Tokyu Corporation (en. Wiki), the company behind Tokyu Lines, Tokyu department stores and Tokyu Hands, collaborated with Tokyo University and developed a social bookmarking application for the iPhone. After a testing periode of about 5month with volunteering students at the beginning of 2009, they finally released that app in the App Store today.

Pin@clip (website), pronounced “pina-kuri”, is a new social bookmark application for the infamous Shibuya area. Users can take pictures, write comments and reviews of things they like in Shibuya.

Like “Sekai Camera“, the Japanese augmented reality app from Tonchidot (Insider Info: New version of “Sekai Camera” will be released after the promo Event tomorrow, Dec. 2nd,  in Ginza Apple store) users can use the build in iPhone camera and the compass to get information directly on your camera screen.

Beside user generated content, shop information (address, phone, Google maps) about near places are automatically added to the post (if already in the database). The post can be linked to the users twitter account and even the music, that you listen on your iPhone while writing the post or taking the picture, is automatically posted.

The search function allows to search for near-by places, filtered by distance, time to go there, genres, recommendations and bookmarks.
On the button right of the application you’ll find a Tokyu Hands symbol that will show a floor guide of Tokyu Hands if you check out some product posted from inside Tokyu Hands. On some recommendations you’ll also have a Tokyu Hands sign to signalize the location where you can buy it. Additionally mood messages can be added to each post to show your feeling towards the shop, place or product. Comments are not yet possible but a rating function.

All in all a very innovative application from Tokyu Corporation. There’s no additional advertising in this free appliation yet and, except of the small Tokyu Hands icons on some posts, you don’t realize that you are in a promo app. Big up! Get pin@clip now HERE and start tagging. Shibuya will never be the same again…