Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Japanese track frames?

My daughter is headed to Japan for a year in August. She'll be living 30 miles south of Kobe, in a town (I can't recall its name) on an island that's apprently a hotbed for cycling -- road, track, I don't know. I'd like to buy a track-style frame while she's there. Can anyone tell me if such frames are widely available and, if so, what I can expect to pay? Are these frames easily shipped to the U.S.?

Domo!

There are quite a few threads on finding used track frames in Japan in the archives. Just a friendly reminder that the search function often yields answers...

Oh just tell the man what he wants to know!

someone sounds jaded

Track frames are widely available - but not instantly available. The builder want to measure you and build a frame to your specs - so don't expect to walk into a shop, buy a frame and walk out. That said, you might get lucky. Cherubim in Tokyo has a few frames hanging around sometimes, as does Kalavinka.

However, south of Kobe the people building frames are Giro and Lightning, and not far away, in Osaka, is Panasonic and Nakagawa. It would be worth contacting Nakagawa to see if they have a frame for sale.

You can expect to pay about $1,000. A good place to check out prices is the Kalavinka website.

Nakagawa: http://www.nakagawa-cw.co.jp/cgi-bin/nakagawa/sitemaker.cgi?mode=page&page=page3&category=1

Panasonic: http://www.panabyc.co.jp/products/pos/index.html

Cherubim: http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~cherubim/

Kalavinka: http://www.kalavinka-bikes.com/

(Also, in Kobe is Japan's number one parts importer and distributer http://www.trisports.jp/ - they might know of some good places to find a track frame, such as an Anchor)

Many thanks to all who replied. I appreciate the info and the links.

Yes, FD, I'll use the search function next time.

Dave

If this thread is still of interest, I plan to buy a Nakagawa. (though a road bike, not a track bike).