mountaineering stores in Tokyo

Hello,

My wife and I are visiting Japan again this Xmas.

She wants to buy some new mountaineering boots (i.e. boots for high altitute trekking- 6500m) and since she has small feet she finds it difficult to buy boots in Australia. She is hoping that with Japan's larger population there will be a greater range of boots in Japan.


I have read in this forum
(http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+60827)

and elsewhere about the:
Kanda Ogawamachi Sporting Goods District in Tokyo.

Since we have never been there we were wondering if this area has a good number of shops that sell a range of mountaineering equipment.

Any help would be appreciated as we only have one day in Tokyo :(
and so we do not want to waste a lot of time traveling all over the place.


also:
are all stores open on Dec 24th?
what about on the 4th January?

thanks in advance for any comments.

As I mentioned in the other thread that shop is the best (As far as I know, the only real mountaineering shop in Jimbocho/Ogawamachi area)
"The best outdoors shop I know of is the ICI outdoor shop in Kanda. It's located about 50 east of Jimbocho Station, Exit A5.

They have boots, crampons, and climbing gear as well as gortex gear, avalanche stuff, etc. "

As you leave from Exit A5 Jimbocho Station, walk east along the northern side of Yasakuni Dori. I've checked the map and it's more like 80-90m. If you hit the bend in Yasakuni Dori (just after the McDonalds) you have gone too far. It is on the NW corner of a lane, recessed from the corner, and then up stairs. There's a sign with ICI Sports on it.

If you go into Google, and type:

"tokyo Jimbocho ICI sports" and zoom in on "A", you can see where it is. The entrance to the shop is at the pointiest corner to the South East.
It's actually about 15-20m just before the ICI Pro Ski shop.

Hi Sandy,

I read your reply in the other thread, too. I just thought that there may be more stores than one for such gear, given the comments on the web about the area.

And especially if we cannot find boots in that one store.


Thanks for the quick reply, too!

Yes, I've trolled the area numerous times, and there was one other shop that closed, but it never had the variety of ICI. There are some others where, when you have a quick look in, it looks like it may have the same sort of thing, but they don't have climbing gear, crampons, avi gear, snow shoes, etc. So while other places have "hiking boots", I think she's after very warm, technical climbing boots, right?

I'll be in that area in the next week or two, and the winter gear has just come out into the main shop fronts again, so I can take another look.

I sometimes go to Kojitsu but I'm not sure if it's what you're looking for.
There's a shop about 5 minutes from Shinjuku station.
http://www.kojitusanso.jp/
http://www.kojitusanso-blog.jp/shinjukunishigu/10146
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/kojitu/c/0000002425/

Sandy, thanks for the offer to scout around again.
yeah, she is after more technical and warm boots.


Nadja, thanks for the link. I will check it out.

anyway, even if she does not find any I am sure there is other gear she will be able to buy- she needs to update her hiking boots, too.


cheers!

Please look by Harajuku train station.
I was there 3 weeks ago and was pleased to see a good range of hiking, climbing gear
including boots etc.
It's straight across road from station before you drop down hill.
The real heavy snow stuff etc is downstairs at back of the shop.
Won't be cheap though.
Good luck.

thanks, small town boy.

I remember going to Harajuku but was not looking for mountaineering boots at the time so did not notice any.

We will check again this trip, then.

cheers!