Okinawa Ocean Expo Symbol & Poster
Japan’s Distinctive Oceans, to the World
The Okinawa International Ocean Exposition (EXPO ’75) was the world’s first international exhibition focused on oceans, held to commemorate Okinawa’s return to Japan. Following a design competition among eleven leading Japanese designers, Kazumasa Nagai’s design was selected as the official symbol.
For the theme “The Ocean – A Desirable Future,” we believed a design was needed that would both communicate Japan’s distinctive oceans to the world and serve as a foundation for Okinawa’s revitalization.
The symbol represents the vastness of the open ocean through three connected waves, while two shades of blue depict the expansive sea and sky. This design significantly contributed to Okinawa’s current image. The poster, combining Rinpa-style waves with photographs of the open ocean, expresses Japan's uniqueness while emphasizing its connection to the world.
Graphics
The poster for the Okinawa Ocean Park Expo, the next international event following the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the 1972 Winter Olympics, incorporated a Rinpa style wave with a photograph of the vast expanse of the ocean to symbolize Japan’s uniqueness as well as its connection with the world. The logo design uses a set of three waves to represent the vastness of the ocean.
Credit
- Art Direction
- Illustration
