Apple Readies Kyoto Store

Apple (Cupertino, Calif.) will open its first store in Kyoto, Japan, on Saturday, August 25, 2018. 

The store takes its aesthetic from local designs and materials. For instance, the upper levels of the retail space are covered in a “transparent envelope,” which is inspired by traditional Japanese toro lanterns. Other design elements reference traditional Japanese houses with a lightweight timber frame and a wall design resembling a shoji door’s wood-and-paper paneling, according to AppleInsider.

This is part of the company’s efforts to improve its image and expand its presence in Japan over the next five years.