Google Opens Its First Flagship Store Outside the US, in Tokyo
Listen to the story
Google has opened a new flagship store in the Omotesando area of Tokyo, Japan. This is the company's first flagship store outside the United States.
According to the online media outlet KAI-YOU, it is also the largest Google Store the company has ever built.
Visitors to the store can try the latest smartphones from Google. They can also try creating their own avatar, a digital picture that represents a person, using new technology at the store.
The opening was celebrated with a special event, which two well-known Japanese celebrities attended: Ren Nagase from the group King & Prince, and actress Ayami Nakajo.
During the event, there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a common way to officially open a new building or shop. However, the scissors did not cut the ribbon properly. Ayami Nakajo stepped in to help fix the situation.
Ren Nagase also spoke about his own experience of moving to Tokyo as a second-year high school student, looking back on that time in his life.
Vocabulary5 words
- flagship store
- the biggest, most important shop of a company
- avatar
- a digital picture that represents a person
- ribbon-cutting ceremony
- a small event where people cut a ribbon to open a new place
- media outlet
- a company that shares news
- celebrity
- a famous person
Quiz
Answer key
1. It is Google's first flagship store outside the US and its largest 2. The scissors did not cut the ribbon properly 3. Moving to Tokyo as a high school student
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Google has opened a new _____ in the Omotesando area of Tokyo, Japan.
This is the company's first flagship store outside the _____.
It is also the _____ Google Store the company has ever built.
Visitors to the store can try the latest _____ from Google.
They can also try creating their own _____, a digital picture that represents a person.
Two well-known Japanese _____ attended the opening event.
There was a _____, a common way to officially open a new building.
The scissors did not cut the _____ properly.
Ren Nagase spoke about moving to Tokyo as a second-year _____ student.
Discussion questions
- Would you like to visit a Google Store? Why or why not?
- What do you think about creating a digital avatar of yourself?
- Why do companies often hold ribbon-cutting ceremonies?
- Do you think celebrities help attract attention to store openings? Why?