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Japanese electronics store cleverly disguises its elevator to make it look exactly like a train

Koh Ruide May 6, 2019
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Feels almost like an amusement park ride.

Our Japanese-language crack reporter Mr. Sato examined his surroundings warily as soon as he stepped out of the train and into Machida Station in Tokyo. While he would’ve loved to visit to the nearby Squirrel Garden to see hundreds of cute furry critters, today he was on a mission. He he was here for Bic Camera, a huge electronics chain store that recently opened one of its branches in the connecting Odakyu Department Store.

Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, Mr. Sato strode toward the western exit where elevators would supposedly take him to a shopper’s paradise.

▼ Numerous Bic Camera banners told him he was going the right way.

Yet he must have taken a wrong turn despite all the directional signs, for he arrived at another platform with a train just about to leave, right back where he started.

▼ “Dang it! Where am I now?” Mr. Sato muttered under his breath.

Wondering idly why the train was not moving off as timely as it normally did, it was then that Mr. Sato realized he was right where he should be.

▼ “Wait, these are actually elevators?” he exclaimed.

A close inspection revealed that everything was cleverly designed to fool people into thinking it was an actual train: warning labels, lanes to queue in, sliding doors, even the windows offer a peek into convincing scenery. The only detail betraying its true function was the floor indicator displayed on top of the doors.

▼ Mr. Sato still half-expected it to leave the platform any moment.

▼ There was even a door for the train conductor.

▼ He thought the illusion would only last until the door opened. He was glad he was wrong.

▼ The ride to the seventh and eighth floor where Bic Camera was situated
left Mr. Sato grinning all the way.

▼ Customers going to other floors also get to enjoy the ride.

▼ What a cool and awesome way to advertise.

小田急線みたいな顔してるだろ。ウソみたいだろ。エレベーターなんだぜ。それ。#ビックカメラ町田店 pic.twitter.com/2AJVmwhvAR

— ビックカメラ (@biccameraE) February 21, 2019

Mr. Sato left a very happy customer that day, but even if you have no intention of shopping at Bic Camera, he recommends making a trip there just to experience the illusion.

While there are plenty of fancy elevators in Japan, this one definitely belongs at the top of that list.

Location
Odakyu Department Store Machida / 小田急百貨店町田店
Address: Tokyo-to, Machida-shi, Haramachida, 6-12-20
東京都町田市原町田6丁目12番20号
Open: 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. (Monday to Saturday)
10 a.m.-8 p.m. (Sunday)

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[ Read in Japanese ]