Apple Store Shibuya Grand Opening - Aug. 6th 2005

Two years after the Ginza store opening, Apple unveiled its Shibuya store, the second in Tokyo and the fourth in Japan, following Shinsaibashi and Nagoya.

Apple Store Shibuya The beautiful staircase can be seen in the back. The line already spanned a whole block at 11 PM. By 2 AM it covered two blocks. Yuri and I were 90th in line. Yuri seems to be dead tired. I look even worse. 5:30 AM, people are still sleeping. Security guards guarded while we slept. Everyone is wide awake. This is around 7 AM. Mr. Martens joins us... oh look, the Apple store! The 10 AM opening nears! So close, yet so far. All waiting. Yes, a very big line. By the opening time, more than a 1000 had arrived. We are here! Front row at Shibuya. Ushered in... given a t-shirt and a scratch card. Welcomed with applause and high-fives. Going up the spiral staircase. The second and only other floor. The Genius Bar. With a wide array of Geniuses. Mr. Martens seizes the Mighty Mouse. Yuri wants an iSight but can't afford one. Hmm... only two floors in this store? Back on the first floor. Crowded. Mr. Martens talks with Mike the man. Turns out, all Japan stores except Ginza are this small. Bringing out the JiTMS Prepaid cards. We left the store at ten-to-eleven. The sun is out! Boiling in the heat, probably more than 2000 people. The Sign. We're pooped. But we made it! 11 hours wait for 45 minutes inside! The t-shirt box. The t-shirt. Apple Shibuya. The scratch card. Consolation prize is 1 song.

Photos of the Ginza Store opening