HARA DESIGN INSTITUTE

Hakkaisan Kongoshin is the ultimate junmai daiginjo sake produced by Hakkaisan Brewery. It is a seasonal sake available twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter. Hara Design Institute handled the re-design of its packaging, incorporating "Hakkaisan" calligraphy by Kyuyo Ishikawa that uses unwavering and imposing brushwork to echo the meaning of Kongoshin--unwavering heart. The calligraphy is accompanied by an engraved "Kongoshin" seal, and a Chinese poem inspired by the stance that it represents. The new packaging retains the original concept, updated to accentuate its splendor and appeal to contemporary tastes, communicating Hakkaisan Kongoshin Junmai Daiginjo's character as a luxurious and festive sake that is ideal as a gift or as a drink to celebrate special occasions. The new design was launched at restaurants and wine shops in Japan in December 2021.

Hara Design Institute handled the package design for a new variety of Akita rice called Sakihokore.

The calligraphy for "Sakihokore," set clearly on a white background, was carefully selected to express a style and refinement that is appropriate for the highest-grade variety of Akita rice, as well as conveying the indomitable spirit of Japanese rice.

The same graphic design is adopted for product displays, advertising, and marketing events as well as the bags of rice, contributing to a consistent brand image.

Advance sales of the product began in autumn 2021 in Akita Prefecture, in preparation for full-scale launch in 2022.

COFFEE application, website renewal, Mizu no Kuni kara website

Sen is a coffee in tune with delicate palates nurtured by Japan's clear, soft water. Hara Design Institute has been involved in building the brand since its launch in 2015, including the design of packages, logotypes, websites, and other communication tools. In 2021, we also planned and designed an application, designed the renewed brand website, and handled the planning, editing, and design of a dedicated website, Mizu no Kuni kara (From the Land of Water).

To coincide with the launch of new Sen products, we produced an application designed to ensure enjoyment of the delicate flavors of Sen at home. The app guides users through the recommended approach for preparing Sen coffee, using a UI that covers all the likely options without seeming complicated. The growth of the brand means that the Sen website now has a wealth of information, which the renewed site presents in a clean scrolling format. In addition, the dedicated Mizu no Kuni kara website takes "from the land of water" as its theme. By following the water that lies behind the brand, it forms an introduction to the way that water is an indivisible part of Japan's scenery, Japan's culture, and Japan itself.

App: https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/id1583413838
Website: https://sen.agf.jp
Mizu no Kuni kara (From the Land of Water): https://sen.agf.jp/water

現在、ギンザ・グラフィック・ギャラリー(ggg)にて、 ADC展「日本のアートディレクション展 2020-2021」が開催中です。 会期中にぜひご覧ください。 動画は以下リンクよりご覧いただけます。 https://www.muji.com/jp/message/2020/ja/ 東京ADC会員賞 アートディレクター：原研哉 制作者賞 写真：上田義彦 動画：深尾大樹 音楽：坂本龍一 日本のアートディレクション展 2020-2021 会期：2021年11月01日（月）― 11月30日（火） 会場：ギンザ・グラフィック・ギャラリー（ggg） 〒104-0061　東京都中央区銀座7-7-2 DNP銀座ビル 開館時間：11:00〜19:00（日曜・祝日休館） 入場無料...

Nitro Plus and Nitro Origin are brands that provide distinctive Japanese content worldwide in a broad range of media and creative fields, including animation, games, and theatrical stage performances. The appeal of these brands can be symbolized by sparkling eyes and spiky projections that feel alert and full of life. In the new visual identities, these are expressed as combinations of three circles and a spike to create symbol marks that are kawaii and original. The two marks convey the shared heritage and the difference between the two brands, with outward forms derived from the "P" of Plus and "O" of Origin. The logotypes are designed to be legible at small sizes. Six signatures were created for each brand, bringing together the symbol marks and logotypes. And, as can be seen in the video, merging the symbol marks with visuals in content is actively encouraged, instead of being banned like it would be in a regular visual identity. The speech balloon-like shape was adopted so as to go well with content visuals. These design choices help Nitro Plus and Nitro Origin to develop their own distinctive brand identities.


Nitro Plus and Nitro Origin visual identity webpage
https://www.nitroplus.co.jp/company/vi/

YouTube video link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek-dUMBT1rg

Art Seaside Naoetsu is an art project in the Naoetsu area of Niigata Prefecture. Hara Design Institute handled all of the visual communication, including the visual identity, signage, guide map, and website.

The visual identity, which focuses on the seaside Naoetsu area of Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture and the people who visit it, is expressed using an unadulterated blue and a diverse collection of face graphics.

Standardized on blue and white, the signage brings emphasis to the blue of the sky and the ocean while integrating well with the coastal community, turning the entire area of Naoetsu into an art space.

Art Seaside Naoetsu website:
https://artseasidenaoetsu.jp/en_index.html

Art Seaside Naoetsu
Exhibition period: Sunday, August 1 - Sunday, September 26, 2021
Hours: 10:00 - 17:00 (Extended hours for sites on coast around Funami Park: 10:00 - 19:00)
Free admission

Tsutaya Books began operating in China in 2020, with Hara Design Institute handling signage, as it has in Japan.

For Shanghai Columbia Circle Tsutaya Books, Tsutaya renovated a century-old Western-style building called Columbia Country Club The new store possesses a distinctive atmosphere, harmonizing modern design with this historic building.

In addition to the stores now operating in Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Xi'an, more openings are planned throughout China.

Hara Design Institute handled the package design announced for a new variety of Akita rice called Sakihokore.

The calligraphy for "Sakihokore," set clearly on a white background, was carefully selected to express a style and refinement that is appropriate for the highest-grade variety of Akita rice, as well as conveying the indomitable spirit of Japanese rice.

Advance sales of the product will begin in Akita Prefecture this autumn, with a full-scale release in 2022.

Hara Design Institute handled the naming and main visuals for MUJI's new unisex line of clothing--'human-sized' clothing that makes no distinction between men's and women's sizes. We communicated the product line's message of diversity by using the concise phrase hito sumpo (human-sized) and depicting the Japanese character for human (hito) in various sizes.

Hara Design Institute designed the Morisawa Calendar again this year. The theme for 2021 is Ki No Tsurayuki's Sunshoan Shikishi, poems on presentation paper. The poems display the beautiful sculptural curves of Japanese kana script derived from the structural forms of Chinese characters. In contrast to the emphasis on lifesize reproduction in the previous year, this year's calendar contrasts the colored paper of the original with a printed background color to convey a sense of the season.

The page for May shows this waka poem.
Stretching out his robe to dry as the days get longer, each shower of rain makes the grass greener
Lively brushstrokes echo the intermingling images of the beautiful poem.