Is there any flexibility in their prices? Any room for a 20% tourist discount?
Prices stated in-store are usually tax-in. As a foreigner and assuming the store participates, you'd be eligible for an immediate 10% duty free discount. Unlike Europe where you pay up front and only get a portion back, JP stores just take off the 10% up front.
You're ready halfway there!
Is there any flexibility in their prices? Any room for a 20% tourist discount?
Generally very little room for bargaining in my experience for the big stores in the city eg the ones in Shinjuku like Watchnian, or Best Ishida. The range is usually very good though, and the condition generally excellent especially for modern watches. The weak yen is definitely a plus now.
You have to show your passport though at the time of purchase to get the tax waived at point of purchase. The Visit Japan Web site gives you a QR code to get the tax waiver, and you theoretically don't need to show your passport and just need to show the QR code to get it. IRL though, most shops ask for the passport, especially for big ticket items like luxury watches. The Visit Japan site though is still useful to pre-register your immigration stuff - you then get a QR code which allows you to breeze through immigration much quicker (useful when you're landing after a long flight with tired/cranky family - trust me, I know)
I had 2 trips to Japan last year - spring and winter. Came back with a total of 3 watches😗.. Wife rolled her eyes thrice.
Nice watches. I wonder if some Tokyo shops would have stock of vintage Seiko watch parts or even dials. I ought to visit.
Yahoo Japan would have them available for purchase. You can use 3rd party agents to buy and ship them to you if you live outside of Japan. I've been pretty happy with Zenmarket & Buyee; bought replacement crystals, BOR bracelets before.
Thanks for the mention of those, but I can't find dials. I read that there are shops keeping vintage parts which they don't sell online.
