Introducing Mirai Store Tokyo - the first in a series of bricks n mortar stores by Culture Japan. Come visit anytime during open hours! No need to contact me asking "can I visit the store" - just come during open hours ^^
Mon - Fri, 10 - 6PM (Lunch is 1 - 2). If nobody about just linger for a bit ^^
Japan public holidays are off. Nearest station is Gotanda on the JR line or Ikegami line. Use the link below for directions. If you got no Internets, save a map in your mobile by typing in your google maps "OK MAPS" and it will cache a map of the area - as long as you got GPS you will find it.
English
MIRAI STORE TOKYO
NISHI GOTANDA BUILDING 1F
SHINAGAWA-KU NISHI GOTANDA 3-6-33
TOKYO
Japanese
MIRAI STORE TOKYO
東京都品川区西五反田3-6-33
西五反田ビル1階
Map > http://buff.ly/1tn0rDI
Queries > support at smartdoll.jp (even for non Smart Doll related questions)
Folks should not send anything to the above address as the security guards dispose of any item that we do not register as being expected.
Folks should not leave donuts on the doorstep (like folks have done before) or linger about expecting jobs to be handed to them (like folks have done before) ;-;
This is our office building. We currently occupy the first and second floor. Do not go up to the second floor as security guards will shoot on sight if you don't carry the Quantum Dongle (no joke).
When you come into the main entrance you will see the black door to the shop - press the bell and prepare to take your shoes off inside the shop. When in Japan, some establishments will ask you to remove shoes so best not to wear moccasins which you need to spent 20 years tying up.
Folks should note that they will be safe and happy with our cloud camera streaming system which starts to stream to YouTube and Nico Nico during disastrous events.
Just past the door you will see an area for your shoes, skateboards or speeder bikes.
Our first store! I didn't make sense to splurge on interior with custom furniture at this moment in time so we went with what we've always gone with - IKEA.
The store is also a place for our staff to relax too which is why we got the sofa and games corner here. Staff who roadbike to work leave their two wheelers here too.
If its in stock on our online store then its in stock in our retail store too. Usually products will go on sale in the retail store first before it gets online. There are some items which are only available in the retail store too.
We always have stock of our flagship product Smart Doll. Here we have Mirai Suenaga on the left and Kizuna Yumeno on the right - no need to reserve - just walk in and exchange for your zenny.
A prototype of Smart Doll 007 Ebony is also display in the retail store.
We also have all our apparel items that we sell being modeled by our girls.
The girl next to Ebony is Ivory.
We also have prototype apparel on display before they go to market - here we have Kizuna sporting some up n coming items.
Kizuna and Mirai and their bridesmaids.
Unlike many Japanese hobby stores - you can take as many photos as you want of whatever you want.
You can also play about with the Smart Doll female and male bodies and even stick on your own doll head to see what it looks like. The bodies are not on sale right now though.
We got our 2015 selection of T-shirts in the store too.
Any poster that is up in the shop is also for sale.
And here are our Japanese learning products Moekanji and Moekana by the checkout.
We try to use technology as much as possible to streamline workflows - we use Shopify POS to manage purchases which is linked with our online store inventory too. We accept cash, and visa + master.
We are in the middle of applying to be a Tax Free store but until then folks need to pay the 8% extra on top of the bill.
We also use cloud cameras for the security of our customers too. For many moons we used Dropcam but since they got bought out by Nest, the stability of the product went kaput so we are slowly migrating all our cloud cams to Foscam C1. Our remaining Dropcams will still be in service until their subscriptions runs out.
Some cloud cameras are visible but some have been torn apart and implanted in some of the Smart Dolls ^^;
Our mascot character Mirai Suenaga has been working with the Japanese government to make some maps of Japan and the Kanto region - pick up a free map when you visit. Mirai also made a map with the Malaysian government too that you can also pickup.
If you want to have a chit chat with me then ask the store staff. Depending on what meetings I'm in etc, I may be able to come down but may not be able to spend too long ><
If I do have a bit of time and there is nothing ninja secret happening on the second floor, I can give you a short tour of the Smart Doll production area. I carry a Quantum Dongle so you won't be shot when on the second floor.
Our retail store has actually been open for the whole of July so far and been available to folks who simply asked for the address ^^
These folks from Australia choose Kizuna ^o^
There are a few reasons why I decided to open a retail store and do so in an area that does not have high volume of foot traffic.
The first reason being that we always had folks come to the office to pick up goodies but sometimes it wasn't convenient especially when there was some of that ninja secret stuff going on - the retail store allows folks to come in anytime during opening hours.
Having the retail store located on the first floor of our building is strategically very important for logistics reasons. Stock moves from the second floor to the first floor and we can remain in constant 1 x 1 contact with store staff.
The other reason is space -I didn't expect we would run out of space so quick >< We had 200 square meters this time last year when we moved in ;-;
I didnt want to cram everybody on the 2nd floor either. I believe that employees need a certain about of open space to breathe and think!
My staff have a tough time traveling to work as sardines on a train and I don't want them continuing the ordeal during work too.
Our operating costs have gone up since we took the first floor but we needed more space to expand anyway. Have of the 1st floor is the retail store while the other half is our apparel studio and shipping department.
Do not walk into the apparel area or the security guards will shoot you (no joke).
In our apparel studio we have two designers from the fashion industry who work on prototypes. Some of the prototypes are turned into products by our vendors but there are some items that our vendors just can't handle...
So far no vendor has been able to handle the recently launched Camisole for Smart Doll. Because our designers originally designed for humans - their Smart Doll sized designs inherit human quality folds and stitches.
You can also meet Eiji Smart Doll Prototype 1 in the retail store too.
OK thats it for now - I'm going to leave you with photos taken in the store.
Hope to see you soon! Or if you have already visited then leave a message below!
