This is one of a series of “installations” created by IKEA along a tree-lined boulevard that leads to the Outer Gardens of Meiji Jingu near Gaienmae subway station. Called “IKEA 4.5 Museum,” basically each box (there are 14 of them) presents a 4.5-mat tatami room and shows various ways you could decorate it with a notice displayed outside showing how much the items will cost at IKEA’s new store (I’d like to know how much this advertising is costing them!). The room pictured above is called the “Wild Animal Room.”
The new store — their first in Japan — opens April 24th in Chiba (at the location where that SSAWS indoor ski slope used to be). Naoko and I are big IKEA fans (I’m not ashamed to admit that practically my whole San Francisco apartment was from IKEA at one point), and we’ve both been following the progress of their long-overdue appearance in Japan. Most shopping outside of books and cameras leaves me bored to tears, but for some reason I do enjoy furniture and home decorating shopping. And with Costco nearby at Makuhari, we’ll now be able to kill two super-shopping birds with one car trip.
One of Gary and my former co-workers is part of the IKEA opening team. Perhaps she can arrange for an item signed by Ingvar for you 🙂
Anyway, yes, we are waiting too. Some new furniture at decent size and price is desperately required here (including a sofa at last), and we will make our way down there soon after opening. Looking forward to the meatballs too.
Your mention of advertising is the first I hear, because I have not seen any ads anywhere. It almost appeared as if the opening is not happening. Judging from the Japanese web site http://www.ikea.co.jp, which was full of strange content (“create a better everyday life for the many people”) and broken links, things seemed far from ready. [Last time I checked i.e. one week ago, seems to be fixed now, except the silly phrase on top]
Waaah!
Costco’s in Japan now? How far from Minami-Senju?
Must share with the group when you go. Curious about what they have there. And do they have the US$1.50 hot dog & drink deal?
I’m in San Francisco and I actually prefer going to the East Palo Alto store rather than the zoo in Emeryville. It’s bigger and has more parking…
Well, there’s a Costco at Makuhari, in Chiba. Problem is it’s not really accessible by train (well, I guess there’s a bus from Funabashi station and then you can have Costco deliver your stuff, but really it’s a car-needed place). There’s also one in Machida (Kanagawa). They have hot dogs and pizzas like the US ones, though I don’t remember off-hand the pricing (i’m a veggie so I don’t do dogs 🙂 ).
I didn’t know Ikea had a store in East Palo Alto, maybe that’s been build since I left SF (2002)….interesting to here the Emeryville location is *still* a zoo.
I understand from the old Japan Today new service, now changed over to some other service with a slightly screwed up site, that there is a new store opening in Tokyo with a very big Swedish self service restaurant (700 seats).
I can only remember a couple items from eating at street fairs in America: some kind of fried florette with sprinkled powdered sugar, doughballs with the same plus raspberry jam, and meatballs. Does this restaurant serve the same?