Sen,s Japan

Year: 2023
MA project
Service: Brand identity, Logo design, Brand Collateral, Photo shooting, Video shooting
Concept Film: https://youtu.be/02B33faGTdc
 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensjapan/?hl=en

Sen,s is a project of creating letters using smell, sound, touch and sight.

I concentrated on Japanese aesthetics to address contemporary issues within Japanese society. Through branding this project, I aimed to reintroduce Japanese aesthetics and values that many modern Japanese individuals may have overlooked or forgotten.

Japanese aesthetics

Japan boasts a distinctive sense of beauty rooted in concepts like Wabi-Sabi and an appreciation for the intangible. Japanese culture has long cherished a liberated beauty that transcends strict rules. This freedom allows for finding beauty through imagination, appreciating the unseen, and reframing negatives into positives. I believe that upholding these Japanese values can address a multitude of contemporary issues.

Today’s issues in Japan

1. Social networking sites and Strict Rules
In recent years, the rise of social networking has emphasised the visible aspects of life, contributing to diminished self-confidence in appearance and a society bound by rigid rules, particularly taxing for young people. Sen's aims to address this issue through Japanese aesthetics that honour individual and collective values, transcend strict rules and view challenges positively. We believe reintroducing the Japanese sense of beauty can help individuals reconnect with their intrinsic worth and appreciate others in a meaningful way.

2. Arts and Crafts
The preservation of traditional Japanese crafts faces challenges such as a lack of successors and difficulties in sourcing materials. However, Sen's contends that from a Japanese perspective, the essence of tradition persists not just in physical forms but in the thoughts and aesthetic sensibilities of its creators. By nurturing this Japanese aesthetic sense and the underlying values, Sen's seeks to safeguard and perpetuate Japanese culture through the meaningful transmission of artistic heritage.

Our Goal

・To offer individuals opportunities to express their daily emotions and recognize the validity of their own values and freedoms.

・To foster understanding and acceptance of others' values and senses of beauty through shared experiences.

・To rediscover the beauty of the intangible, thereby reconnecting with Japanese values and culture, where beauty is cultivated through imagination and emotion rather than strict forms.

・To appreciate the intrinsic value of things beyond their physical appearance or form.

What we do

1. Monthly Events

2. Workshops

3. Sen,s projects in public spaces

Design Concept 

Flower
The concept revolves around the five senses, with Japanese beauty deeply intertwined with nature, which also embodies these senses. Therefore, our design aims to express the essence of nature. Among natural elements, flowers captivate us with their visual and olfactory cues, evoking the changing seasons. They also symbolize the tactile sensation of petals and the subtle flavours they may evoke.

Logo 
Given the project's focus on letters, I sought a handwritten font that embodies the connection inherent in Sen's, reflecting the asymmetry of Japanese aesthetics and the brushstroke look. Ultimately, I chose a calligraphy-style font with a string-like appearance. To convey the project's concept of freedom and invisible beauty, I envisioned calligraphy resembling a flower rather than a conventional letter form. Careful consideration was given to avoid a stereotypical Japanese design, aiming for a unique and evocative aesthetic.

Sen,sは五感を使って、枠に囚われない自由な手紙を作るプロジェクトです

日本で起こっている様々な問題を解決するため、「侘び寂び」「目に見えないものに美しさを見出す」日本の美意識の根底にあると考えられる「ルールに縛られない自由な美しさ」「想像による美しさ」に注目しました。そして、これらの美意識を受け継ぎ、体験できるようなプロジェクトを行いました。

日本の問題
SNSの発達により、目に見えるものばかりが注目され、ルールに縛られた社会で現代人は精神的に疲弊しています。Sen,sは、自分や他人の価値を認め、ルールに縛られず、マイナスをプラスに捉える日本の美意識の根底にある考え方を利用して、この問題を解決したいと考えました。

2. 美術・工芸品
日本の伝統工芸は、後継者不足や材料調達の難しさなどで存続が危ぶまれています。しかし日本人の価値観からすると、たとえ形そのものが変わっても、見た目ではなく、その背景にある作り手の思いや美意識が継承されることが、伝統の継承と言えると考え、日本の美意識を伝承することに注目しました。

デザインコンセプト
日本人の美意識は自然との関わりが深く、五感も自然と深く結びついています。そのため、デザインも自然を表現するものにしたいと考えました。自然界の中でも、花は季節の移り変わりを目や鼻で、音や味でも伝えてくれるのでフラワーを軸にしています。

ロゴマーク
手紙のプロジェクトということで、手書き風のフォント、Sen'sに込められたつながり、日本の美意識の非対称性、書道風のものにしました。自由で目に見えない美しさを表現するために、文字として認識されるロゴではなく、花の絵のようなものをイメージしました。ただし、型にはまったステレオタイプな和風デザインにならないように注意しました。