Hello everyone, and greetings to all watch enthusiasts.
My name is Masaharu Nakajima, but most people simply call me "Masa"
Back in 1990, I left my life as a commercial diver and opened a tiny antique watch shop called Masa's Junkyard.
I was still in my twenties then, a young man who knew only the sea.
On land, I was like a fish out of water.
I knew almost nothing, and whenever I told friends and seniors what I wanted to do, they would frown and say, "There's no way you can pull that off." But the more people told me it was impossible, the more determined I became.
Of course, it was never easy.
Time and again, I heard the same words from watch repair shops: "This watch is too old. There are no parts left, so it can't be repaired."
It was disheartening. Many of the watches I had carefully sourced and many beloved pieces entrusted to me by customers ended up discarded and lost forever.
One day, fed up with hearing the same thing, I made a decision:
If no one can repair them, then I'll repair them myself. If parts don't exist anymore, then I'll just make them.
From that moment, I began teaching myself watchmaking and repair.
It was a struggle, but I was completely absorbed. And through that struggle, antique watches themselves became my greatest teachers.
How could a watch continue to shine and tick faithfully for more than a century? And what separated those enduring masterpieces from the ones that failed? Those questions drove me forward.
In the beginning, I was alone. But as the years passed, one by one, talented young guys joined me. Masa's Junkyard eventually grew into Masa's Pastime a restoration team dedicated to sharing knowledge gained from working with antique timepieces. Alongside restoration, we began creating custom watches using antique movements. That led us to learn how to craft not only movement parts, but also dials, hands, and cases.
Before we knew it, our team had acquired the ability to produce every component of a watch by ourselves.
And so, our dream took shape:
Let's build our own watches, with our own hands.
In 2012, we embarked on the ambitious project of developing a completely in-house movement. Securing rare materials, acquiring specialized machinery, and overcoming countless obstacles took us a full decade. But finally, in 2022, our long-cherished dream was realized with the completion of the MP1 movement a foundation designed, like the great calibers of old, to be passed down across generations.
In 2023, our team member Nayuta Shinohara produced the Nayuta Model, released under our original watch brand Masa & Co. The following year, in 2024, the MP Series watches powered by the MP1 movements joined our collection, and they have since been warmly received by watch lovers both in Japan and abroad.
As for myself, the young man in his twenties has long since become a early senior watchmaker. But I have no intention of retiring anytime soon.
Together with my team, I will continue creating timepieces that can be cherished and handed down from one generation to the next.
Thank you for your continued support of Masa's Pastime and Masa & Co.
August 25, 2025
Masaharu Nakajima
Founder, Masa's Pastime
Since our establishment in 1990, we have been dedicated to the restoration of antique watches. Repairing timepieces that have aged for over a century after their production requires the traditional craftsmanship of creating components.
Additionally, in the early 2000s, as we embarked on the journey of crafting custom watches, we gained experience in both dial production using engraving and guilloché techniques and the manufacture of cases using modern machining equipment.
Naturally, this led to the accumulation of all the knowledge and equipment necessary for watchmaking within our in-house workshop.
The production of our own watches became a logical progression, and after several years of refinement, in 2023, Masa & Co was established as our original watch brand. We continue this journey to this day.
The fusion of traditional techniques and the latest technology is at the core of Masa & Co's theme, which is 'Timepieces that are passed down as cherished heirlooms from generation to generation.'
マサズ パスタイム
〒180-0004
東京都武蔵野市吉祥寺本町2-35-11 元町スギビル1Ｆ
2-35-11 Honcho, Kichijoji, Musashino-shi, Tokyo, Japan
A 7-minute walk from Kichijoji Station Park Exit.
Tel +81 422-38-8744 Fax +81 422-38-8743
Business Hours 11:00 to 19:00 (JST)
Closed on Sunday, Monday
We require a reservation in advance to visit our store. Please make a reservation in advance by email or phone via the inquiry form.
