TAKAO 599 MUSEUM

Opening the Door to Curiosity

In Hachioji district, at the edge of Tokyo, Mt. Takao rises to an altitude of 599 meters. At the foot of Mt. Takao, said to be one of the closest mountains to a city, sits TAKAO 599 MUSEUM. With 3 million climbers per year, Mt. Takao is the world’s most visited mountain. As creative and planning director, my team aimed to develop a brand identity that inspires curiosity, creating a unified concept for the space, exhibition displays and graphics, signage, branded goods, and informational materials. TAKAO 599 MUSEUM provides a fresh perspective on Mt. Takao, inviting visitors to enjoy learning about nature.

Client :

Hachiōji-City, Tokyo

Year :

2015 -

Industry :

Visual Identity

Exhibition / Space

Exhibition Design

Setting plants in acrylic resin, proposing the fusion of taxidermized specimens and projection mapping for the “NATURE WALL,” creating the “599 GUIDE” to clearly convey Mt. Takao facts and figures, and of course, producing exhibition graphics. We created a comprehensive communication system for the entire museum.

Typeface

Museum Font

The museum’s original font is created with organic nuances that resemble plants. It is used in signage, exhibition graphics, the museum website, and other communication tools to unify the identity of TAKAO 599 MUSEUM.

Pictograms

With ultimately smooth scalability and motion affinity, the pictogram system is designed to translate well across all media, whether dynamic or static, large or small, web or print. The pictogram indicating the difficulty of the climbing course intrinsically conveys the joy of climbing, aiding with instinctive as well as informative communication.

Movie

599 GUIDE

599 GUIDE materials introduce information visually, from Mt. Takao’s history and seasonal highlights to climbing etiquette and routes. Mussan, a flying squirrel, provides children with a fun overview of the rules, while the unknown charms of Mt. Takao are revealed through numbers. Climbing routes are illustrated in a way that allows visitors to choose the path that will best fit their goals and skill level. The GUIDE includes a variety of innovations designed to help visitors of all ages enjoy their time on the mountain.

Products

Museum Goods

The museum gift shop includes such goods as a locally produced wooden ruler used to closely observe Mt. Takao’s nature; violets and cherry blossoms set in acrylic resin; and notebooks and t-shirts adorned with the museum logo.

TAKAO 599 FUND

In addition to 10% of the proceeds from museum goods, a donation box built from local lumber collects funds to help protect Mt. Takao’s natural environment.