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I Went To Japan!
I recently came back from a mission to Japan to find a watch to buy. Well, I actually ended up with more than one, so stay tuned to see what I bought. Although this seems like an easy task, bear in mind that there are a ton of watches to choose from in Japan: Seiko, Grand Seiko, Citizen, Casio, Orient, Kurono Tokyo, Kuoe, Minase, and a whole lot more.
I’ve got a tip or two for watch shopping in Japan. Let’s first take a look at some places to buy watches.
BIC Camera
The BIC Camera store sells more than just cameras and electronics. At the very top level, they have a floor dedicated solely to watches. This was my first time going here, and let me just say, I was in JDM watch heaven.
They had every JDM watch brand you can think of, including, yep, Grand Seiko. Naturally, I let my emotions guide me and headed straight to the Grand Seiko section.
I’ve never owned a Grand Seiko before, but I really want to. Could this trip mark the first Grand Seiko to enter my collection?
Prior to coming over to Japan, I had a few Grand Seikos in mind, one of which happened to be, in this case, the Sky Blue GMT reference SBGM253.
Coming from the US, the exchange rates were in our favor against the yen.
Coupled with tax-free shopping and an additional 5% promo discount from BIC Camera, you’re saving quite a bit of money versus buying one brand new in the States.
I decided to keep moving along and look at other brands in the store. Of course, I landed on three watches, all from Seiko. What can I say? Seiko is king.
Three Seikos caught my eye: the classic but polarizing Seiko Tuna, a chronograph under the Spirit line, and the Seiko 5 Field GMT that everyone is raving about. I could see why. I’ve always wanted to own a Tuna, but even with the discounts, the price wasn’t great for picking one up.
That left the Field GMT and the Spirit chronograph in an icy blue dial that looks very reminiscent of a platinum Rolex Daytona. Oh, and did I mention that this thing could be picked up for roughly 90 bucks? Yeah, I love Japan.
Seiko Dream Square
I promise this isn’t an article all about Seiko, but when in Japan, you have to visit their flagship Seiko store and concept space they call Seiko Dream Square. The building consists of several levels, each highlighting different collections, such as their Prospex line, Presage, and King Seiko, to name a few.
To be honest, it was cool, but I didn’t find anything worthy of picking up. Still, it was cool to see an entire building filled with Seikos in their flagship store.
Unless they were selling vintage divers, I had no interest in buying anything here, but it’s definitely worth a visit. I did, however, see that Seiko Tuna again. Is this a sign to pick one up?
Pro Tip: If visiting in the winter, be prepared to be blasted with heaters on full blast in every store. I was sweating bullets in every shop.
If there’s one Grand Seiko boutique in the entire world to buy a Grand Seiko, it’s at their flagship store in Ginza, located in their famous Wako Building. What can I say?
It was like being a kid in a candy store—or for any of you who had the pleasure of going to Disneyland as a child, it felt just like that.
However, instead of buying an expensive ticket and overpriced churros, you get the pleasure of purchasing a watch for thousands of dollars and wearing it on your wrist to stare at. Weird how our sense of joy changes as we get older, right?
This place had everything from most of what you see in Grand Seiko’s catalog, limited edition models only available in that store, and even watches from their Creator line that I’ll never be able to afford. They basically had everything—and also everything I didn’t want.
I realized maybe I’m not as much of a fan of Grand Seiko as I thought, or perhaps there isn’t a Grand Seiko for me at the moment. This thought made me sad. It was at this point that my hunt for Grand Seiko ended. So, until next time, Grand Seiko, I bid you farewell.
That doesn’t mean my hunt for watches was over, though.
Back to the Seikos
Remember those three Seikos I had my eyes on? I went back to consider them one last time. So it’s between the Tuna and the Spirit Chronograph.
I didn’t have to think much about the Spirit Chronograph, so that’s going in the bag for sure.
The Tuna, on the other hand, I had to think long and hard about. But in the end, I passed.
Especially with the current production model that includes the Prospex logo, I couldn’t pull the trigger on this one unless a vintage model comes up later in this trip. This is called foreshadowing.
Kurono Tokyo Salon
Ever since Kurono Tokyo opened its Aoyama Salon in Tokyo, I knew I had to visit it one day. I mean, how often do you get to look at every single watch from an independent watch company in one place?
Now, you can’t really buy anything here, as Kurono Tokyo has its own unique way of releasing watches online. At one point, you could buy exclusive Urushi lacquer dial pieces, but of course, I came a few weeks too late—right after the last one was sold.
Regardless, I encourage all of you to visit the salon. It’s a great place to lounge around and take a look at their entire catalog.
Shortly before my visit, Kurono Tokyo had just released their new set of 34mm watches called the Calligra. I was super excited that they had them on display to handle.
The Mother of Pearl dial variant was the version I was most eager to see.
Unfortunately, they were only accepting pre-orders for these watches, or I would’ve bought one right on the spot.
The dial is far more dynamic in person, and you can really see the detailing that went into the custom typeface seen through the Breguet numerals, designed from the ground up by Hajime Asaoka—the man behind this elusive brand.
For those lucky enough to secure this piece, you’re in for a treat. I’m truly excited for you to experience it for the first time, just as I did.
I’ve always been curious about their chronograph one which, in my opinion, is a fine example of symmetry in an Art Deco design that is very unique to their design philosophy.
Now, this watch, unfortunately, is sold out and forever will be, which is sad, but I’m glad I got in some wrist time with the chronograph. It basically never left my wrist the last few minutes I was there, and you know what, if that’s the most time I’m ever going to get with that chronograph, then that’s okay.
The Local Watch Scene
When doing your research on where to look for watches in Tokyo, this place always pops up somewhere in the listicle, and to be honest, from what I’ve read, I was terrified to visit.
I mean, I was already overwhelmed with the number of choices that I came across, and to be there at Nakano Broadway, where five levels in the building exist and, seemingly, every other store is a watch shop selling hundreds if not thousands of watches from Timex’s all the way to Independent watchmaker pieces.
Yes, I tend to get decision fatigue quite easily and it didn’t help that some of the shops were close to closing time, and I still wasn’t 100% satisfied with my watch shopping in Japan.
Aside from the stress of being in Nakano Broadway, it was pretty crazy to see how many people shop for watches and are not just tourists here. As a matter of fact, the majority seem to be locals actually buying things. So, after getting lost in this maze, I think I might have found something.
I found myself lost in this pretty massive shop called Jack Road and Betty and they had everything from ultra-luxury independent brands all the way to old vintage Japanese watches, and one particular section really got me excited.
Out of everything in that section, the Citizen Bullhead caught my eye. It’s basically the same watch seen in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood but in a steel case rather than the gold one.
It was a cool watch, but after getting it in hand, it needed quite a bit of work – the case wasn’t in the best shape, the crystal was a bit too worn, and the operation of the pushers needed a little work.
Luckily, my wife talked me out of it as I was getting a little antsy about picking something up, but in the end, we decided to move along, and that is when I came across this small shop called Samurai Joy.
The Seiko Tuna Temptation
This one excited me even more than the last, as it had mostly vintage pieces. Once again, a Wild Tuna appears to haunt me – this one, however, is a Neo vintage JDM version under the Marine Master line, predating the Prospects version series we see today.
Now was this my final calling to pick up a Seiko Tuna? I mean, I’ve already come across one at BIC Camera and even that one time visiting the Seiko Dream Square. The third time’s a charm, right?
I began to reflect on my watch hunt and really thought about whether I should continue with the journey or just end it right there. But just when I was about to throw in the towel, I took one last chance to take a look at one last store, and for some reason, I knew there was something special about this one.
Finding the Holy Grail
Unlike the last store we were in, this had nothing but vintage watches and really great pieces ranging all the way from old Seikos that seem like museum pieces, sporty, dressy watches, and everything in between all the way to Swiss pieces that were very well curated.
And as if the watch gods were looking down on my poor soul, I found it – I found one of my vintage grails.
This watch is known as the last of the great Japanese mechanical chronographs to be created right at the start of the quartz crisis, which ultimately forced many brands to focus their efforts on quartz technology.
It came out of the ’70s, with its design featuring an octagonal case and pushers at 11:00 and 1:00 positions. Citizen calls this the Challenge Timer, but we watch enthusiasts simply call it a Bullhead.
The Hollywood Connection
I’ve always wanted a Bullhead, specifically this one from Seiko, but ever since Once Upon a Time in Hollywood featured a Citizen Bullhead on the wrist of Brad Pitt’s character, it got me researching a bit more into Citizen’s offerings.
That’s when I discovered this octagonal case version, and since then, I have been keeping an eye out for the right one.
And everything about this one, from the original bracelet, original parts, and condition, ticked all the right boxes for me.
At this point in my trip, I can probably say that I was already content with my two pickups. I’ll be honest: while in Kyoto, I didn’t have any more intention of looking for watches, but as one does on public transportation, you end up looking for watch shops around me, and I happen to be near this Japanese microbrand store, Knot.
I first discovered Knot doing a bit of research while looking for Japanese watch brands prior to this trip, and I came across their Urushi lacquer models, but sadly they didn’t have any of these on display.
The Local Watch Scene in Kyoto
However, the store is beautifully designed, and I noticed that the watches they have in stock were really similar to the new watch Enthusiast or even just the casual watch wearer as the prices were fair and the design was suitable for many tastes.
They have several stores throughout Japan, so if you’re near one, give it a shot. I completely forgot about a young brand that was born right in Kyoto, so I just had to give their showroom, which doubles as their headquarters, a quick visit.
Like a lot of other watch enthusiasts who discovered Kuoe, it was most likely through Instagram, as it has caught a lot of our attention with its military field watch designs.
And this being their modest headquarters, they had their entire collection laid out along with all the straps you can couple your watch with when you pick it up in-store.
I figured what better way to mark my first time here than with a domestically made watch not only in Japan but in Kyoto itself, and they truly do assemble their watches right there in their headquarters.
I asked to use the restroom before I left and they kindly let me go behind the curtains, where they literally had several watch techs assembling the watches by hand, which was a pretty cool sight to see.
I was wondering why I had to wait around 15 minutes for my watch that I decided to pick up which ended up being the Old Smith 90-002.
The Perfect Souvenir
This was their model that really put Kuoe on my radar. Although it may look like any other simple three-hand watch, taking a closer look in hand it is rugged yet elegant with its high polish case and creamy dial in a compact 35mm case.
Now, there is a 38mm case version, which may be a little bit more suitable for enthusiasts who prefer a larger case, but to me, the 35mm version gives more true vintage British military watch Vibes that I believe the founder Kenji Uchimura was going for.
After all, he drew inspiration for Kuoe as a student during his time in London, browsing for antique watches.
As of writing this, they only have one location where they operate, assemble, and sell their watches but they told me that they’ll soon be opening a dedicated store, so I highly encourage all of you to give them a visit whenever you’re in Kyoto.
Watch This Review
Final Thoughts and Tips
Here’s a quick rundown on more tips for watch shopping in Japan: Make a wish list of watches you like to see or buy, just remember there are more than just JDM watches to look at in Japan.
Map out where you’d like to hit up – Ginza for luxury and Grand Seiko, Nakano Broadway for secondhand, and BIC Camera for everything else.
Take advantage of tax-free shopping and discounts, look for department store and BIC Camera coupons, and know your price. Get an idea of watch prices before heading to Japan.
Lastly, just remember to enjoy the hunt. You’re in the mecca of Japanese watchmaking, so just soak it all in and just come to peace that you won’t be able to see everything you might want to see on your list and that’s completely okay. There’s always next time.
And until next time, I’m Chris from Clicky Bezel, and I hope you snag your very own grail in Japan.
From a young age, I was hooked on watches. My dad and uncle were both collectors, and I couldn’t resist the allure of their timepieces. But it wasn’t until I stumbled upon a Casio digital calculator watch in college that I truly fell in love. (I originally bought the watch to complete my Back to the Future costume for an 80’s-themed party)
It wasn’t until the release of the Swatch Moonswatch watches that Clicky Bezel came to fruition. My wife (bless her heart) had been bugging me for years to start a YouTube channel, and I finally caved in with my first video covering my experience camping over 16 hours for the hyped-up Moonswatches.
In a relatively short time, I’ve been lucky enough to connect and collaborate with some big players in the industry, including Nomos Glashütte, Jomashop, Minase, and now Fashionbeans. To learn more about my passion, find my content here on fashionbeans.com, follow my Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/ClickyBezel or visit my website at: https://clickybezel.com/
