Cool Hunting

Steve Trautlein, for metropolis.japantoday.com, reports on the gorgeous new Apple Store in Tokyo.

By opening their five-story Ginza branch in a can't-miss location across the street from fabled depato Matsuya, Apple looks to build on the success of its US-based stores by importing that same formula into Tokyo. Tech gurus, artists, architects and musicians will all be on hand in the coming weeks to inaugurate Apple's first foray outside the US, while workshops will preach the Mac mantra to PC-weary Tokyoites.

"Our [dedicated] customers will find us wherever we put a store," said Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs, who was on hand for the opening festivities. Jobs added that they chose the location of the spacious, brightly lit shop-which has the widest uninterrupted storefront in all of Ginza-for both prestige and the ability to draw in curious window-shoppers. "We also wanted to capture people who know Windows. We want to ambush them."

Besides the full slate of Japan-available Macs, the Ginza branch features iPods, digital cameras and camcorders. For Mac newbies, Apple offers instruction in the form of its "Studio Series" sessions, which introduce both hardware and specialized. Ranging in price from •11,000-•16,000, the four-hour, two-session classes take place in a dedicated learning studio on the fifth floor.

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Check out this video by Masanori Fukumoto of the line outside the store on opening day... Insane!