No one has a doubt that Japan is the land of the sunrise, sushi, and bonsai trees. It is also where people travel wishing to see real sumo wrestlers and ninjas. Japan is pretty much a unique country with a large variety of culture! You won’t miss out on its iconic graphic design as well. So, if you have some projects of creating company logos, you may want to get inspired by Japan’s irresistible art elements.
Why Choose Japanese Styles for Your Company Logos?
With abundant inspiration from Japanese anime (animation), manga (comic books), films, robots, and many other elements, there’s no wonder more and more people working in art and design world choose to add Japanese arty touch to their works.
The second reason people choose Japanese styles for their logos or artworks is that the styles combine technology with originality. That what makes a lot of designers fall for the styles. In fact, to begin it with, Japan’s art back in the days (at least 200 years ago) explains very well why Japanese graphic design is in massive popularity now.
Just before the Meiji Era began, which was in 1868, the country had closed any borders towards the outside world. This, somehow, meant that there was only little to no influence at all from the other countries—which amazingly brought a great chance for the Japanese art and design to thrive and have its own one-of-a-kind identity.
7 Japan-Inspired Company Logos for Your Ideas
Before even starting to design your company logo, how about exploring the seven essential elements and inspirations of Japan’s logo design first? After that, we guarantee you can grab a bunch of ideas to create a very unique logo and brand identity.
Minimalism
If you notice, Japanese design is actually all about minimalism and it was adapted from the tradition of Zen Buddhism. The principle of “less is more” in the life philosophy brings quite an influence to the Japanese minimalism. A logo idea for Japanese minimalism is Southern Record Tea that consists of simple half a circle with a few stripes in red color. The clean lines make this logo eye-catching in a simple way.
Kawaii
Despite the minimalism inspired by Zen Buddhism, Japan is also proud of its kawaii concept. Since the 1970s, the concept that exposes cuteness culture has thrived into a popular culture that inspires numerous artists and designers across the globe. Characters like Hello Kitty, Totoro, and Pikachu are phenomenal examples of kawaii concept. Meanwhile, for company logos, you can try out animal or monster icons as in the “Nani!?” logo design with a cute panda face on it.
People
Ninjas and other well-known figures originally from Japan like samurais, sumo wrestlers, and geishas can give you ideas for designing company logos. An example is the Okashi logo that actually sells ice cream in taiyaki (fish-shaped pancake) even though the logo includes an illustration of a geisha.
Food
Japanese food has now been one of the most favorites in the world. You must have at least tried one of these dishes, such as sushi, ramen, tempura, you name it. Put one of their icons on your logo if you have a business specializing on Japanese food. A fun example is Mochi Box, a brand of Japanese dessert with ice-cream filling sold in Germany. The logo is simple but on point as it perfectly combines the icon and the text.
Plants & Flowers
One of Japan-inspired company logos you cannot resist is cherry blossoms blooming only annually. Bonsai the miniature plants and bamboo are also significant in Japan. You can use the logo for any kinds of business. Check out the logo of Izakaya Umai, a Japanese traditional-style resto. The logo includes a beautiful illustration of a cherry blossom in red and white flush.
Structures
Japan’s structures include dojos and temples that will look cool and elegant for company logos. Relics Japan is a brand that specializes on unique, customized accessories and toys for the enthusiasts of anime, manga, sneakers, and streetwear of Japan. The structure used on the logo is a temple with an additional icon koi fish.
Weapons
Katana (the Samurai’s sword), Ninja’s famous shuriken and makibishi, as well as knives are weapons used as an element in Japanese art and design. If you include them on your logo, it doesn’t always mean you are promoting a brand of Japanese weaponry, but it can also symbolize bravery and power. Unimgo is one of the example logos that consists of a combo of Japanese katana and cherry blossoms.
So, are you ready to design some Japan-inspired company logos now? You can easily create the logos with online logo makers such as Looka, Tailor Brands, and Logo Maker.
