With people more connected than ever, conveying information directly enhances brand value. At NDC, our pictograms examine the potential for a more universal visual communication system.
Findings from our Experience Japan Pictogram Project
We developed "Experience Japan Pictograms" (EJP) – an open-source resource of pictograms to enhance the Japanese tourism experience for foreign visitors, and the project was launched in 2020. EJP features simple, universal forms and a distinctive lineup that delves deeper into Japanese experiences than conventional pictograms, using "Second-Encounter" as its keyword. By extending beyond static images into video formats, EJP uncovers Japan's rich culture and traditions with a lighthearted description.
Available for free download and use, EJP continues to evolve. It now comprises over 600 pictograms and has more than 40,000 downloads from over 120 countries worldwide. Since its release, we've received positive feedback. Comments like "This design system is applicable not just to Japan, but to any country," and "I see potential in it from an educational perspective," have been particularly impactful. For us at NDC, who had initially envisioned EJP for signs and maps, these perspectives brought fresh insights while reaffirming the latent potential of pictograms.
What substantiates this is EJP's unique background. EJP offers more than just pictograms. Pairing each pictogram with text and explaining complex Japanese cultural practices through videos conveys the diversity of Japanese rich culture that provides a much deeper tourism experience. Unlike conventional pictograms that focus on primary functions (wayfinding, instructions, cautions, prohibitions), EJP's distinctive approach lies in observing contemporary Japanese life, interpreting the context to convey the second layer of information, resulting in a much deeper connection. We would like to share some insights we've learned through EJP's initiative in exploring successful visual communication design, which focuses on conveying a clear visual message.
What Are We Exploring?
Pictograms condense the essence of design, as they require an ability to grasp the true nature of things and express subtle differences between them. As a design company, we are committed to contributing to a better society through design. We make high-quality pictogram designs for an open source, universal, and connection-rich communication in tourism experiences. Within our company, we hold workshops for young designers to share this skill as a core design expertise across the organization. These sessions foster learning in identifying forms and movement, abstraction, perspective, composition, and maintaining consistency through grid-based design. Through EJP, we further explore new possibilities in visual communication by applying these ideas in video and three-dimensional formats.
Next, we'd like to briefly discuss EJP's ongoing efforts related to "movement" and "three-dimensionality." For example, a motion pictogram that "moves just a little" for only one second increases visual attractiveness. In just this one second, it catches people's eyes and noticeably improves its message's clarity. This greater effect—borne from such a small difference—effectively increases the likelihood that people will notice safety information and other high-priority items.
Furthermore, animations are the most easily understood medium for conveying the complexities of Japanese culture and manners, helping increase understanding and interest among people of all ages and nationalities. In fact, even Japanese people may be confused about hand washing procedures at temples, the sequence of clapping and bowing at shrines, or the proper way to enter hot spring baths. This is especially true for overseas visitors. What if, instead of lengthy explanations with pictures and text, a 15-second animation could explain—in a simple and humorous manner—how to pray at shrines, how to properly enter hot springs, or how to understand winning techniques in sumo? The quality of the subsequent experience would be significantly enhanced.
The value of "three-dimensional" pictograms can also be studied from an accessibility standpoint. By making an abstract pictogram three-dimensional, its features become emphasized as a physical object, allowing for a greater understanding of its form. Additionally, visually impaired individuals can better imagine objects by physically feeling their three-dimensional representations. Furthermore, assembling multiple three-dimensional pictograms—rather than using just one—may allow people to intuitively perceive changes in meaning and spatial arrangements.
At Ryoanji Temple in Kyoto, there is a miniature model of the famous Hojo Garden for visually impaired visitors. There, they can physically feel the arrangement of stones on white sand to experience the wonder of the stone garden's layout.
In São Paulo, we encountered many museums with three-dimensional layout maps of exhibitions near their entrances. From an accessibility perspective, three-dimensional conceptualizations clearly enhance understanding and interest.
Pictograms, with their abstracted forms, are inherently compatible with universal contexts. We believe that developing pictograms into moving images and three-dimensional representations can significantly enhance experiential quality.
The Value of Visual Communication
In an interconnected world, clear communication plays a crucial role in shaping brand credibility. This clarity can be seen as a form of kindness or thoughtfulness for others.. To convey ideas clearly, one must first grasp the essence of what's being communicated and then visualize it effectively.
News graphics from the New York Times and Washington Post communicate complex topics and data to readers. Similarly, IKEA's instruction manuals, the Uber app interface, and Heathrow Airport's international arrival procedure signs are all designed to be intuitively understood by people of all nationalities, ages, and genders. Likewise, we ensured careful consideration went into the illustrations and pictograms we created for Japan's Digital Agency, employing a strong focus on universal design principles to “gently” convey various messages thoughtfully. Though it may sound somewhat exaggerated, visual communication is a highly creative process, and encountering effective expression brings genuine joy. We firmly believe that good design not only conveys information but also stimulates intellectual curiosity.
The Possibility of Visual Communication
Guided by our principle to "Visualizing Essence," we create diverse values and experiences (invisible ideas) to life. While each project demands its own approach, we constantly explore how design can contribute to a better society. Experience Japan Pictograms embodies this vision. Could pictograms work effectively in contexts requiring the immediacy and public accessibility of news? Would simplified visuals for complex information about politics, technology, and science increase public engagement? Could pictogram-based visuals explaining microplastic content processes make global sustainability challenges more relatable? Might a simple guide created with tourism agencies about Japanese currency, customs, and manners help visitors experience omotenashi from their first moments in Japan? These questions continuously inspire new ideas and challenges. Among our completed and conceptualized projects, visuals break through language barriers, particularly for global companies expanding from Japan and foreign companies entering the Japanese market. In sharing food culture, where context is essential, visuals explain ingredients, preparation methods, and proper eating techniques far more effectively than text alone. For SOBAR, a Los Angeles restaurant serving 100% buckwheat soba, we utilized the EJP pictogram to convey soba ingredients and their cultural background clearly. Rather than oversimplifying these graphics for international audiences, we subtly incorporated authentic elements, such as teaching the traditional slurping technique for enjoying soba. Among our various aspirations, creating an airline safety video using pictograms remains a longstanding vision. By conveying essential information concisely, clearly, and humorously, such a project could communicate safety protocols and enhance passenger engagement with the airline.
In our increasingly borderless world of rapid information exchange, visual communication becomes increasingly crucial. Though modest in form, pictograms work effectively through their abstraction and universality like air–essential yet often unnoticed.
Our EJP initiative will tour globally through JAPAN HOUSE facilities established by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in three cities (London, Los Angeles, and São Paulo), beginning in London on July 30, 2025. We continue exploring visual communication's potential to contribute to a better society through thoughtful design.