Apple's first Apple Store in Japan will be demolished in late 2022

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in General Discussion edited May 2022
Apple Ginza was opened in 2003, and the building it is in will be demolished starting in September 2022.




Apple Ginza was originally opened on November 30, 2003. Based in the Sayegusa Building in Tokyo, it was store was briefly closed over a bomb scare in 2015.

Now, according to Japan Property Central, the entire 8-story building is to be demolished. A new 10-story building with office and retail space will take its place, from late 2024.

Apple Ginza was one of the sites Tim Cook visited during his 2019 tour of Japan.

Our very first store outside of the US, Apple Ginza is always such a special place. Thanks for a wonderful visit! pic.twitter.com/h1ZLMhIpA5

-- Tim Cook (@tim_cook)


The Store is near to the Yamano Music Building, reportedly the most expensive land in Japan. Japan Property Central says its 2022 worth is $39,000 per square foot.

Land values for the whole area are now reportedly 258% higher than they were the year before Apple Ginza was opened.

Apple Ginza is still open daily, though its website page currently only lists opening hours up to May 12. It's not known whether Apple will relocate the store to the new building when it's available.

However, Apple does operate nine other stores in Japan, with four of those in Tokyo.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    ravnorodomravnorodom Posts: 697member
    Ginza in Tokyo is like the Fifth Avenue in New York City. Lots of high end stuffs in that street. I am surprise Apple is ditching out.
  • Reply 2 of 11
    payecopayeco Posts: 581member
    Considering how homogeneous Japan is it’s pretty surprising to see what looks like four white retailer workers in that Ginza staff pic. Anyone have idea what they do there? Managers? There to service Western visitors in Tokyo?
  • Reply 3 of 11
    Cesar Battistini MazieroCesar Battistini Maziero Posts: 339member
    They will make a flagship in it's place!
  • Reply 4 of 11
    leehericksleehericks Posts: 41member
    payeco said:
    Considering how homogeneous Japan is it’s pretty surprising to see what looks like four white retailer workers in that Ginza staff pic. Anyone have idea what they do there? Managers? There to service Western visitors in Tokyo?
    Tokyo is very international. They serve a number of languages at the stores here. 
  • Reply 5 of 11
    JinTechJinTech Posts: 1,023member
    ravnorodom said:
    Ginza in Tokyo is like the Fifth Avenue in New York City. Lots of high end stuffs in that street. I am surprise Apple is ditching out.
    I don't think it's up to Apple here?
    zoetmb
  • Reply 6 of 11
    mac'em xmac'em x Posts: 109member
    ravnorodom said:
    I am surprise Apple is ditching out.

    The building will be demolished.
    I'd be a bit more surprised, and very concerned, if Apple stayed in there as the floors came crashing down.
    zoetmbtokyojimu
  • Reply 7 of 11
    iyhiroiyhiro Posts: 1member
    Apple seems not to relocate the store during restructuring the building. Since another store, Apple Store Marunouchi, where is almost in front of Tokyo Central Station, is located only 1.5km from Ginza store.
    ravnorodom
  • Reply 8 of 11
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,040member
    payeco said:
    Considering how homogeneous Japan is it’s pretty surprising to see what looks like four white retailer workers in that Ginza staff pic. Anyone have idea what they do there? Managers? There to service Western visitors in Tokyo?
    Yes, many Tokyo stores -- especially in trendy areas like Ginza and Omotesando -- welcome a large number of Western customers. The Uniqlo Ginza down the street has many Western sales associates (I'm talking pre-pandemic of course). If I recall correctly some stores have employee name tags that have little flags to indicate what languages the wearer speaks.
    edited May 2022
  • Reply 9 of 11
    InnerDivinityInnerDivinity Posts: 2member
    leehericks said:
    payeco said:
    Considering how homogeneous Japan is it’s pretty surprising to see what looks like four white retailer workers in that Ginza staff pic. Anyone have idea what they do there? Managers? There to service Western visitors in Tokyo?
    Tokyo is very international. They serve a number of languages at the stores here. 
    I somewhat disagree with this being normal. Apple may be an exception. For example, it is nearly impossible to get a US layout keyboard anywhere in Japan, much less a laptop with US keyboard layout, but you can at Apple.

    It is hard to find this concentration of white people in any Tokyo company. I could guess they might be Aussie and speak Japanese (which is learned by many of them in school). You might find Chinese in Ginza, but even then probably one or two, or if you spread out, you would find a tiny amount of Korean, Filipino, Indian. Tokyo is still 95% Japanese.
  • Reply 10 of 11
    hanguolaohuhanguolaohu Posts: 47member
    Since there are multiple citations from the blog Japan Property Central, shouldn't you hyperlink to their article to give them due credit?
  • Reply 11 of 11
    t-bonet-bone Posts: 23member
    Buildings in Tokyo are ever changing. Even the building next to the Apple Ginza store was torn down in 2017 (Fendi) and re-opened in 2019 (Hublot / Loro Piana). 
    I loved the Ginza store. I wonder if they'll relocate or just leave it up to the Marunouchi location to fill the gap.
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