First visit to Johnny’s Island Store
I finally made a trip down to this new shop called “Johnny’s Island Store” that opened in Shibuya Seibu Department Store on 30 May 2019.
The reason why I couldn’t just drop by anytime is that they don’t accept walk-in, but only if you have registered and reserved your date/timeslot online in advance. It sounds a little crazy but then if they don’t do this, I think the other customers will be very annoyed by the crowd of fangirls.
How to make a reservation online
Basically you need to check out their official online page using your smartphone browser and see if the reservation is open for the dates you are planning to visit.
If yes, once you have read the terms & conditions, you can click on the blue button to send a blank email to the designated address.
It will then send you an email with instructions on how to register your name, desired dates and timeslots within the schedule they have given.
I registered on 22 August, the confirmation came on 29 August and I got to make the actual visit on 2 September. Nothing too tricky, but that’s of course if you can read Japanese.
On the day of visit
I was scheduled to gather at 18:15, so that we can enter the store at 18:30. It’s located in Shibuya, B1 of Seibu Department Store Tower B.
I seldom come to this department store but it wasn’t difficult to find this place since it’s just next to the Tsutaya/Starbucks building you will see at the famous scramble crossing.
I just thought it’s a little amusing that the 1st floor of this department store is all luxury brands like Hermes, Cartier, etc. then in B1, you have Johnny’s Island Store…
“Live” QR code
I arrived around 18:00 which was a little early but nonetheless showed the staff the page with the “live” QR code of my ticket in order to gather at a corner at the entrance of the department store and wait till 18:15.
In case you think you can just take a screenshot of your QR code, it seems like they don’t allow this. So you have to make sure you are well-connected to your data or wifi to load the page and show your “live” QR code.
Once the time hits 18:15, the staff led us downstairs to the store, spend the next 15 minutes explaining to us how the purchase process works.
More QR codes
First, there is a QR code that the staff needs us to scan onto our phones to activate an app that will open up the page to scan the QR codes of each photo later, and within that app, there’s a page showing the list of products, a search page, and your shopping cart page.
My head is already thinking… maybe they are trying to be high tech but too many QR codes? LOL Nevertheless, while the staff is still going around to make sure everyone has the QR code of the app, I was already exploring what’s inside this app. By the time, the staff needs to explain how the app works, I am already done and waiting “impatiently” to enter the store. *oops*
Finally, it’s 18:30! (You have to give it to the Japanese staff sometimes for being on the dot.) Time to enter the store! By batch though!! No rushing in like crazy animals.
So what’s inside this store?
To clarify, this store is mainly featuring Johnny’s Jr. so if you are looking for other debut group members OR the “older” Johnny’s Jr., then you will have to go to the other store “Johnny’s Shop” in Harajuku.
Photos section
Basically, in the first section, they have TONS of photos. Each photo sells at 160 JPY. I am way over the period of sweeping photos, but I still had a lot of fun staring at their handsome and funny faces.
Goods section
Come to the next section and they have window displays of the products like clear files, ticket files, posters, acrylic stands, photo hangers. They have the group and individual versions of below groups.
SixTONES
Snow Man
Travis Japan
HiHi Jets
美 少年
7 MEN 侍
宇宙SIX
MADE
なにわ男子
Lilかんさい
Aぇ！group
Photo hangers
The funniest products I see are actually the photo hangers. I was wondering who will buy these but I was wrong!
Apparently the purpose is to hang those and “dress” them up with whatever clothes you have. It’s like the hanger version of Barbie dolls I guess. Just search for “フォトハンガー ジャニーズ” on Google and you will see what I mean.
I did get SixTones products just as some “souvenirs”… but I can see that the shop staff were very surprised that I didn’t get any photos at all. I look at the receipts of the other young fangirls, and they were long… probably a lot of amazing photos.
Once I have my items selected, I went over to the cashier and paid for my purchase, and then they have a waiting space to collect your items. That’s when I was watching some videos they were playing about how some of these idols visited this store just before the opening.
And I was out of the store in 10 minutes. That’s how long I took to look at photos, products, paid and collect my items. I think it will probably take a longer time for those who purchased photos since the staff has to gather those photos.
“Lovesick”?!?!
Overall, the feel of the store is like a clinic because the shop space is very clean and bright, staff was dressed in those doctor’s white coat. You have to pay for your purchase at one corner where they will scan your purchase (Yes QR code!) and give you a receipt with a number which they will call for you to collect your medicine (oops!) I mean purchase.
Oh well, I guess the fangirls who visited are “lovesick”, so the store is there to “cure” them of some “love sickness”.
