DIY Audio and Music in Tokyo

My fascination with Japanese culture was sparked by my passion for DIY Audio. As my hobbies expanded to photography and restoring an Austin Mini, I realized that my pursuits run parallel with many Japanese aficionados. As soon as we landed in Tokyo, I searched for bookstores to browse the latest magazine issues related to these interests.

I've written about my collection of Japanese audio magazines and books which I used to order from Kinokuniya Books in NYC. 

I found the Kinokuniya main store in Shinjuku. But my enthusiasm was dampened when I found the selection of vintage and tube related audio magazines was rather sparse. However, I soon discovered that the audio department of... 

...BIC Camera

and...

...Yodobashi Camera stock the latest, as well as more recent issues, of Stereo Sound Tube Kingdom, MJ and other Tube DIY-related publications.

Magazines and books are not light, so I had to choose carefully to comply with baggage allowance limits ;)

Akihabara

A trip to Tokyo for an audio DIY enthusiast is not complete without an Akihabara pilgrimage ;)

Furnished with valuable tips from audio buddies familiar with the area, first stop was Tokyo Radio Department Store.

I headed down to the basement and was greeted by this sight.

But I quickly turned left when I noticed this sign in real life. After more than twenty years of trying to decipher Noguchi Transformer Ads in MJ, I found myself at their store.

It was sad not to see traces of Tango/ISO which ceased operations in mid-2013. There were some Hashimoto and Tamura transformers but not the complete line. 

 I came here mainly for their house brand Noguchi Power Max iron, of which they had plenty in stock. The owner seems to comprehend but didn't speak much English. I knew what SE OPTs I was looking for and that kinda broke the ice. Still, I couldn't engage him in a conversation to get an idea on the local state of DIY/Tube audio.

SE 10 amp with Noguchi Power Max iron + more amps

Diatone PM610 reissue, Fostex, JBL, etc.

SE friendly Lowther +...

...Altec 604-8G(?) in an Onken box

I forgot to take a picture, but at the opposite end of the basement is a chassis store that can CNC project cases and enclosures to customer requirements.

Let's go up two and three flights...

TIP: prices are a bit cheaper as you go higher in the building, cheaper rent perhaps? ;)

Parts galore

The custom here is, get yourself a tray and pick all the parts you need.

Then the shopkeeper will tally up your purchase. Neat!

Vacuum Tubes

To someone used to tube pricing from 10 years ago at US Hamfests and Radio Shows, prices here were a bit steep ;)

One Stop Shop
Just about anything one needs to build a tube preamp or amplifier can be acquired at Tokyo Radio Department Store.

Japanese culture is very reserved. They are a very quiet people who minimize talking and maximize working - an ethic I truly admire. As long as you know what you need you'll enjoy shopping in spite of the language barrier.

The Shopping Bag

All within baggage allowance limit - just about ;0

Here's a pair of Noguchi PMF10WS and PMF15WS - roughly the equivalent of the entry-level Tango U808 and Hashimoto HC-203U + a pocket Sanwa DVM. I also got some Alps Blue Velvet 250K and other carbon track pots of different values + miscellaneous parts hard to source in Manila.

Across the street and right under the tracks of the Chuo-dori line is Akihabara Radio Center.

This place is even closer to the JR train station in Akihabara. It has lots of test equipment, electronic parts, tubes, etc. Pricing is similar to Tokyo Radio Department Store but more old school in atmosphere. I saw a stall that had transformers marked Toei which I've seen in vintage Japanese OEM tube equipment sold in the USA in the 50s and 60s. The second floor is a flea market of sorts where items are stored inside glass display cases, each leased by a different vendor. Buyers call on shopkeepers to look at items. I saw vintage speakers, audio equipment, well-made DIY amp projects and even vintage timepieces and cameras. Unfortunately, taking pictures in this building was not encouraged :(

A couple of blocks down and around the corner from Akihabara Radio Center is Kouizumi-Musen or Kouizumi Radio.

Kouizumi-Musen

This store is well stocked with brand new raw drivers, horn and compression drivers, tweeters, crossover components from Fostex and other Japanese makers. They also carry Jensen reissues and Altec drivers, replacement cones and diaphragms from Great Plains Audio.

Speaker kits and cabinets

Tube amp kits and newly manufactured tubes, presumably from China

I was hoping to find a bonsai Altec Voice of the Theater kit which I used to see in MJ and Stereo Sound Ads ;(


LPs in Ochanomizu

Disk Union is a large chain store selling new and used LPs, CDs and other audio software.

They even had a shelf filled with old issues of Japanese audio and jazz magazines.

I picked up a few mono Jazz LPs, mostly Japanese pressings for $2-$4/each.

Due to time constraints, I didn't get a chance to see shops filled with Western Electric, Altec, JBL gear. But while strolling the mid century modern furniture shops in Meguro-dori, I saw this Garrard 401 with an SME 3009 + an interesting tonearm I've never encountered before. I also missed the experience of a Live Jazz bar or a Jazz Kissaten. Definitely next time!


Concerts

The main highlight of our visit to Tokyo were two concerts.

An evening of chamber music at the National Arts Center Tokyo.

Four very fine young and accomplished Japanese musicians along with Maestro Heiichiro Ohyama, violist and music director/conductor of Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, treated the audience to an exquisite performance of Beethoven's String Quartet No. 4 in C minor, Op.18 and String Quintet in C major, Op. 29.

Suntory Hall

Itzhak Perlman and Rohan de Silva gave a remarkable recital at Suntory Hall which was the conclusion of their Asian Tour to celebrate Perlman's 70th year.

At the Suntory Hall lobby with friends after Perlman's concert

The day after, I had a great time catching up and reminiscing about our student days at Juilliard with Rohan over dinner ;) 

Finally, this trip would not have been as memorable if my ever supportive muse wasn't by my side ;)

!!!Happy Holidays!!! 

Camera Life in Tokyo

Armed with tips from Japan Camera Hunter and Tokyo Camera Style, here's my camera tour of Tokyo. Our trip was interspersed with sight-seeing, visiting museums and attending classical music concerts.

Camera Box in Shinjuku

While some friends and I were looking for a bar in Shinjuku, I stumbled upon Camera Box but it was already closed. I made sure to go back the following morning.

Got this refurbished Super Fujica 6 medium format 6x6 rangefinder camera from Camera Box. It wasn't a bargain but I've wanted a coupled RF medium format camera for so long ;)

Super Fujica 6 + Fuji Pro160NS colorfilm

Kitamura Camera in Shinjuku

Map Camera - very upscale atmosphere, lots of Leicas, clones and lenses but no bargains here.

Katsumido Camera in Ginza

Happy with the loot ;)

Olympusflex and Ricohflex TLRs + Canon 7s unearthed from the junk camera bin at Katsumido - all for less than $100. The shutters on all three cameras work. Viewfinders in the TLRs need cleaning and I was told by a salesman that the only problem with the Canon 7s was the broken light-meter. Just developed a test roll from the Canon 7s and the negatives look fine. 

Lemonsha is found on the 7th floor of this building. Aside from cameras there were also vintage watches and model trains for sale. I saw a Semflex TLR which has been on my wish list for a while now but I decided to pass.

Sukiya in Ginza was closed

Sankyo in Ginza - collector quality Leicas, Rolleiflexes and Hasselblads
One flight above was Japan Camera which had a lot of Japanese Leica copies - Canon, Leotax, Nicca, Tanack, Yashica, etc.

Found the twin brother of my Super Fujica 6 in the Fujifilm Museum in Tokyo Midtown.

Very rare Fujinon 50mm f1.2 and 35mm f2 lenses in LTM mount

Fujifilm Museum

She doesn't seem to be impressed by the Lartigue exhibit at the Fujifilm museum. ;)

Fujifilm headquarters in Tokyo Midtown

Camera Ichiba is above the ABC shoe store in Shinjuku.

Entrance to the stairwell to Camera Ichiba

Just like Camera Box, this place is cramped and filled to the rafters with cameras and accessories.

Classical music being played through their PA system was a definite plus ;)

Got a clean glass user grade Japanese Summicron at Camera Ichiba - the Canon 35mm f2 LTM for less than $200 ;) Good thing I had enough yen because they don't take credit cards.

Akihabara Radio Center - while shopping for my Audio/DIY hobby, I found vintage Japanese folders, Nicca and Canon rangefinders in the 2nd floor flea market.

BIC Camera and...

...Yodobashi Camera are large chain stores that sell digital cameras, camera accessories, bags, audio electronics, cellphones, tablets, household appliances and all sorts of electronic gadgets. They also had a nice selection of reasonably priced Japanese Whiskies and Single Malts from Suntory, Yamazaki, Hibiki, Nikka, etc.

BIC and Yodobashi still carry film as well as darkroom chemicals and equipment. But the selection of film is getting smaller. I was there when they began stocking Japan Camera Hunter's film cases for 35mm and 120 film.

I found a camera repair tool kit and some leatherette at Yodobashi. If you're looking for Japanese magazines which contain really nice pictures that speak for themselves, BIC and Yodobashi have better stock than the bookstores I visited.

There are some bargains to be found in the junk bins for the DIY inclined, especially if you limit your choice to vintage Japanese manufactured cameras and lenses. I just wish I had more time and energy to dig through those bins ;)

I also wanted to visit Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography which was closed for renovation and some galleries including Totem Pole Gallery. That will have to wait till our next visit!

November 2015 Hi-Fi Show Report

This year's event was more intimate since it coincided with Manila hosting APEC. All the big hotels were fully booked. But the show went on and was held at the quaint Citadines Serviced Apartments in Salcedo Village. 

As an exhibitor I don't get much time to go around to take pictures. So here are a few...

Software - lots of new and used CDs, LPs and related paraphernalia

Hardware

 More photos

Harana/Tono/Setup

Room 1208

The focus of our exhibit was Restomod, starting with a Garrard 301 restored by Joel Villanueva fitted with an SME 3009 + an Ortofon MM cartridge.

The Harman Kardon Citation I preamp chassis houses a JE Labs phono and line stage circuit. 2 x 12AX7 + 12AU7 in the phono, 2 x 12AU7s in the line stage + 6X4 rectified power supply. The power amp is based on a Harman Kardon Citation II chassis and original OPTs with a JE Labs circuit using 6CG7s for the input/driver stage in a Mullard long tailed pair configuration driving push-pull cathode biased EL34s or KT88s connected in triode connected to the original OPTs. Power transformers and chokes are newly wound units from Edrel Sison of AT&S. Chassis refurbishing was done at the Harana Audio workshop.

A pair of B&O speakers from the early 70s restored by Joey of Harana Audio served as alternate speakers since it was originally part of a system along with the Garrard 301 and Citation I + II electronics.

The main speaker is a Harana Audio creation using JBL drivers: E140 15" woofer in a V-Vent II enclosure, LE175DLH midrange horn/compression driver, 2405 slot loaded super tweeter + Harana Audio custom crossover.

Till next year!