kenya hara's experience japan pictograms: 280 icons to support tourism

one of the biggest considerations when traveling to japan is its inscrutable language. aware of this, and knowing that its national pictogram system has a reputation for being unfriendly to foreigners, the nippon design center has launched experience japan pictograms — a collection of 280 icons developed to support tourism in japan from a visual design perspective.

images courtesy of nippon design center

by providing functional and well-designed icons, the experience japan pictograms aim to help as many tourists as possible. their universal aesthetic, both simple and user-friendly, allows users to quickly capture and understand the essence of japanese tourism. in addition, each pictogram has been designed to work on different media, allowing for a broad range of applications. all the materials are free for use — personal, business, commercial, or non-profit — as long as the user complies with the terms of use.

image by takaya sakano

most pictograms are provided with information, giving users a glimpse into the everyday life and history of japan. just go to the webpage, click on them, and enjoy a column story. if you’re currently in tokyo, the experience japan pictograms are on show at VISUALIZE 60 vol.2 — an exhibition commemorating the 60th anniversary of nippon design center until april 16, 2021.

project info:

name: experience japan pictograms

planning and production: nippon design center

led by: kenya hara

art direction: daigo daiko

number of pictograms: 280 (additional pictograms will be accepted on an ongoing basis)

download pictograms: here