I don't know how much the Japanese bikes cost. I suspect a decked-out Toei costs a lot more than a Singer. Also, for the old-style bikes, you have to provide the parts...
With some of the Japanese bikes, I wonder about the functionality. I suspect that is more a question of the buyers' spec than the builders ability... Some details either don't make sense or might not work well together.
With a Singer or Herse, you get a bike that is based on decades of experience of performance riding. All the makers rode themselves, and they had very educated customers who provided lots of feedback. The bikes are not just a technical or design tour de force, but they are intended to be ridden for tens of thousands of miles with minimal maintenance or adjustments. The famous technical trials (sorry for the plug, the trials will be covered in the next issue of Vintage Bicycle Quarterly) resulted in lightweight bikes that could be ridden on bad roads for 600-1000 km with no adjustments of breakage.
I feel that buying a bike from a "praticant" - a person who uses the bikes the way I intend to use them is best. If I had to get a cyclocross bike, I'd gladly give Richard Sachs a call, as I know he'd understand my concerns. I would not consider a builder who has not competed in cyclocross...
I'd love to compare the French randonneur bikes to the Japanese ones. If anybody has one in a 58-64 cm size, and is willing to let me ride it, let me know. Also, anybody who is making randonneur bikes, please let me know. I want to feature these in Vintage Bicycle Quarterly... to give my readers choices beyond Alex Singer and other French makers.
Finally, I would like to see the Japanese builders to develop more of their own signature. I see Toei bikes with Herse stems, with Singer stems, etc. A Singer has its line, its parts, and little deviation from that. (Of course, once again, Toei builds what people demand. I have seen photos of some bikes that seem to be true Toei, not copies of something else.)
Jan Heine, Seattle