is wear I found the PAM 80 "Independant", an SE from 2001 just sitting in an AD. Of course, at the price they're asking, it'll probably be there for a while.
Jiyugaoka Area
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Jiyugaoka cannot be easily accessed by the JR lines. Use the Tokyu Toyoko Line, which you can catch from Shibuya station. Here's the map.
Isseido -AD-
One case, 15 watches. Brand new 172 here also...
Address 1-29-7 Jiyugaoka, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-0035
Hours 10:00 - 19:00 (closed Wendnesday)
Tel 03-3717-6660
Web http://www.isseido.co.jp
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Nakano and Kichijoji Areas
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The following used shops are off the beaten path. To get to the Nakano and Kichijoji Areas you must take the Chuo Line [Rapid Services] from Shinjuku station (orange line). It might be worth the trip, though.
Kame Kichi in Nakano / Broadway Building 3rd Floor -USED-
This shop and the next one are in are in the same building, on the same floor, just aroud the corner from one another. When you exit the train go to the North Exit in the Nakano station. From there you should see a walking street shopping arcade called San Mall (can't remember the English spelling as I wrote my notes down in Japanese, but it's something to that effect). Walk to the end of San Mall and you will come to a building entrance, this is the Broadway Building. Take the escalator up and you're there. In these two shops combine you will see about 5000 watches!!! Kame Kichi had 30 Panerais.
Address 5-52-15 Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 164-0001
Hours 11:30 - 20:30
Tel 03-5318-7399
Web http://www.kame-kichi.com
Jack Road in Nakano / Broadway Building 3rd Floor -USED-
Jack Road had about 15 Panerai's, including a 61oor, 116, 192, 232, 249. Lot's of other cool watches. Did I mention they have a lot of watches?
Address 5-52-15 Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 164-0001
Hours 11:00 - 20:30
Tel 03-3386-9399
Web http://www.jackroad.co.jp
Duel Montres in Kichijoji / Renga Building 2nd Floor -USED-
Duel is only about two or three blocks from the station but I can't remember the exact routing. After you exit the station use the address and ask for directions. Sorry I can't remember the way. Duel is even further than the last two but might be worth it. This shop is mostly Panerai. Some A and B series stuff, some rare SE's.
Address 1-8-5 Honmachi, Kichijyoji, Musashino-shi, Tokyo
Hours 11:00 - 18:45
Tel 0422-22-2030
Web http://www.duel-montres.com
Well I think that about does it for now. I may do a revision of this guide in the future when I have time to check out other ares like Yokohama, etc. If you need any of these addresses in Japanese text for asking directions while in Japan, I can email them to you. I hope some of you will get some useage out of this guide. If you live in Japan or will be traveling there, drop me line, I'm down for a GTG anytime.
