Saturday, Aug. 28th

By 2 a.m. there were 392 persons in line, many of whom are sleeping, dozing or just "resting" their eyes. Even those who are awake are pretty quiet. There was card playing, newspaper reading, but not much iPod or other music activity. I've talked to several persons in line about the Lucky Bags, and there is wild speculation as to what's inside, and how many of the people in line will be purchasing them. Hey, we'll know in about 8 hours!

At 3 a.m. the nightlife continues here in Shinsaibashi, as long lines of taxis queue up on Midosuji to take people home from the nearby restaurants, bars and other establishments. This part of Osaka is almost unreal to an American. There are thousands of people on the sidewalks dodging bicycles even at this hour, and in all directions there is no sign of the night-life subsiding. The view down each side street reveals nothing but neon signs and crowds. Further down Midosuji, along a canal, scores of huge restaurants advertise their menu with 20-foot crabs and other sea creatures made into animated signs. Multi-story pachinko parlors generate electronic noises that add to the hub-bub of the pedestrians-only street.

The three Osaka Patrol security guards on-duty wore vests with flashing red LEDs on both sides, and also had flashing red batons attached to their belts. Their gear was more attuned to directing car traffic, but apparently it's not uncommon to wear the electric uniforms for "standing still" types of details, too.

The waiting line now stretches almost five blocks north, and there is a security guard at each intersection along the way to insure traffic isn't blocked. Someone from Osaka Patrol security arrived with the traditional signs to be held by guards, indicating the "front" and "back" of the line--just to prevent confusion.

This is definitely a much more social event than Ginza, if only because it's easier to talk when you're not being pelted with rain for 24 hours. But there also seems to be more English-speaking persons at this event, and many other English-speakers who came by just to say, "Hi!" It truly is an international event, despite being in the middle of Japan. I'm not sure any U.S. grand opening could boost the same international cast.

At 4 a.m. there were 392 people in line, stretching back to the Shinsaibashi subway station at Nagahori street. The sidewalk traffic has subsided, but hasn't really disappeared like it would in any U.S. city. It certainly makes me wonder how much sleep Osaka residents get on a Friday night! The hours until 6 a.m. went pretty quickly, as the sun came up and the city became brighter.

At 6 a.m. the security forced moved the front 100 or so persons from their curb-side positions along Midosuji (the right side of the entrance) to along-side the building. This removed the opportunity to sit on the planter box benches, so many just planted themselves on the sidewalk to rest, talk or play cards.

The wind whipped rather strongly between 6-7 a.m., and there were large scattered clouds blowing past the tops of the surrounding skyscrapers. Every once-in-a-while you'd feel some moisture that was potentially rain…but then it would stop. The combination of wind and the typhoon weather reports had me on edge, but apparently the local Osaka residents weren't worried.

Apple staffers began arriving after 7 a.m. through the side door, and by 8 a.m. there was definitely the feeling that a grand opening was going to occur. There were more flower deliveries to the store, and the displays on the inside of the store were moved out to the left side of the entrance. I counted 970 persons in line at 7:30 a.m.

Steve Cano, regional manager of retail in Japan, appeared outside with Ron Johnson, Sr. V-P Retail for Apple, apparently to survey the storefront and the crowd. Cano's cellular phone rang and they both talked to a state-side store manager who called to congratulating them on the new store.

The sun finally won the battle over clouds around 9 a.m., and the temperature began to steadily increase. The press arrived, and totaled at least 20 still and TV photographers, accompanied by assistants with ladders, lights and microphones. Youichi, who was first in line, was interviewed at least four times by TV reporters, and no doubt gave an explanation of why here was there so early. The first 100 or so at the front of the line were photographed from every angle.

The Grand Opening

At 9 a.m. I made my final official count and found 1,388 persons in line. I came back down the line to find that staffers had come out of the store, pepped up the crowd in front, and then moved down the long line of overnighters to promote special items, specially prepared for this grand opening: an iPod holder and a nylon shoulder bag, both available in the various distinctive, annodized iPod Mini colors. I haven't seen those in U.S. stores.

About 9:30 a.m. someone noticed that a staffer was stacking iPod Minis on the table, beneath which were the commemorative grand opening T-shirt boxes. Immediately, someone else speculated on whether Apple would be giving away these iPod Minis to the first 250 persons into the store. But a quick word with an Apple staffer provided another explanation--if you wanted to buy an iPod Mini, you'd pick one up from the table, then take it to the back sales counter to pay for it.

There were about 250 iPod Minis stacked on that front table, and another 250 were visible near the sales counter and in display shelves. It's not clear how many Apple provided for the grand opening, but obviously they wanted this item, seemingly the perfect product for the gadgety Japanese market, to be very obtainable--at least on this day. I've been told that iPod Minis are available at the Ginza Apple store, but other retailers are quoting six-week availability.

The excitement and tension steadily built as the barrier tapes were rearranged to funnel the waiting line into the store. The store staff grouped on either side of the main store aisle, and some stood on the stairs and upstairs glass bridge. The manager of the store, drawn from the Ginza store, came out with Ron Johnson and Steve Cano, gave a short welcome speech in Japanese to the crowd of passersby and press in front. He then turned and walked over to those first in line, yelling over the clapping from the crowed, "Are you ready?" He then enthusiasticallly waved the line forward.

We shook hands with the manager, Johnson and Cano, and then entered the store to see the staff lined up on either side. The staffers were clapping, yelling and gave us "high-fives" as we passed by. There was clapping from staffers on the second floor, which would be renewed when another group of customers was allowed into the store. Many, if not most, of the people entering the store immediately queued up for the Lucky Bags being sold at the rear sales counter, leaving the downstairs products tables completely free of anyone. Apparently no one wanted to sacrifice their chance at a Lucky Bag to examine a G5.

Speaking of Lucky Bags, here's the list of contents:

That's pretty much the contents of the San Francisco version of the Lucky Bag, with the addtion of the AirMac Express, connection cables, AirMac card and two Griffin items (they call it "AirMac" in Japan, not "AirPort").

Interestingly, staffers handed out T-shirt boxes as everyone entered the store, instead of giving them to people as they left the store.

The glass staircase is as spectacular to climb as it is to view through the front window. It's almost impossible to keep your hands off the glass side panels as you climb up. The connecting hardware and the metal suspension rods are also hard not to man-handle as you pass them by. Upstairs a disc jockey played music with a heavy beat from two turntables, and the Mac Geniuses were clapping and dancing to the rhythm. From the top, the incoming daylight creates a "glow" effect on the glass staircase. I visited the store at 9 p.m., and noticed that it has a completely different appearance, since it's lit by a series of spirally-placed lights in the ceiling over the stairs, instead of below by daylight.

The layout of the store has its unique qualities. Downstairs, the various standard sections include desk and shelf displays, with the so-called "cashwrap" at the rear of the store. The ceiling doesn't seem quite as high as other stores, although I can't definitively say it's lower. In case it's not obvious from the photos, the flooring is stone on the ground floor.

Apparently because of space limitations and the staircase configuration, the second floor features a different lay-out than other flagship stores. The Genius Bar runs virtually the entire length of the upper floor, with the two-tow, 24-seat theater at the far end. But there is no Internet café, as in the newest flagship stores. There is also a secondary cashwrap island just as you come off the glass bridge--at Ginza, this cashwrap is against the wall. There are sit-down benches across from one section of the Genius Bar, and along one section of the balconey looking over the ground floor. The one set of benches and the cashwrap seem to take up some of the space that would have contributed to an Internet café.

Just like Ginza, much of the store's signage is in English, with price cards and some brochures in Japanese. The software shelf has English language copies of OS 10.3 and selected other programs.

Unlike U.S. stores, the store had a stereo system for sale, in connection with the AirMac Express device. It was displayed upstairs in the same section as speakers.

I left the store tired and satisfied at about 11:30 a.m. and went to have lunch. I returned at about 12:30 p.m. to find the line still stretched four blocks up the street and just slightly around the corner. Based on a partial hard count and an estimate, it appeared there were still 800 persons in line to get into the store.

In the afternoon, I visited the huge Sofmap electronics store in Den-Den, just south of Shinsaibashi. On the fourth floor I found their large Apple section, complete with used Macintosh computers that included an Mac Classic (2 Mb memory, 8 MHz speed, 1.44 Mb rigid-disk driver!) for about $45! They also had a good supply of Pismo-era laptops, Bondi blue G3s and other oldies. Their prices seem to match those at the Apple store--or vice-versa. Apparently Apple wants to be competitive with other retailers.

This store and others are big on what's called "collateral"--brochures, cards, posters, oversized replicas of software boxes and other items. Adobe, in particular, had a huge assortment of printed materials for its applications in the Macintosh section, and next door at its software-only store. Perhaps taking the hint, both the Ginza and Shinsaibashi stores have plastic holder with page-sized brochures for the G5 and Cinema Display lines, something I've never seen in the U.S.

I headed back to the Apple store at about 8 p.m. and found the waiting line was gone--but the store was still packed! I was amazed to see the number of persons who were actually engaged with the software in the "pro" and "home" sections. Instead of just browsing, or creating a blank word processing document, within eyesight I could see someone using InDesign, another Excel, and another Photoshop. Many other people were actually putting the computer to work with GarageBand, iMovie or iPhoto, too. It made me think that these weren't casual passersby who were coming into the store, but rather serious Mac users who now want to know what the store and Macs can do for them and their business.

Marketing in Japan is completely different than the United States. Products are commonly promoted on the sidewalks in both small and very grand methods. People are frequently at street corners handing out brochures or other little "sample" type items, or standing out in front of an establishment attempting to get passersby to come in. These hawkers have a particular pattern of talking that makes it clear what they're saying, even if you don't understand Japanese. It's also not uncommon to see a large fuzzy character standing on the corner waving and handing out brochures--some sort of mascot or animated character. Even beyond that, one cellular company took over an office building plaza near the Apple store to erect a sign-up counter, and assemble a group of women wearing gold-colored outfits with "CDMA 1x" and the company name on them, all to snag subscribers.

Which leads me to the the two Apple staffers who were out in front of the Apple store about 8:30 p.m. waving iPod Mini boxes over their heads, and loudly inviting passersby to come to see and buy them--a technique that American consumers think is a little low-brow. Here, it's a necessary method for more effectively promoting your product.

Funny story: The grand opening definitely generates some excitement. A group of American teen students was invited into the store before it opened as special guests as part of an education program. The music was playing, people were clapping and yelling when the store opened, and everything was pretty intense. One teen later told me he was so overcome with the moment that he called Steve Cano, "Mr. Jobs," much to the amusement of Cano.

Yes, the waiting line for Shinsaibashi was shorter than at Ginza. But the overnight event was much larger, and seemed much more diverse. There were quite a few women in the overnight group, more than I've seen at U.S. events. The energy level was somewhat lower inside the store at the moment of the grand opening, but I don't think it was from lack of enthusiasm.

Like the San Francisco grand opening, the Lucky Bag definitely took away from the initial excitement of the grand opening. Boom!--the doors open, excited people enter the store and…and then they do nothing but stand in-line for 20-30 minutes to buy the Lucky Bag. Instead of generating some movement and buzz, they're politely standing quietly in one spot and blocking the entire ground floor. Those who initially came in and went upstairs typified the trademark energy of grand openings, where there was music and clapping and some buzz. Not that way downstairs.

My thanks to everyone who e-mailed and talked to me via iChatAV--I appreciate the contact, help and hospitality. Also thanks to all the friendly folks in line who shared drinks, conversation, a chair, jokes and other necessities during the long day. I met and talked to many persons with whom I've exchanged e-mail over the past several weeks, and enjoyed seeing what they looked like!. And thanks to the store staff, who was friendly, cordial and enthusiastic. It's all about the people, and making the grand opening a special experience for everyone. With the enthusiastic crowd, the special store design and a great staff, we all succeeded in making it a memorable grand opening!

Epilogue—On the Monday after the grand opening, typhoon Chaba swept over the northern Japanese islands, causing extensive damage. We were happy to leave the island without experiencing the typhoon, but feel bad for the many residents who were victims of the storm.

Friday, Aug. 27

Designer and Mac enthusiast Youichi Nishida arrived first-in-line at 5:40 a.m., followed by Devin from the United States at 5:50 a.m. They have placed traffic-type cones on the outside portion of the sidewalk to prevent people from parking bikes and motorcycles there. The giant gingko trees provide excellent shade for the first five persons who are in line here at 11 a.m. So far the weather is partly cloudy and in the upper 80s, but some weather forecasts are calling for isolated or scattered thunderstorms later.

The press event is underway, with media arriving intermittently for the past hour. They are handing the attendees press kits, along with that familiar white box that has a greenish sticker on it--obviously the grand opening T-shirt. The inside of the T-shirt box is yellow this time--Ginza was red and San Francisco was lime-green.

The glass covering the side window is operated by remote control, and when activated the two glass panels slide outward into the wall so the display can be changed.

At 2 p.m. there are 15 people in line, in contrast to the 12 who overnighted at Ginza.

Several vans brought flowers to the store around 3:30 p.m., and they were placed in the perfect spot--beneath the spiral stairs. There has been additional presentations to different groups, some serious-looking and others more casual. It appears Apple was using some type of wrist-band identification system to differentiate the groups. Some groups received boxes that appeared to be 10% discount cards, while others emerged from their store tour with the classic white Apple bag containing a T-shirt box and a handful of papers. By 4 p.m. heat has subsided only slightly, and there are 36 persons in line--which could provide a hint of the number of people who will eventually turn out on Saturday.

The laptop batteries ran out around 5 p.m. here, so I'm back at the hotel to recharge them and file this report. There were 52 people in line at 6 p.m. Friday, so there's still room for anyone who wants a Lucky Bag!

The family and friends of employees reception was held about 5:30 p.m., as dozens of Apple employees came outside with their cellular phones, frantically dialing their invitees to rendezvous in front of the store. There were many employees and passersby taking photos of the store interior, lit up in the dusk light, and of their friends in front of the store. Inside, youngsters, moms and dads and others gave the glass staircase a thorough testing.

The traditional grand opening flower displays began arriving around 6 p.m., and were placed inside the store, on either side of the door way. The flowers blocked the impressive view of the inside, but then they also created an impressive display of congratulations from other companies around Osaka.

I could see the collection of 250 Lucky Bags at the rear point-of-sale counter, so that's where everyone with buying intentions should head. If you're not buying, steer clear of that back section!

I set up my Powerbook Titanium G4 on the traffic signal box in front of the store during the early evening, where the AirPort signal was reachable, and used Evocam to post a live Webcam shot of the storefront to the Web. I also had iChat running, and fielded many short conversations with persons from Japan and the United States. I was also able to connect with some stateside visitors using video iChat, and to show them the storefront.

I noticed a male store employee who had a completely shaved head--except for a patch of hair at the back of his head, in the outline of the traditional Apple logo. He never came outside the store, so I wasn't able to snap a photo, but this photo from Leander Kaheny's book cover is an inverse of what the store employee had.

At one point Steve Cano came out of the store, noticed the growing crowd and jokingly remarked that they may have to prepare extra commemorative T-shirts.

The temperature declined slightly from a high of 93 degrees as sunset approached. Any way you cut it, it's hot! I've met several of the persons with whom I've had only e-mail contact before, and they have all been very hospitable. I talked to one person from Australia who is teaching here, and who was attempting to find someone to tag-team for the overnighter, with the intention of buying a Lucky Bag. I've had my photo taken with one Mac enthusiast.

And yes…I'm watching Typhoon Chaba, heading toward Japan with 112 mph winds. It won't hit the islands until Monday, so it shouldn't delay my Sunday departure. But it could bring winds and rain ahead of the storm, which would dampen the grand opening.

About 9 p.m. the first fire engine arrived, followed by #2, #3, #4 and #5, then a chief's van and three ladders trucks. Many in the line rushed to help the firefighters keep the flames from reaching the Apple store--well, almost. Turns out there was smoke in a small electronics shop on Suomachi, the store's sidestreet. It was all over before it began, but it certainly raised the adreline level for a few minutes.

The security grating in front of the front windows was lowered about 10:30 p.m., reducing the opportunities for photos, but only slightly diminishing the AirPort reception near the front of the line. Someone much further back in the line had a wireless cellular card, and was able to set up his laptop to share his Internet connection with others nearby. But otherwise, you had to bring your laptop to the front window to make an AirPort link-up. Later, someone told me that he was able to connect to the store's AirPort system about 100 feet back in line, apparently because he was adjacent to the back-lit Apple logo, which created a hole in the stainless steel that otherwise prevented any signal beyond the front entrance to the store.

By 11 p.m. things were still rocking on the sidewalks, but unrelated to the Apple store grand opening. There were passersby of every description: businessmen on the way to dinner, couples heading to clubs, groups of guys and gals, etc. Traffic and taxis didn't disappear on Midosuji during the evening. In fact, it seemed to increased as the taxis trolled for people needing rides. Bicycle traffic on the sidewalk has been constant, forcing you to dodge them when you step over the very nice barrier tape that the security guards have put up. The line itself was pretty quiet, although many at the front pack did break out the alcohol--nothing rowdy, but certainly festive. There were 177 persons in line at 11 p.m.

There was a group of three young men from different states in the U.S., here in Japan for a semester of Japanese classes. They basically just arrived in Japan, but took the one hour train ride from school to spend the night in line. I also located a couple from Norway who was further back in line--no, they didn't fly in special. They were also here for school.

During the evening, one of the overnighters produced a huge stack of iTunes Music Store gift cards, which a friend in the United States had shipped to him. He was working the line, selling the $15 cards for ¥2,220, or US$20. The cards would allow a resident of Japan to purchase iTMS music, which is usually restricted to credit card holders with a U.S. address.

Thursday, Aug. 26 - Osaka

I spent the day collecting video clips and taking photos, and will post them later today. At the Ginza grand opening, I reported too many times that, "The weather is wet." In contrast, I will only say once that the weather here is hot! Fortunately, I've located all the AM/PM mini-mart stores in the area, and warned the employees of possible bulk purchases of bottled water! If you plan on standing in line for any length of time, plan on staying hydrated in some way.

Some have asked for a prediction on the line, and I'm forecasting a long line, and it will form early to insure the purchase of a Lucky Bag. Of course, I'd suggest making it an overnighter(!), but if you're not into social events and just want the bag, plan on a 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. arrival--at least.

Osaka is a huge city (pop. 2.8 million), and it's impossible to draw conclusions by navigating your way around a 12-block area of the city. But the Shinsaibashi area is definitely different than Tokyo's Ginza, and has a very particular feel to it. Perhaps its because the America-mura district is next to the store, or perhaps this is just a younger part of town. In any event, this is definitely a different experience than Tokyo.

At the Apple store, workers were pounding on the roll-down steel security grating this morning to make it fully functional, and working on the Midosuji side stainless steel siding--polishing at one point, pounding on corners with a hammer at another. One of the panels at either end of the store is actually on hinges, and opens up to reveal some type of plumbing or electricial equipment, and that's where some work was being done. A scissor-lift was hoisting workers to the upper reaches of the stainless steel paneling. Two ladders the workers used had towels wrapped around the legs to prevent any metal-to-metal contact with the siding. At about 5 p.m. workers were focused on the back-lit Apple logo, and there were several state-side employees outside working on the front display window. Lettering on the front window notes the store will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

The front glass doors slide outward to open, and they did several times while I was there--but only about 12-14 inches so a worker could squeeze in and out. I could see some of the typical furniture, computers, etc. Apple's Web site hasn't posted the traditional collection of interior photographs. After several visits, I was able to see the spiral glass staircase in the rear-left of the retail floor, just as depicted on the blueprint I revealed two days ago--it was a brief glimpse that confirmed only that it exists, but I couldn't tell how many times it spirals, etc.

I understand the store has a staff of 55, including 8 Mac Geniuses.

Update! Workers removed the black plastic covering the front window some time after 5 p.m. when I took the first set of photos. I took photos of the inside, showing the glass staircase, which is spectacular! The store has a particular side-to-side orientation, instead of front-back. The combination of the stairs, store orientation and angled entrance make for a very compelling view into the store from the sidewalk and corner. I have a feeling that even passing motorists will have a hard time missing the interior of the store on the way by!

Wednesday, Aug. 25 - Osaka, Japan

I've arrived in sultry Osaka after a business class bump-up by United Airlines (thank you!), and a 85-minute bus ride into the city. I anxiously walked the two blocks from the Nikko Hotel to the store-- only to find the stainless steel siding and back-lit Apple logo providing any evidence of the new retail store. The angled front entrance is totally covered in black plastic, preventing any view of the inside. Three security guards stand sentry on both sides of the store, and at the front door. Traffic cones and barricades block any approach to within 8 feet of the store itself.

There is a scissor-lift on the far right end of the storefront, and there is still some brown paper protective material covering the stainless steel at the 2nd floor level. Obviously there is still work to be completed before opening day on Saturday. There is also some plywood covering the sidestreet employee entrance area.

The store itself is not intimidating. It's only about 55 feet deep by my measure, but almost 100 feet wide on Midosuji. Like the Ginza store, the store is built inside an office building, which has a car parking garage directly at the back of the building, further taking away available floor space. From the sidewalk, you can see that the 3rd, 4th and possible 5th floors have not been finished from their renovation. I can only assume Apple will occupy one or more of these floors (like Ginza) for training classrooms.

So in general, my first view was a non-event. I'll be there when they remove the window covering, to report on exactly what's inside.

The area around the Apple store is a maze of shops for the trendy and mostly-young. The demographics are entirely different here than at Ginza (Tokyo). Walking the side streets of Midosuji at 8 p.m. Wednesday night, I was the oldest person in sight--by far. Instead, the neighborhood is occupied by a younger, hipper, fashion-oriented crowd, who might just happen to be Apple enthusiasts. There's a triangle west of the store where hipsters hang up after visiting the nearby McDonalds or AM/PM minimart. From there, it's a half-block to the giant Big Step vertical mall, or going the other way, to a maze of streets selling Americanized clothing. There are hundreds of parked bicycles, motorscooters and motorcycles lining Midosuji, and you have to dodge the bicycles as you walk.

In contrast, Midosuji is a broad, busy, one-way street that streaks past the Apple store location, and meets up with Nagahori street just 3 blocks from the Apple store. There are lots more of the name brand, international retailers located here, including Louis Vitton, Versace, Gap, J. Crew and Chanel. The Daimaru department store is virtually across the street from the Apple store.

Tuesday, Aug. 24 - USA

I'm scheduled to leave San Francisco for Osaka at 12:40 p.m. California time today, and will arrive Wednesday afternoon in Japan. I'll immediately head for the Shinsaibashi Apple store to take the first photos and post an update right here!

Then stay tuned to this Web site for my on-going exclusive reports direct from Osaka on the grand opening of Apple's second Japan store! As I post photos and videos, I'll be adding links in the left column.

Also, I'll be keeping a running diary here of the grand opening event, including the line that forms in anticipation of the grand opening. You'll recall that the Ginza store generated a line of over 2,000 persons at one point!

I'll be checking a special e-mail address during my trip, and will also be on iChatAV (see left column). If you have questions, comments, restaurant tips (!) or other information, or would like to iChatAV by video, just zip me an e-mail or tune in with iChatAV! I'm planning to be available on-line mostly during the period 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. (PDT).

The weather forecast is for warm temperatures both day and night, and partly cloudy to sunny weather. That means I'll be able to have my laptop open as long as the batteries stay charged, and I can surf the Web and communicate via iChatAV (text or video). I'll also try to have a Webcam going during parts of the overnight event.

Here's my schedule adjusted for U.S. times:

• arrive in Japan: 11 p.m. Calif. time (PDT), Tuesday the 24th
• overnight event starts: ~1 a.m. PDT, Thursday the 26th
• grand opening: 6 p.m. PDT, Friday the 27th