[iantaylor2uk]

Does anyone know any good sax shops in Tokyo ?
I'm probably going over there in the next couple of months on business, and since the UK Pound/Yen exchange rate is very favourable at the moment, want to see if there are any good deals around.

Thanks

Ian

 

[Tissot]

Does anyone know any good sax shops in Tokyo ?
I'm probably going over there in the next couple of months on business, and since the UK Pound/Yen exchange rate is very favourable at the moment, want to see if there are any good deals around.

Thanks

Ian

A must-visit store in Tokyo is called "ishimori". They have probably 10-15 vintages saxs, and 20 vintage mpc in the store. I was there in mid-april, they had an awesome SBA / SA tenor, what a killer sound !! But it was very expensive, the SBA was US$14000.

I visited 5-6 different music stores in Tokyo, and most of them were pretty good, most of them have both new and vintage saxs. You really have to know how to take the sub-way / train. Good luck

 

[jmm1713]

yup, ishmori -- nice place, but get your wallet ready, very expensive !!!

 

[dohertyjazz]

ishmori...is that place in the music district? Kind of a whole in the wall shop in the basement? If so I love that store, I found it by accident and nearly crapped myself when I saw the wall of vintage selmers and mouthpieces. I bought the mouthpiece that I play today there.

edit: looks like this is the website: http://www.ishimori-co.com/ It's not the place I was thinking of but I did go to this place.

Anyone know what the hole-in-the-wall place was?

I found about 4 or 5 different shops that were saxophone dedicated or had a good woodwind section and that was just wandering around aimlessly, so it shouldn't be too hard to find one. Although that was about 2 years ago, so that may have changed. Either way I'm jealous, I loved being in Japan and wish I could go back.

 

[iantaylor2uk]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I've been to Japan a few times before, so using the subway system won't be a problem. First time I went (in 1996) I'm sure there were only just over 100 Yen to the Pound, whilst now its around 250 (!!).

Ian

 

[goldhorse]

Other than Okubo (where Ishimori is), another music district is Ochanomizu.
This disrict seems to me caters more to students though, so not a lot of vintage mouth pieces, but Ishibashi or Shimokura may have some interesting saxes once in a while.

In Shibuya, there is one sax specialty store, Windbros, that always has an ample stock of vintage sax and mouthpieces.
Here's a direct link to their vintage sax lineup.
They have some not posted in their page though.

http://www.rakuten.co.jp/windbros/430026/

Good Hunting!

 

[Randall]

Gold, that is "Shin-Okubo" when you are using the trains

Ian, use the search function here to find the info you are looking for. And since it hasn't been mentioned in this thread, go to DAC, and Tao too.

 

[jmm1713]

http://www.rakuten.co.jp/windbros/430026/

Good Hunting!

They have some nice vintage horns --- I want the silver mark vi .

 

[goldhorse]

Gold, that is "Shin-Okubo" when you are using the trains

Ian, use the search function here to find the info you are looking for. And since it hasn't been mentioned in this thread, go to DAC, and Tao too.

Hi Randall,

I can see you're in Fukuoka.
How's things going on there?

Shin-Okubo and Okubo stations are quite near each other.
Majority of the shops are nearer to Shin-Okubo, as you've mentioned, but the only shop I really visit is Ishimori, which is nearer to Okubo station.
If you're riding the Yamanote you change off at Yoyogi to the Chuo line.
DAC is nice too, though its more of a general wind insturment shop.
Ishimori is just pure sax.
You've been to their VIP room?
It 's equiped with leather sofa and a massage chair!
They let me use it when they ran out of playtest rooms

Hi jmm1713,

If you want it, go for it!
The Yen might go up again if you wait too much.