Yamada Denki's Uruma City store at the intersection of Routes 33 and 85 is and looks like a big box store (Photo: Michael Flemming)

Yamada Denki in Uruma

Japan's premier electronics, appliance and media stores

Michael Flemming   - 2 min read

Okinawa Yamada Denki is a franchise operation of four stores selling electronics, home appliances, home improvement, lifestyle and media products on Okinawa's main island. Like its affiliated parent Yamada Group's stores in mainland Japan, the Okinawa stores are large big box stores offering a deep variety of products for the home in every conceivable color, variety and price.

Okinawa Yamada Denki carries every possible electronic or home device short of car audio. Its aisles include televisions, audio, video, computers, tablets, cameras, massage chairs, kitchen appliances, grooming devices, telephones and cell phones, video games, movies, music, drug store sundries, home remodeling products, satellite receivers, air conditioners, and washers and dryers.

The breadth of products offered is astounding but so is the variety of each line. Whether its a computer, a television, a camera or a vacuum cleaner there are dozens of different models to select from, sometimes more than 50 to choose from. Yamada does have lower priced low end items, but the stores carry versions of products that sometimes are eight to ten times the cost of the introductory models. Unlike Japanese consumer products sold in the United States, Yamada carries the highly differentiated and technically specific features that Japanese have come to demand.

Vacuum cleaners for instance vary in price from 6,900 yen (about $69 U.S.) to more than 100,000 yen (about $1,010 U.S.). While its fun to see interesting products that might not be practical at home let alone fit into a suitcase, like the dozens of rice cookers that mostly cost more than 30,000 yen ($300 U.S.), Yamada certainly is the perfect spot to pick up any gadget, device, or accessory that is needed while vacationing in or visiting Okinawa.

The Okinawa Yamada Denki store in Uruma City is located at the intersection of Routes 33 and 85 next to the Sukiya Restaurant. Yamada is open daily from 10:00 ~ 22:00. Japanese yen and all major credit cards are accepted.

Michael Flemming

Michael Flemming @michael.flemming

I'm a wanderer in Okinawa turning over every stone I can find. I write, photograph and blog about my favorite finds here in Japan's southernmost prefecture.