The Old School Otaku Lounge

This might be OT but I was just watching CBS News and they mentioned Costco coming to Japan. That should be interesting. We have Costco in Canada as well but not where I am, so I have no experience with them. Should be interesting to find out what they will be selling and if the mark up will be the same as the US at 15%.

They actually already have some in Japan, but there's some new locations coming soon: http://www.costco.co.jp/p/locations?lang=en

A friend of mine's been to the Hisayama location and she said it was really cool. It made her feel like she was back home in the US. XD

Wow! They'll put them in Japan and Thailand but they gave up on my city. Then again, apparently Wal-Mart fought tooth and nail to prevent them coming in. Oh well, Target opens its first store here next month and we already have 3 Wal-Marts and a Toys 'R' Us...

I have a few friends who go to Costco Japan and they always took pictures inside. But those who do go, those friends are not in the Tokyo area.

The concept of buying in bulk seems to freak out even my Japanese friends. In fact, when I went to Tokyo, I purchased several bags to store in the fridge as I didn't want to go to 7-11 for the next two days. My friend said it will be unusual to Japanese as they tend to buy what they need at the time than buy extra.

That sounded weird but I went and purchased things and Japanese were astonished I was holding several bags worth of stuff.

Heck, when I go grocery shopping, I'm so used to holding bags of stuff to my car or from my car to my house, I never thought it was a big deal.

But interesting difference of perspectives.

Costco has been in Japan for quite a while. I think the first one opened up in Chiba. I was married in Tokorozawa, Saitama-ken in 2001, and most of the catered food was bought at Costco.

I've never been to a Costco in Japan myself, but I understand that a Costco membership is good at any Costco all over the world.

Note that they are MILES from anything, if you live in Tokyo. It is generally an entire day devoted, and you need a car... something many Tokyoites don't have (myself included). I don't know how delivery works, but I don't think it's very good (IE, not like how most stores do delivery). Ikea has definitely nailed it though.

Is not 'The Flying Pig' owned by Costo in Japan? At least, when they send me the monthly shop, it all seems to come in Costco boxes...

Unfortunately, they are only a small selection of locations, mostly in the Tokyo and Chiba area though there is one in Fukuoka and one just opened in Hiroshima a short time ago. Unfortunately, not one in Tochigi