Roland Corporation has just struck a new note in its global mission to enhance the creative musical landscape. Hot on the heels of the success of Roland’s London store, unveiled last year for the brand’s 50th anniversary, Roland is now expanding its horizons with the announcement of the Roland Store Tokyo. Set to open on October 1, 2023, this three-story haven in bustling Harajuku is not just a retail space but an immersive, in-person musical experience.
The Roland Store Tokyo is designed to be a musical wonderland for everyone, from budding musicians to seasoned professionals. The first floor is a synthesis of the modern and innovative, offering everything from synthesizers, and digital wind instruments to Roland Cloud and DJ-related products. Ascend to the second floor and you’ll find yourself in a more serene setting showcasing Roland’s best-selling digital pianos. Meanwhile, the basement is drumming up a beat with a mix of Roland V-Drums kits and BOSS brand products fit for drummers and guitar players of all levels.
Beyond the tangible instruments, its personalized touch sets the Roland Store Tokyo apart. Following the Demo-on-Demand service, Roland offers an appointment-based experience tailored to each visitor’s needs. Led by Roland’s product specialists, these sessions provide one-on-one product explanations and demonstrations, ensuring a connection between the instrument and the individual. Their proprietary “Audience Specific Experience” ASX retail technology adds to the customization, allowing for lighting, audio, and video adjustments to suit each customer’s tastes.
It’s not just about the sale for Roland; it’s about cultivating a lifelong relationship with music. Roland’s team offers numerous after-sale care sessions, extending the support and connection beyond the initial purchase. The choice of location is no accident either; situated in Harajuku, a hotbed for fashion, art, music, and dining, the Roland Store Tokyo aims to be a cultural touchstone for both locals and tourists.
In the words of Gordon Raison, CEO of Roland Corporation, “The purpose of opening Roland Store Tokyo is to give the visitors a genuine experience of connecting with our products and culture in an intimate environment…we hope to deliver our vision to as many music lovers as possible, further promoting creativity across our customers.” It seems that Roland is not just selling instruments; they’re orchestrating a musical movement, and Tokyo is their latest stage. The Roland Store Tokyo is a testament to Roland’s commitment to revolutionizing the music scene and attracting music lovers worldwide.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
