Used camera stores - Kitamura and Map Camera

When you think of camera stores in Japan, the first thing to come to mind are the massive BIC Camera and Yodobashi stores. These places are great (and often have good food in the basement), but the real trick for purchasing anything photography-related are the used equipment stores. You can grab steep discounts for the most minor “imperfections”. Missing box? Discount. Cosmetic scuffs? Discount.

Kitamura Camera - Lenses

Two used camera stores we liked were Kitamura Camera and Map Camera, both in Shinjuku. Kitamura Camera feels like a museum for old cameras…that you can buy from. The displays were beautiful and well organized. They have everything from old broken cameras to use as props all the way to vintage, mint condition Leica cameras near the top floor.

Kitamura Camera - Map
Kitamura Camera - Leica Museum

Leicas are expensive, and vintage Leicas even more so (even with a favorable exchange rate)

Map Camera was a more “normal,” smaller store. Map displayed their items with more practicality in mind, lining all of the same items together and packing their shelves as much as they could. We were on a mission to get a wide angle prime lens and found a used Fujifilm 18mm F/2 at Map for half of the retail price. Many of the photos after this post will likely use this lens!