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The first Costco to land in Okinawa opened in Nanjo City, attracting a large crowd from early morning. Over 1,000 people gathered even in the dim early hours, prompting Costco Okinawa’s first store to open at 4:30 AM, ahead of schedule, filled with people eager to enjoy the new store’s arrival in Okinawa.
One person who lined up from midnight said, “I came from Uruma City with my wife, and we arrived around 12 AM,” while another person who had been in line since 11:30 PM mentioned, “My main goal is bulgogi. I’m also looking for detergent since I heard it’s cheap here.”
The high expectations for the store caused traffic jams on the roads. By around 8:30 AM, cars were lined up for about one kilometer from the exit of the South East Road.
A person from Haebaru commented, “We’re from Haebaru, so the Costco traffic doesn’t affect us much, but I think it’s tough for people living around here.” Local residents expressed mixed feelings, saying, “It used to be a rural area, so I think it’s great that Costco is here, but the traffic…”
The opening of the first store, which gathered many people from day one, is likely to continue to draw crowds for a while.
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