Miyajima in Japan

I travel to Tokyo at least annually to visit our son who lives there. I usually have enough free time to browse the audio salons, and I have never seen Miyajima for off the shelf sale.  However, it is possible that you could place an order and receive a Miyajima cartridge either while you are there or by mail once you’ve returned home. That used to be the case with Koetsu; almost no one carried Koetsu, but the best stores could get them by special order. I bought two Koetsu’s that way and received them in the mail from Japan once we got back home. Complete with factory warranty, by the way. I would check Yodabashi Camera in Akihabara. They have an extensive stock of phono cartridges on display and for over the counter sale.

Thanks!  This confirms something that I have long suspected: almost all Miyajima cartridges are sold in the west.  They do have a Japanese website so there is some outlet that I may be able to access. I will see what Yodabashi can do as well.  Will report back when I return.

I think it's mostly that Miyajima is a very small company, maybe even a one or two man operation, like van den Hul. So as a result they do not produce sufficient numbers of cartridges to provide off the shelf stock for big retailers in Japan. My guess is that was also true of Koetsu.

I am very familiar with the Shilabe used on a Glanz 12" > SP10 R > All Valve Amplification > Quad ESL.

There is a lot to be impressed with, and I was quite amazed at how little of a rich tone was present, when learning of the Cart’s Structure and it being run through an all valve amplification.

In my mind and based on experiences of Wood Structure Cart’s, a much more discernible rich tone was anticipated but certainly not realised as the outcome.

Being an individual that likes the rich tone influence from Valves Only, and even in that matter, bordering on a amplification design that offers the perception of a Valve Transparency, to not show bias toward the Shilabe and class it as a Cart’ that can be easily lived with, was a satisfying discovery.

With what I now know, I would really like to hear the Carbon model, it seems to be a design to move the tone towards lean as the comparison to other models in the family.     

https://www.miyajima-lab.com/e-kaisyagaiyou.html

On the subject of Wood Body Cart’s and being sent a curve ball on rich tone as the End Sound. 

The Cart’ that totally undid the idea of anticipating wood bodies will produce rich tone has been the most recent model of the Sumiko Pearwood.

I would suggest the Pearwood would need to be A/B compared with a Ortofon, using a Jubilee or Windfeld and their trickle down designs to learn where the rich tone is present in the Pearwood.

My familiarity with the Windfeld has always detected a hint of a rich tone, even when it is encountered in use with all SS Amplification. I would take a punt and strongly suggest, the Windfeld and Pearwood would create the perception the richness of tone were as good as Parity.

I would also strongly suggest the Pearwood would edge out in front where ceasing being sedentary in ones seat is being undone. It does get the Air Drummer put to work as a Air Drumming Listener.

  https://sumikophonocartridges.com/product/celebration-40-phono-cartridge/