AKB48 cafe opens in Osaka
Entertainment ( 31 )
OSAKA —
AKB48 CAFE & SHOP NAMBA, dedicated to the mega-popular group, opened in Osaka on Thursday, with seven members of AKB48 and Kansai-based sister group NMB48 attending.
The store is the 1st AKB48 cafe to open in the Kansai region and will carry original AKB48 and NMB48 goods. The store’s interior features walls displaying the members’ autographs and 16 TV monitors showing promotional videos and live footage.
The menu includes original dishes that were reportedly put together by the girls themselves, as well as sweets and drinks named after group members.
The band’s management say that despite the bad weather, around 650 fans dropped by to see the girls talk about the Osaka-themed dishes at a pre-opening event on Wednesday night. Aya Yamamoto of NMB48 said, “Osaka is famous for its flour-based dishes such as ‘takoyaki’ and ‘okonomiyaki.’ I’d like to see an okonomiyaki-style salad on the menu.”
The cafe is a three-minute walk from Namba Station on the JR and subway lines.
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31 Comments
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0
Gurukun
I wonder if they are trying to open 48 of those AKB48 cafes. I'll be sure not to go.
0
some14some
it was possible in bubble era, not now...hope this cafe doesn't graduate like one of group members Maeda and call maitta ne (i give up...) ! .
1
kurisupisu
Scintillating news!
-5
tmarie
For the love of God JT please stop reporting about them. I can't escape them. They're on the train, on TV (can't escape them there at all), on the radio... Please give me ONE media outlet that I am safe. My computer is safe except here.
4
southsakai
Thanks this AKB48 is getting beyond creepy. Everywhere we go, AKB48 stunting in our faces!
What's next? okay here's a few i can think off.
AKB48 Search Engine ( compete the Google and Bing ) AKB48 Department Store ( Compete with Takashimaya and Daimaru ) AKB48 Photo shop ( sell point - get a free pic with AKB48! ) AKB48 Holiday Tours company ( Travel where members of AKB48 have traveled ) AKB48 Pillowcase ( Sweet dreams every night ) The list goes on....
I'll make sure to stay out of the three-minute walk from Namba Station radius.
Thank you JT
0
Yubaru
southsaki you forgot one...how about AKB funeral parlors and AKB headstones on graves!
It's no wonder that people worry about the dumbing down of Japan with "idols" like these.
-1
Jotter Verhaeghe
Wow the one in Osaka is opened later than the one in Fukuoka :p.
8
papasmurfinjapan
Open 48 hours a day!
-3
Thunderbird
This news made my day.
0
cactusJack
These shops will all close in 5 years or less. Mark my words.
0
Wakarimasen
There is an AKB fan shop in Hong Kong now. Lots of sleazy old Chinese men going in and out. Why is this kind of pap so popular across Asia?
-1
marcelito
Osaka otaku must be over the moon.
3
oikawa
They should diversify into AKB48 soaplands. That's where the real money is.
-1
Liberty Joe Lowe
Tokyo, Osaka, and wakarimasen said there is one in Hong Kong Next? Paris, New York, Milan, London, Singapore, KL.....
-1
NinjaDave
Could be a good place for the Police to monitor, may likely find a few Gary glitter types amongst the patrons.
0
stipend
Straight up.
0
oberst
@Oikawa, You have a very sound business mind. I was about to post something along similar line ( you beat me to it ).
Actually, AKB 48 should have their own natural fruit juices ( bottom up at the AKB48 cafe ) and their very individual lines of underwears ( 48 glorious color combination )...................
-2
SushiSake3
W.O.W!
News about AKB48 on JT.
Shocking!!! :-)
0
Cary Layton
Soon AKB48 shall control ALL of japan... Bwahahahah!!
-1
Green Panda
Smart marketing tactic. Now you don't have to actually like AKB48 to eat there, although it helps.
I wonder if they'll open more cafes and expand as a chain. It would be interesting if one day people would still be eating at these cafes after the groups have retired.
0
Eve Aphayboun
@ Green Panda
Completely agree. From a marketing and advertising perspective, this is a logical step forward to building out the AKB48 brand. Would be interesting to actually try the dishes available.
0
vinnyfav
Actually AKB48 does have a presence in Singapore. They do send one of their youth or sister groups to perform once a month or something, in their own theatre? I'm a little fuzzy on the details, unfortunately.
I've never been a fan of girl bands and boy bands, whether they be Korean, Japanese or Irish, but well, pop culture phenomena is interesting in their own right. The study of such niche subculture is... something none of you probably want to hear me ramble on about, but yeah. Pretty cool stuff.
-2
Wolfpack
And the article is in the Entertainment section of JT - that's even more Shocking!!! :-> I like to read hard hitting news stories whenever I go to Entertainment section. I can't understand why something so frivolous as this fluff piece about the most popular idol music group in the entire country of Japan could be found in the Entertainment section - of the Japan Today website (of all places). That's so very strange.... hmmm....
-2
Cos
Great ! That will be a novelty for us in Osaka.
-1
Serrano
Cool!
0
YuriOtani
If you do not like them, do not go to the cafe.
0
Serrano
Yuri - Exactly, exactly!
0
salaryman
wow i gotta check it out. Still waiting for a SKE48 café though ;)
-1
Aliasis
I get so depressed about Japan's musical and social future whenever I read one of these stupid articles about AKB... they opened another shop dedicated to underage, factory made, plastic surgery girls prancing around in high school uniforms singing like chipmunks.
-1
Matthew Knowles
Given the size of the queues I saw outside the one in Akihabara, I'm sure it'll be very popular.
-2
lrodriguezsosa
Then the world. I couldn't be happier.
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