Re: [tlug] ... Rant about Akihabara

[Raymond Wan <rwan.kyoto@example.com>]

On Fri, Jun 15, 2012 at 4:00 AM, Lyle H Saxon <llletters@example.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Jun 15, 2012 at 12:42 AM, Raymond Wan <rwan.kyoto@example.com> wrote:
>> My first time in Akihabara was in the late 90s.  I can't
>> remember 'back then' very well, but I think there were fewer
>> large electronic stores scattered across Tokyo.  I think
>> this was the pre-Bic Camera and pre-Yodobashi Camera days.
>> So, Akihabara was the place to go.
> You have the right picture, but the details are off a little.  I
> shopped at Sakuraya Camera and Yodobashi Camera in Shinjuku and Bic
> Camera in Ikebukuro in the early-1980's, so they definitely existed,
> but computers barely did!  Yodobashi Camera was called Yodobashi
> *Camera* for a reason!  Their main business was focused on
> photography!  Also, back then, basically Bic Camera was in Ikebukuro
> and Yodobashi Camera was in Shinjuku and that was about it.  Since


haha -- I see!  I'm not into photography that much so even back then,
I don't think I would have noticed any store that just sold cameras.
I didn't realize Bic and Yodobashi camera have been around for so
long!


> to be "pre-Yodobashi Camera"!  From Wikipedia:
>
> Yodobashi Camera History:
> 1960 - Started off as Fujisawa Shashin Shokai


Thanks for this; I'll take a look at the Wikipedia page some more later.  :-)


> You may be right, but a lot of former high-class department stores in
> Tokyo have become discount electronics stores.  The Yurakucho Sogo
> became Bic Camera, the Kichijoji Mitsukoshi became Yodobashi Camera,
> the Ikebukuro Mitsukoshi became... what's the name?  Lobo?  Whatever
> the name is, it's a large discount electronics store.


Wow...I've left Japan and I didn't realize all of this has happened.
I saw the Yurakucho Sogo and the Ikebukuro MItsukoshi in its last
days.  I wonder if the new company has any intention to hire staff
from the companies that use to exist there.  If so, I suppose it would
be understandable if the staff don't know what Linux is.  :-)

So, not sure if you remember, but was there a very big T-Zone in
Akihabara in the 1990s?  In the same building that AKB48's theatre is
in (among other things...)?  Is that correct?  I bought my first
laptop there and that was the first time I had so much cash on
me...scary for someone who wasn't raised in Japan.  :-D  Anyway, the
building looks right but can't be too sure.

Ray