Snowboard shops and average cost in Japan?

[kuro 0]

Hi just wondering if anyone can recommend a snowboard shop to buy a snowboard in tokyo or nagano area? also in comparison to australia - where a board would cost about $400-$1000 AUD, would the snowboards be cheaper to buy in Japan?

 

Cheers 'n' beers

 

kuro

[bushpig 0]

try a search on the forum, there was a thread about the area of tokyo that has heaps of shops a year or so ago, with maps and all.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

I think Kanda in Tokyo has a number of snowboard shops. I found that gear in Japan was cheaper in comparison to the UK, dunno about Oz though.

[grungy-gonads 54]

The area is called Jimbocho.

See I am capable of learning

[SirJibAlot 0]

In Jimbocho, the streets are lined with snowboard shops and 'thugged out' staff.

[spook 0]

jimbocho is cool. more gear than you can poke a stick at. i can happily spend an afternoon cruising around checking out all the snow gear. snowboarding is more expensive than a smack habit.

all the shops seem to sell everything at the same price though, which i thought was a bit weird

[skidaisuki 0]

"all the shops seem to sell everything at the same price though, which i thought was a bit weird"

 

that's what you call list pricing, with a dash of collusion!

 

Spend time in Jimbocho and you'll learn the places that deserve your business. I recommend Wangel (yep...) for skiiers. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly and they have a lot of stock there. Real enthusiasts for skiing: http://wangel.jp/

 

For boarders, sorry not sure, but make sure you have plenty of time and concentrate on the back streets - off the main drag, the shops should have to try harder to get your business. Finally, don't be afraid to try and ask for a discount, or at the very least to get something chucked in for free. Binding setting and set up are 'givens' and don't count!

[thursday 1]

thanks. I was looking at the Wangel site. How the K2 stuff has changed in one year. The new stuff looks way cooler than my old gear. The graphics have just taken a quantum leap forwards.

[skidaisuki 0]

Thursday - agreed. I especially like the look of the new PEs... very Escher-esque...

 

If you kept waiting for the next season, you'd never buy, though. I took a look at the new 07-08 Apache Recons at Victoria last week and though the graphics are nice, I am sure that there's no difference in shape and dimensions compared to the 06-07s that I bought in December.

 

Only 4 months to go before we see some white stuff, hopefully

[thursday 1]

yeah K2s are cool. I have the Outlaw. The graphics look grandad compare to 08s

[1 4]

I find the cost of gear here to vary wildly - not only by shop but season (suppose its the same everywhere to a certain extent but more pronounced here). Near the end of the season is a great time to buy.

[Fattwins 0]

The only problem with the cheaper gear in jimbocho is that they dont really stock big boots and boards. A new place just opened up in Hakuba that is now trying to sell boards in the sizes that gaijins want. I think its called The boarding co.

 

You can contact them through gravity works maybe or pm a hakuba local and we might be able to get the phone number. Im going to go check out the shop tomorrow.

[Fattwins 0]

Was there the other day and he has some sick cheap brand wetsuits at the moment.

 

0261855095 is the phone number