Apple Store in Tokyo

that is really cool, except for the fact that i won't be able to go because i'm in new york, and tokyo is all the way over there.

Originally posted by bennetsaysargh
that is really cool, except for the fact that i won't be able to go because i'm in new york, and tokyo is all the way over there.

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I bet that's what the people of Tokyo have been thinking all these years.

Originally posted by Eric-C
I bet that's what the people of Tokyo have been thinking all these years.

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.... and us over here in Europe

A little old news?

Apple's own website has been "hiring" staff for a Tokyo apple store for about 18 months now. However, another recent news item (was it here or on Apple's site?) mentioned that the first non-US retail stores will be opening in Europe in 2004.

If that's true, then those of us here in Japan are going to have to wait a little longer.

Meanwhile, Tokyo-ites get their Apple fix in a lot of locations, but the best is still the slightly-overpriced Laox Apple center in Akihabara. It's 6 stories of Apple and Apple-related goods.

The first floor is a showroom of current Mac models, as well as digital cameras and iPods.

The second floor is all about digital imagery and 3d graphics, with one wall for games, including the best selection of English-language games for Macs in Tokyo (my GF picked up Freedom Force for me yesterday).

The third floor is all about music and video, with a presentation area. Also, a nice selection of speakers and iPod accessories, and the cheapest add-on RAM in the city.

I've never actually had to go up past the third floor, but apparently there's more on third-party products and used equipment. Just head up the escalators..

Beyond that, Sofmap's Yurakucho location is pretty good for selection and some not-too-easy to find replacement parts (iBook keyboards, iPod power adapters). Sofmap will also buy and sell used Mac equipment for when you want to upgrade (taking in my GF's 600 mhz iBook and getting her a new PowerBook soon).

But damn, even with all this great support for Apple products in Tokyo, I really wish an Apple store would open in Tokyo - though I think Shinjuku or Shibuya would be better locations than Ginza (unless it's put right across the street from the Sony building).

Re: Apple Store in Tokyo

Originally posted by Macrumors
This Nikkei Net article reports that Apple will be opening an Apple Store in "Tokyo & Ginza".

Planning of an Apple Store in Tokyo was first mentioned in this Page 2 rumor which stated:

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Glad too see that you've started a new thread regarding the Apple store in Tokyo.

Just to clarify, the info I posted about the Nikkei article meant "Tokyo's Ginza district" instead of "Tokyo & Ginza." Ginza is IN Tokyo

Excuse me for not being clear.

If you guys are curious I'll post a translation of the article later?

EDIT: oh I see that it's a slightly different version from the one I posted about on the other thread. But still, it's "Tokyo's Ginza" instead of "Tokyo & Ginza." As I imagine from the original Japanese article, it's a mistake of the mechanical translation. Anyway, there will be a single store.

Re: A little old news?

Originally posted by paulie
Apple's own website has been "hiring" staff for a Tokyo apple store for about 18 months now. However, another recent news item (was it here or on Apple's site?) mentioned that the first non-US retail stores will be opening in Europe in 2004.

If that's true, then those of us here in Japan are going to have to wait a little longer.

Meanwhile, Tokyo-ites get their Apple fix in a lot of locations, but the best is still the slightly-overpriced Laox Apple center in Akihabara. It's 6 stories of Apple and Apple-related goods.

The first floor is a showroom of current Mac models, as well as digital cameras and iPods.

The second floor is all about digital imagery and 3d graphics, with one wall for games, including the best selection of English-language games for Macs in Tokyo (my GF picked up Freedom Force for me yesterday).

The third floor is all about music and video, with a presentation area. Also, a nice selection of speakers and iPod accessories, and the cheapest add-on RAM in the city.

I've never actually had to go up past the third floor, but apparently there's more on third-party products and used equipment. Just head up the escalators..

Beyond that, Sofmap's Yurakucho location is pretty good for selection and some not-too-easy to find replacement parts (iBook keyboards, iPod power adapters). Sofmap will also buy and sell used Mac equipment for when you want to upgrade (taking in my GF's 600 mhz iBook and getting her a new PowerBook soon).

But damn, even with all this great support for Apple products in Tokyo, I really wish an Apple store would open in Tokyo - though I think Shinjuku or Shibuya would be better locations than Ginza (unless it's put right across the street from the Sony building).

Click to expand...

Yeah, I went there recently. The top floor is cool, it's like a museum of old macs, and they've got buckets and crates on the floor full of old motherboards and graphics cards and scsi boards - it's a bit like my office

Every little goodie you've ever seen on the many mac sites are available there, from a dozen different cooling systems for TiBooks to stickers to change the colour of your glowing Apple.

It was amazing, especially visiting from England, where you're lucky to see a working iMac in a store!

Great news, I will be a regular visitor!

When they opened the first two Apple Stores, one of then was about 35 miles from me. Later, They opened another store about 40 miles from me, that was like 10 miles from that first Apple store. I live in an area that has a large population of very rich families, and there is a mall with multiple open spaces large enough for an Apple store, and this mall is 5 miles from the area filled with small castles. The nearest Apple store to these homes is about 25-30 miles. I want an apple store thats close to my home.

Anyways, I think that having an Apple Store in Tokyo is great. I know that Japan is as into, or more into technology then the US. This should be a wonderful investment for Apple.

Ginza is a rough Tokyo equivalent of New York's 5th avenue, and Nikkei is a kind of Japanese Wall Street Journal (with less of political coloring). There was a full page PB12/17 ad in the morning edition of the same news paper too. So they are trying to send clear message that reads "mac is not just for geeks". I think this is the right move if they want to break the ceiling of their market share (10% for desktop and 8% for notebook in Japan). I guess it must be the same for US and European markets. And I really believe they are in good position to break out to the open with this beautiful OSX, aided by the self distructing Big Brother license policy of, well, the virtual Big Brother..

Where's the Apple Canada store that was expected?

Better in Shibuya or Harajuku

Ginza is sort of OK but too pricey, too stodgy and past its prime. They should have chosen something in Harajuku. That is more the place people go to window shop and browse.

Akihabara is the electronics place but Apple is already well represented there.

Apple Japan has been placing there own staff in retail sites of major retailers for a while now. That is probably why they were hiring for the last 18 months.

What if Apple leased space from Sony inside the Sony Building in Ginza? That would be interesting. Imagine a big red Apple logo on the side of the Sony building! Has anyone walked around Ginza lately trying to guess the location? With the economy as bad as it is in Japan there should be several sites to choose from.

There is a "field work report" on possible ginza apple site by a mac-crazy Medical Doctor. He says there are three suspicious construction sites. His Home Page can be traced from this japanese macrumor site

http://www.tcp-net.ad.jp/danbo/

Stodgy and past its prime.. all very true. But that is exactly the reason for Apple's choice: They are now target moneyed segment of fourty something and fifty something. By and large, apple-izable portion of Harajuku yuppies are already converted.

erratum

Dr. Hayama is a dentist, not an MD. My apology.

Re: Re: Apple Store in Tokyo

Originally posted by yamadataro
Glad too see that you've started a new thread regarding the Apple store in Tokyo.

Just to clarify, the info I posted about the Nikkei article meant "Tokyo's Ginza district" instead of "Tokyo & Ginza." Ginza is IN Tokyo

Excuse me for not being clear.

If you guys are curious I'll post a translation of the article later?

EDIT: oh I see that it's a slightly different version from the one I posted about on the other thread. But still, it's "Tokyo's Ginza" instead of "Tokyo & Ginza." As I imagine from the original Japanese article, it's a mistake of the mechanical translation. Anyway, there will be a single store.

Click to expand...

Hi everybody this is my first time to do a post, I am lucky enough to be working here in Tokyo. Been to the Akihabara Shop its nice to get little custom parts to make your little powerbooks?ibook look cool. Talking about used macs I down at Shinjuku the other day cant remember which exit but not East or west, theres a used mac shop. just by the station. I was late on a way to a meeting so didnt get a chance to check it out.. Looks sort of big, be quite interesting to see what they have inside...