A Peek Behind the Magic Curtain—An Interview with Katsuhisa Higuchi
Editor’s note:
Anyone who considers himself a serious aficionado of Japanese timepieces has certainly heard the name Katsuhisa Higuchi. Katsu-san, as he is known to friends and customers who shop online at www.higuchi-inc.com, has earned an enviable reputation as one of the “go to” guys for those who covet exquisite Japanese timepieces only sold in Japan’s domestic market. Indeed, where would we be if not for Internet access to Katsu-san’s elegant brick and mortar watch store located in Oita, Japan? What if we were denied access to our Seiko Tunas, Sumos and Marinemasters, Credors, Grand Seikos, and a host of other timepieces that would otherwise never make it to our shores? Thanks to Katsu-san and the service he provides, we have an inroad into the finest offerings from the Japanese marques. Perhaps it’s about time we found out more about the man who continues to satiate our cravings for the otherwise unattainable. Shall we?
How long has this watch store been in your family?
My grandfather opened this store in 1924, and it has been in my family ever since.
If you didn’t have this watch store, would you consider being in a different line of work?
No, I have never considered doing anything else but running this store and being in the watch business. My earliest memories evolved around this store and I spent the bulk of my childhood here. I was practically raised in this store!
Please tell us about your Japanese customers. How do their tastes in watches differ from those of your overseas customers?
My Japanese customers range in age from the youths to the senior citizens. In general, the younger crowd tends to favor Swiss timepieces, while my older customers prefer our domestic brands of Seiko, Citizen and Orient. It is quite possible that things may be different in the trendier metropolis of Tokyo, but here in Oita, that is what their tastes are.
What are the attitudes of young Japanese people towards watches?
From what I have seen, young Japanese are very interested in watches. And quite a number of my younger customers are very avid collectors.
You oftentimes attend watch events in Tokyo and even in Basel, Switzerland. What do you do at these watch fairs?
I really do enjoy attending those watch fairs. It gives me the opportunity to meet with the factory representatives and even the executives sometimes. When I do, I give them my opinion as well as the opinions of my customers as to how to improve a particular product line. I also relay to the factory reps the concerns of my customers along with their suggestions on products that would really interest them.
What was the first watch you ever bought for yourself? Do you still have it?
The first watch I ever bought myself was a Seiko Quartz Diver. I still have it somewhere in my house, amongst all my other watches. I do own quite a number of watches. 
What watch do you usually wear?
I have a wide variety of daily wearers—numerous Grand Seikos, Seiko divers, Zenith Chronographs, Casio G-shock, Suuntos, and others that I fail to remember! I really enjoy watches!
What are your favorite vintage watches?
I really like the vintage Grand Seikos—excellent movements!
What was it that prompted you to take your business global? There was obviously a turning point of some sort.
I first set up my Japanese website. For a few years, I received many emails from American customers asking me to sell them the Seiko Marinemaster Kinetic. They really like this watch! So, I decided to create an English website for English-speaking customers.
Has the Internet changed your business a lot?
Yes, absolutely! Thanks to the Internet, I have gained a lot more business than I thought possible. One of the things I enjoy the most from my Internet business is the opportunity to meet so many people from around the world. If all I had was my storefront, I would not have gotten to know my global customers. Many of my longtime customers have now become my good friends.
How many of your international customers have come here to Oita to visit you?
Oh, about 10 of them. I always look forward to meeting them.
How much time do you spend each week reading and writing emails to your customers?
I receive about 40 to 50 emails a day from around the world. I read and reply to the emails when I can, as well as attend to customers in my store. It can get very busy at times!
Do you know why so few Japanese dealers sell to overseas customers? Only you and Seiya-san ship watches outside Japan. Why is it that more Japanese sellers do not want to sell overseas?
I am not sure, but perhaps it is the language barrier? My English is not very good, but I do try and I am learning all the time.
The newly-released Seiko 6R15-powered divers have been getting a lot of attention. What do you think about them?
I wear one too! They are tough watches, and are very good value for money.
Do you have an on-site watch repairman in your store?
I used to have one, but he is now retired. I have a good friend who is a watchmaker and he is not too far away. He’s very good and we send work out to him.
Tell us more about your family and the activities that you share together.
I got married over 15 years ago and I have 3 children. My daughter is the eldest and her favorite sport is tennis. My two sons love baseball and they play in a local team. As a family, we try to spend as much time together as we can. We really enjoy going on vacations together, especially to explore new parts of Japan that we have never been to. I have been to many countries in Europe and Asia, but never to the United States yet. I hope to take my family there someday.
Tell us more about Oita, where you live.
I love my hometown, which is located on the island of Kyushu, in the southernmost part of Japan. We have very lovely beaches and mountains. The hot springs here are very well-known, and bring in a lot of tourists.
Do you keep up with the Japanese watch forums?
I would really like to, but I don’t seem to have enough time anymore.
If you had to pick just one Seiko watch to wear for the rest of your life, which one will it be?
The Grand Seiko GMT Automatic. It is really a beautiful watch. Can I sell you one?
May 16th, 2007 at 9:57 am
I really enjoyed your excellent interview Katsu. Thanks for sharing your time.
I grew up in my father’s store too– he sold all kinds of wonderful cameras.
Your pictures and comments brought back so many fond memories.
Warmest regards from cloudy and cool Los Angeles,
Jim
May 16th, 2007 at 10:11 am
Hello Katsu-San,
Thank you for your time for this interview with us. I have never had problems with your English, I think mine is worse.
And thank you GMT+9 for making this interview possible. I really enjoyed it!
Kind regards from the Netherlands,
Sjors
May 16th, 2007 at 11:06 am
Great interview GMT, thank you for taking the time Higuchi-san. I have to say: looking at the picture of you in front of your store really brings home the reality that you are a very busy man with a business to run. I feel guilty emailing you all the time with questions!
May 16th, 2007 at 11:46 am
There are many people on the internet that I correspond with who I have never met, yet I consider them a friend. Katsu-san is one of those people. I enjoyed “peeking behind the curtain” and one day hope to visit with and maybe even ski with Katsu in Japan. And of course, I’m sure I could find a nice watch to buy too! Thank you GMT+9 and Katsu-san for the interview.
May 16th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
I’ve been one of the lucky to be able to make the trek to the land of Higuchi. You couldn’t ask to meet a nicer man or family. Oita is off the beaten path for many but, if ever anyone gets a chance to visit there… you won’t be disappointed. Some of the most beautiful volcanic land and country side you’ll ever see !
thanks for the interview Lee and Katsu for letting us into his world.
May 16th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Thank you Lee and Mr. Higuchi for this very enjoyable interview! I especially liked the pictures of Oita. Thanks for taking the time to present this!
May 16th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
That was a fine and very enjoyable interview with The Man himself! I’ve always known that behind the computer answering my emails is a humble and very dependable seller in person. Reading about him and seeing his store is probably the next best thing to receiving that familiar white package with the words “K. Higuchi” and “EMS” on it.
Great interview, two thumbs up for Lee for arranging this interview!
May 16th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
Konnichiawa Katsu-san:
Subarashii story that makes me miss Japan that much more. My wife Rieko is also from Kyushu, and we shall be returning, possibly to Fukuoka in the near future after leaving Australia.
We shall definitely come and pay you a visit, and no doubt I will be buying a watch or two from you.
We previously lived in Kyoto for eight years.
I have to agree that the Japanese SEIKO’S are one of the best watches around, and I have many display cases full of watches I purchased in Japan.
Hope business is good and you are making money in Oita-shi.
All the best - Ozzie
P.S. My Nihongo is improving!
May 17th, 2007 at 1:44 am
thank you for this interview! i was always wondering who is Katsu-san. great timing, as i was reading it right after i opened the magic ems box from Japan this morning
best regards from Czech Republic
May 17th, 2007 at 1:44 am
thankyou very much for sharing with us
it was nice to meet the man behind the emails
and thanks for the watches sent to australia
cheers
May 19th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
Dear Mr Lee,
Thank you for the enjoyable interview.
Dear Higuchi-san,
It has always been a pleasure to deal with you. Thanks for your help in the past 3 years, not only on watches but all the other things. It is a shame that I still cannot find some time to visit Oita although you had come over to HK for 2 times already.
Best regards from HK.
May 21st, 2007 at 7:26 am
Hi Lee….thank you very much for this beautiful essay
and photos of Mr. Higuchi. You have put a face on this
section of the Seiko watch experience. There are the watch
designers, the workers who actually put the watches together,
the sellers, and then the buyers. It is interesting to note
that the sellers have a vital part too.
Reading your article almost feels like I made a day trip to
this town in Japan, and went to talk to Mr. Higuchi.
Thank you very much. Blackdial.
May 23rd, 2007 at 7:13 am
Thank you all for the kind words. We’re glad we were able to bring Katsu-san to the foreground, and help associate a face to the name that we all know so well!
June 22nd, 2007 at 3:03 am
Hi…
It was Katsu-san that put me onto this forum, and reading the article, it has been nice to put a face to the man I’ve been dealing with.
I recently found Katsu-san while searching the forums to find a source of not-for-export Japanese watches. I was looking for a Citizen ProDivers model (PMX56-2812).
and it has been a real pleasure dealing with him… emails always answered promptly and politely.
I expect that my new watch will be with me in a week or so and will recommend friends to consider buying from Japan too for the better choice, great quality and fair prices. In fact, so much better choice than shopping in UK shopping centres.
Jenna
May 30th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Great interview, bought my Tuna Can from Higuchi-San - a pleasure to do business with - a real gentleman. Thanks for posting:-)
November 12th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Great interview with Higuchi Katsu. I am one of the ten people from overseas that
has visited his store, I think it was 2005 I bought a SBBN007 Tuna from him.
It was a fun little side trip from Fukuoka where I was visiting a friend.
I was living in Hawaii at the time so we had a pleasant time talking about watches and surfing.
A funny story, he told me the Marine Master was to heavy for surfing!
Now thanks to this site I may be paying him another visit in January to get the Campanola
with the A660.
A great guy, Katsu, he walked back to the train with me and helped me carry my bags.