By Yu Kanke · Last verified 2026-10-29

Kitamura: The Six-Grade Ladder, and Where It Breaks

Japan's largest camera chain runs a six-tier used scale with a six-month warranty — and a ¥10,000 floor that removes cheap gear from coverage.

Last verified: 2026-10-29. Sources at the bottom.

Kitamura (カメラのキタムラ) is the chain you will meet first when you search in Japanese: stores nationwide, an online used business (ネット中古), and a grading system quoted in almost every Japanese buying guide.

The basics

Item	What Kitamura publishes
Reach	National chain; used sales via ネット中古, collection in store or by delivery
Grade scale	6 levels: AA 新品同様 / A 美品 / AB 良品 / B 並品 / C やや難あり / D 故障品（ジャンク品）
Used warranty	6 months on eligible cameras, once only
Warranty floor	Items under ¥10,000 (excl. tax) do not carry it
Overseas shipping	Not offered — delivery is limited to Japan
Physical junk floor	新宿北村写真機店 (3F junk corner), run by Kitamura

The scale, in the shop's own terms

AA 新品同様 — no sign of use.
A 美品 — little sign of use, works correctly, minor internal dust with no effect on images.
AB 良品 — some exterior scratches or rubbing, works correctly.
B 並品 — comparatively noticeable scratches, some shine, works correctly.
C やや難あり — heavy cosmetic wear; may have fungus, dust, haze or balsam separation inside, with limited effect depending on shooting conditions.
D 故障品（ジャンク品） — does not operate; for parts or collection.

Note where the trouble starts. C is the last grade that still functions — it may carry fungus or haze and still be sold as a working item. That is a different cut-off from Map Camera, where 並品 upwards is stated to have no functional problems.

The warranty, and the two conditions people miss

Six months, repair covered — with two limits the shop states plainly:

Price floor. Items under ¥10,000 (excl. tax) are excluded. For a buyer assembling lots of cheap bodies, that is a large share of the inventory without cover.
One use only. The service is provided once per item.

Junk: a floor, not just a grade

Beyond the D grade, Kitamura operates a physical junk corner at 新宿北村写真機店. Its staff published a buying guide (we summarise it in the junk article) that is unusually practical: check whether the body is fully mechanical by winding and firing without a battery, then open the back and confirm the shutter timing tracks the dial.

They also state what junk buyers abroad most need to hear: junk items cannot be returned or exchanged.

The closed door

Kitamura's FAQ, updated 2026-01-26, is unambiguous:

> 海外発送はお受けしておりません。発送は日本国内に限定させていただいております。

So the six-month warranty is only usable inside Japan. For an overseas buyer, Kitamura is a price reference and a supply signal, not a supplier.

Who this suits

In Japan: the widest choice, the most predictable grading, and a real junk floor.
Overseas resellers: useful for benchmarking what a grade should cost in Japan before you buy from an exporter.
Overseas, direct: not possible. See who ships.

Three questions worth sending them


1. この商品は中古カメラ6ヶ月保証の対象ですか（販売価格が税別1万円以上かも含めて）。
2. Cランクの場合、カビ・クモリ・バルサム切れのどれが該当しますか。
3. ジャンクフロア在庫は通販サイトに掲載されていますか。

Sources

Kitamura ネット中古「商品の状態について」 https://www.net-chuko.com/static/public/buy/pop/item-status.html (grade ladder and definitions)
Kitamura FAQ「中古カメラ6ヶ月保証について教えて下さい」 https://faq.kitamura.jp/ (6 months, once)
Kitamura「アフターサービスについて」 https://www.kitamura.jp/inquiry/after_service.html (¥10,000 floor)
Kitamura FAQ「海外への発送は可能ですか」 https://faq.kitamura.jp/ (updated 2026-01-26)
カメラのキタムラ ShaSha「新宿北村写真機店ジャンクフロア…」 https://www.kitamura.jp/shasha/article/junk-camera-20240117/

Policies as published on 2026-10-29. Confirm before purchase.