Location: 1-5-5 Shinsaibashi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka, Japan

Number: 82

Grand Opening: Saturday, August 28, 2004 at 10 a.m., with "Lucky Bags" for $271, limited to 250 bags. See the special grand opening report.

First in Line: Youichi at 5:40 a.m., followed by Devin at 5:50 a.m.

Building: Similar to the Ginza store, the store will occupy the first two floors of an 8-story office building that Apple has renovated. The building is home to several businesses, including travel agencies. It's located on Midousuji street, the very wide, tree-lined main street of the Shinsaibashi shopping district, which also is home to Rolex, Chanel, Bulgari, Coach, J. Crew, Versace, Louis Vuitton, Herme's, Mont Blanc and many other stores.

Features: The 7,000 square-foot store will feature a suspended, spiral glass staircase from the ground floor to the upper floor, designed by engineer James O'Callaghan of the UK's Eckersley O’Callaghan Structural Design firm, at the time working as a Sr. Associate of Dewhurst Mcfarlane and Partners PC (NY). The glass itself was prepared and cast by Depp Glass Inc. (NYC), and the stairway was fabricated at Seele GmbH & Co. (Germany). (magazine article)

Media: official store Web page / Job openings / map of area / Aug. 22 photos

Comments: Officially announced by Steve Jobs at the Ginza (Tokyo) press event in Nov. 2003, with a Fall 2004 opening date. It's the second retail store in Japan, and holds a similar location of importance in the city's high-end shopping district.

The store has a staff of 55.

According to a JapanInc.com story, "In terms of dimensional space, Midosuji (Street) is a true Champs Elysees, longer than the Parisian original and wider than Tokyo's Omotesando. Until recently it was a dull street housing indistinguishable head office buildings. Gradually the original tenants are moving out (due in part to consolidation in the financial sector) and building owners are finding new tenants. The city plans to make the street more like the attractive boulevard. It is crying out to be by widening the pavement in places and changing the traffic flow."

photo taken August 12, 2004