Apple unveils second Osaka store ahead of its opening
More than 20 years after opening its first Apple Store in Osaka, Japan, Apple has unveiled its second, Apple Umeda, which opens on July 26.
Apple Umeda in Osaka -- image credit: Apple
The new store is part of a specific plan by Apple to open or remodel around 50 stores by 2027, and the new Apple Umeda was officially announced in early July 2025. Now the store has its own site, and Apple has revealed images of it, ahead of the opening at 10:00 A.M. local time on Saturday, July 26, 2025.
"I am very pleased to open Apple Umeda, a wonderful space that reflects the energy of the vibrant city of Osaka," said Deirdre O'Brien, Apple's senior vice president of retail and people, in a statement (in translation). "This new store is a place to walk with creative communities and local businesses in Kansai."
"The store team is sincerely looking forward to deepening the connection with customers and delivering the appeal of Apple's products and services," she added.
Apple Umeda is around 2.4 miles away from Osaka's first store, Apple Shinsaibashi. It lies north of that store and across the Dojima River, in a cultural and business section near Osaka Station and Osaka Umeda Station.
While Apple Shinsaibashi is entered from street level, and features a suspended spiral staircase, Apple Umeda is on the second floor of the Grand Front Osaka complex's South Building.
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Comments
Differences in GDP can't explain all of it. What is going on?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita
but also population density:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_population_density
as well as overall population. Ireland has a high GDP per capita but low population density and low overall population so no physical stores.
Less profitable regions might get stores eventually but it makes sense to give priority to the most profitable regions. Some regions aren't safe to operate in, they have to ship high value inventory to the stores.
Brazil has a large population, low GDP per capita, low population density and is an unsafe region. They have two stores.
If a store employs 20 people, operating costs would be in the region of $2m per year. They have to sell around $6m of product (40 iPhones per day) for this to be profitable. Most people buy iPhones from carriers so stores in a lot of regions wouldn't be profitable.
Apple also favors locations with extremely high foot traffic as well as locations with a generous amount of well-heeled travelers (both business and leisure). A location near a busy public transit hub like a major train station is definitely a plus.
Also Apple heavily favors high street shopping districts. They don't want to park their stores in suburban malls surrounded by huge parking lots like BestBuy does.
And Apple looks at their neighbors. They don't want be next to Hollister, Old Navy, Foot Locker, GameStop. They want their neighbors to be Tiffanys, Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Burberry, etc. In fact, if you locate a Chanel or Prada boutique in a city, there's a good chance there's an Apple Store within a couple of blocks.
Apple is running the same playbook as other luxury retailers have done for decades. There's no surprise that Apple plucked Angela Ahrendts from Burberry to run their retail operations.