Japanese type is irresistible

Japanese type is fascinating, the shape, rhythm, density, and pattern and it comes in all kinds of styles; modern or traditional script, big or discrete, designed for all spaces. Japan is way ahead in mastering clear type translation design on way finding, editorial design and multibillion brands. View the studios IG post 01 on and 02 on Japanese type.

The Japanese writing system is one of the most complex in the world, and it’s long-standing transcultural exchanges between Japan and the West, expressive typographic treatments shaped the foundations of how modern design in Japan look.

Japanese language is three script system; Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji. To make this fit into one system; each sign fit’s inside the shape of a square.

Japanese script* is vertical and that creates a very different visual impression irresistibly aesthetic for the western eyes.

The beauty of Japanese language started with calligraphy; known as Shodō (書道) or “the way of writing,” that is a traditional art form that combines aesthetic and zen.

Exciting Japanese Type

• Tokyo City Font by Type Project, is collaboration between Yoshiaki Irobe and Isao Suzuki, based on the original iconic numeric and station-code typefaces used on Tokyo’s subway systems—historically known as Eidan-type or Eidan-Numbers from the (TRTA).
• Ryo Gotic and Ryo by Ryoko Nishizuka at Adobe fonts are impressive Japanese typefaces, her fonts carry both a touch of calligraphy and modernity and works all the way from text to display.
• Watch Shorai Sans by grand master Akira Kobayashi at Monotype with more than 50 font families on his back keeping busy both as a professor and respected contributor to the type community.
• Keep an eye on young Takashi Funayama and his TDC awarded Mincho influenced by the metal typeface for kanji characters imported from Shanghai during the early Meiji period (1868–1912), exciting work! He is also known for designing Tsukimi Rounded.
• Have also a look at Louvette pixel by CJtype, a type studio based in Tokyo with great vibes. This pixel based type is flirting with Japans futuristic approach. View the new type specimen that is focusing in Japans micro seasons.

Type project has a collaboration with Commercial type on a number of fonts, and because the modern classic Graphik is a clean, neo-grotesque sans-serif, it makes perfect sense to pair it with Type project.

*Japanese script: Find out more in Thinking with type, Ellen Lupton, 3rd edition where Ryoko Nishisuka guides you on Japanese or read excellent “Graphic languages”, Perimeter books, NZ.

See also the studios newsletterpost ”Design in Japan”.