HARA DESIGN INSTITUTE

Meiji Jingu Museum exhibits articles used by or associated with Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, whose souls are enshrined at Meiji Jingu. Kengo Kuma designed the architecture, while Hara Design Institute handled the visual identity, signage, and exhibit graphics. The symbol mark for the museum was derived from the character "mei," which is the first character in the name Meiji Jingu, and is composed of two components, one symbolizing the sun and the other the moon. Here, the character is recreated, drawing inspiration from the stylistic forms of ancient Chinese writing, to produce a symbol mark that expresses the serene mystery of the shrine located in central Tokyo. Its square form with a circular element in the middle also symbolizes the museum space with a visitor inside viewing an exhibit. In the museum's permanent display area, banners provide a clear introduction to events and day-to-day customs at Meiji Jingu, such as by incorporating four perspectives--century, year, day, and individual glances.