Tomoya Kitamura and a brass lens from 1880
The selection is outstanding and displays sublime
My score of the day: Leica Hektor 73mm/f1.9. Well patina'd and including all of the bits
Foto:Mutori-The best vintage glass in the backstreets of Daikanyama
Local knowledge is everything in finding the hidden gems in Tokyo. With Japan’s inexplicable street address system. or lack thereof, even the well-known spots become fiendishly complicated to find. Last week, I was lucky enough to have my friend and Tokyo Camera Style founder, John Sypal, as my guide. After a tonkatsu lunch at Maisen, John was practically vibrating when describing what lay ahead on our visit to Foto:Mutori, the jewel box home of the proprietor and Tokyo’s premier source for vintage lenses–dating from the late 1800′s to early 1960′s. Having honed his camera knowledge at the famously well-stocked and notoriously snooty MAP Camera, 29 year old Tomoya Kitamura couldn’t have been any nicer or more knowledgeable as we surveyed one of the coolest stores I’ve ever visited, anywhere. When I say it’s hard to find, this place is really hard to find, tucked off the street, in a residential enclave (be sure and use the map on his site.) But, once inside, the selection is magical. Not only does Kitamura-san have a wide and vast selection, he has taken the time to print 8x10′s of the output from different lenses, to give you the opportunity to actually see what you are getting from a particular lens. As many Japanese photographers still shoot film, thanks to a plentiful supply and one hour processing, this is truly invaluable.
As a Leica shooter, I’m always looking for vintage Leica glass, or vintage cinema lenses that have been rangefinder coupled. I further complicate things by wanting era-appropriate accessories for the lenses, like filters and hoods. Foto:Mutori had all of this, in spades. While I was faced with an embarrassment of riches, I settled on a rare Leica 73mm/f1.9 Hektor lens, with clear, clean glass, amazing patina and the matching push on Leica hood,lens cap and original filter. The images have a soft and smooth feel, and while lacking in contrast, this is easily remedied in Lightroom.
Kitamura-san is doing it right. He’s gracious, knowledgeable, nice and generous. His store is a gem and he is making an impact at a very young age. Tomoya Kitamura and Foto:Mutori are most definitely GMS.
Great report on Foto:Mutori by my friend Matt Jacobson- I was so excited to be able to share this place with him- as it fits his Grown Man Style vibe perfectly. If you’re in Tokyo and interested in photography you really need to swing by Daikanyama and say hi to Mr. Kimura in his wonderful vintage lens shop.