Buying a MacBook Air at LABI in Tokyo

2014-08-11 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

Before heading out on this business trip to Japan, I exchanged some currency on my phone. I made a huge mistake here. Thanks to my usual clumsiness, instead of exchanging 200,000 KRW, I accidentally exchanged 200,000 JPY, suddenly converting about 2,000,000 KRW into yen. I asked the bank teller, but they just gave me a pitying "what are you gonna do" look and said, "We get people who do that sometimes, but there's no way to help you." Because of this, on my way back today, even though I'd been up working almost all night for two days, I asked for directions to a supermarket like a crazy person and started buying this and that.

But that wasn't enough to spend it all, so I hurriedly asked around to see if anyone needed anything from Japan. Right then, a friend said they needed a MacBook and asked me to buy one. I checked and found out that with the yen dropping so much, buying a MacBook in Japan was way cheaper than in Korea. So, to burn through the yen I'd accidentally exchanged, I headed to LABI (an electronics store similar to Himart in Korea).

The LABI in this post is the one at Oimachi Station. It was just one subway stop away from my business trip location in Tokyo, so it was easy to get to.

People waiting on a subway platform to board a train — The subway rolled in at exactly 16 minutes past!!! (Well, okay, maybe it was about 10 seconds late.)

Passengers sitting or standing inside a subway car — A lot of people were leaving work early because of Typhoon Neoguri. I was worried I wouldn't be able to get back either... but thank goodness my flight took off.

Exterior of a large electronics store building with a LABI sign — When you arrive, you'll see the blue electronics building and the pink lifestyle building. I needed to buy a MacBook, so I headed for the blue electronics building.

I thought it would pop up right as I got off at Oimachi Station, but it wasn't quite like that. However, if you just ask passersby "La~bi~?", they instantly know what you mean and point the way. LABI is about the size of Yongsan I'Park Mall or COEX in Korea, so pretty much everyone living in the area knows it. If you don't feel like talking to anyone, you can just follow the crowd. A lot of people head to the mall, so you can easily get there just by trailing the big groups.

Information board showing the prices and specifications of different MacBook Pro models

Information board showing the price and specifications of an 11-inch MacBook Air model — The MacBook section, located on the 4th floor or so. (I don't remember the exact floor.) It looks a bit cheaper.

Looking at the two photos I took to show my friend the price while asking the staff, it just seemed "a little cheaper." I was getting disappointed because the discount wasn't as big as I thought, but then the employee smiled brightly and said one thing.

"Foreigners get an additional discount off this price!"

Mac prices are already cheaper in Japan than in Korea, and getting a tax refund on top of that makes it about 15% cheaper overall!! The only downside is that they only sell Japanese keyboards. You can either use a Korean keyboard skin (since Macs let you set any language in the system, as you know), or custom order a CTO version and pick it up. (But honestly, I think that's impossible unless you know someone living in Japan.)

Checkout counter inside an electronics store with staff wearing blue vests — Since LABI is run by Yamada Corporation (I think?), everyone works wearing those blue vests.

What surprised me here was that since many Japanese people aren't very fluent in English, I naturally assumed the staff wouldn't be either—but it turned out my English was the one lacking! They explained all the MacBook specs and prices in English, and with that signature Japanese politeness added in, I had absolutely no problem making the purchase.

Staff member in a blue vest checking a passport and processing a payment at the checkout counter — You have to write down your passport number, so you absolutely must bring your passport. This is the most important thing.

View of railway tracks and surrounding buildings under a cloudy sky

White Toyota Prius taxi driving on the road in front of Oimachi Station in Tokyo — I came out after buying the laptop and the sky looked ominous. You can't tell from the photo, but the wind was blowing so hard I finally understood what it means to be blown away. Of course, the locals were walking around like it was nothing.

Oimachi Station platform name sign with a pink and yellow circular pattern — Heading back to Oimachi Station on the Rinkai Line to return.

Plastic bottle of Kirin Mets Cola Zero with text stating it suppresses fat absorption — I hurried back, and a staff member here bought me this weird cola -_- Wow... honestly... an indescribably strange taste.

#CameToTokyo #WhileOthersGoSeeCoolThings #LikeShinjukuOrOldCastles #IJustShoppedLikeCrazy