RFID Fitted Throughout Tokyo Ginza Shopping Center

Liam Cromar writes "In one of several RFID trials being held in Japan, the famous Ginza shopping area in Tokyo has been blanketed with around 10,000 RFID tags and other beacons. The trial got underway earlier this month, and general trials should start on January 21st 2007. Four languages, including English, will be supported by the service, which uses hand-held RFID terminals to get information about shops in the centre, including special offers and restaurant menus."

Re:Doesn't seem feasible to me

[badasscat]

Hardly anyone would be willing to pay for the ability to carry around a little 3 1/2" shopping buddy, and the shopping center would lose their shirt if they just handed them out

Ginza's technically a city, not a "shopping center" as the headline here suggests. If I lived in Ginza, I'd be pretty offended at my city being basically labeled one big shopping mall!

(Tokyo itself is not a city; it's a prefecture made up of a couple dozen wards, one of which is Ginza.)

Re:Doesn't seem feasible to me

[rpenguin]

Tokyo has a slightly different designation than most prefectures (ken) as it is known as Tokyo-to. Additionally there is a Tokyo-shi which is a city on its own that contains various wards. There are a few other shi within Tokyo to, and then there are machi (towns) and, elsewhere, mura (villages) One ward in Tokyo-to is Chuo-ku. Ginza is a district contained within Chuo-ku.

So maybe next time you're so smug and insulting you can make sure you're not talking out of your ass.

Re:Doesn't seem feasible to me

[martinjakubik]

The Tokyo governor does not share your qualms. From the article: "'Ginza is the most famous shopping district in Japan,' said Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara at an event to launch the project."

SUICA RFID debit

[rpenguin]

In Tokyo there is an RFID based card called "SUICA" (Super Urban Intelligent Card) that can be used for JR trains, several vending machines and some convenience stores. It is possible to get Suica functionality in your phone. Suica is not a "trial" as it replaced the JR designated value cards.

Also, SUICA penguin mascot ads are plastered everywhere.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suica [wikipedia.org]

Re:Ever thought of...

[Copperhead]

I'm working on it. I don't live in Tokyo yet, and I have a tough time learning my Japanese when I'm not there. If and when I move there, I will definitely be learning the language.