Hobby shops in Osaka Japan

[ed.schummer]

Try this for a start:  http://www.rc-champ.co.jp

If you can chew yourself through this (much of it is just "elementary" as Sherlock would say..), you'll get an idea of the hobby shops.  These folks have physical shops both in Osaka and Tokyo, although if you actually go there, don't be surprised by the size (or lack thereof) of the physical premises.  Many modelers in this country have larger spaces for their hobby...

Mail order in Japan offers greater selection, usually superfast (often next day in Japan) delivery, and you really don't care how far out in the boonies the place is actually located.  As I said earlier, the back of the hobby magazines are gold mines for places like the above...

I've ordered stuff from places like this by e-mail and/or phone and had it delivered to me at a hotel in Osaka or Tokyo the day after I arrived.    Most things can be found cheaper here in the US, but recently servos have become pretty good deals over there.  I use primarily Futaba and have found, for example, 9151's for around $ 85 including delivery. 

There is a place in Shizuoka called SMC (Shizuoka Model Center) that supposedly has a 500sq.m. show room, but I've never had the time to trek down there.  Phone number is (0543) 67-0238.  They don't speak that much English, but really try very hard to please.  They have some of everything and they ship all over the world.  Their ad in the leading R/C publication (Radio Control Technique) is 9 pages long.  No current web page that I'm aware of.

Ed



----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Janice Reynolds 
  To: discussion at nsrca.org 
  Sent: Monday, December 15, 2003 10:30 PM
  Subject: Re: Hobby shops in Osaka Japan


  Looking for fixed wing and pattern supplies .....
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: ed.schummer 
    To: discussion at nsrca.org 
    Sent: Monday, December 15, 2003 11:18 PM
    Subject: Re: Hobby shops in Osaka Japan


    Janice -

    Depends on what you are interested in.  Most shops offering the fixed wing stuff have moved out of the major metropolitan centers (Tokyo and Osaka) and are nearer to where you can fly this sort of thing in Japan (Saitama and Shizuoka prefectures).  Osaka has a few shops that concentrate on car stuff and some on helicopter parts and accessories.  Best bet for a current listing is to pick up one of the major R/C magazines and look for a listing of shops in the back.  Pick one up at the airport and you can use the time on the bus for some creative reading...

    Anything with an (06) area code is in Osaka proper.  Most shops have at least one person that speaks passable English...

    My experience anyway.  If anyone from Japan is monitoring this list and has more current information, please chime in..

    Ed
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Janice Reynolds 
      To: discussion at nsrca.org 
      Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2003 6:27 PM
      Subject: Hobby shops in Osaka Japan


      Does anybody know of a good hobby shop in Osaka Japan?
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