Kodo
Kōdō is a luxury, modern Japanese restaurant that aims to deliver authentic and memorable culinary experiences. The branding needed to be guided by the principles and ideologies of the Japanese incense ceremony, Kōdō, while remaining accessible and engaging to a contemporary audience.
Research and development examined historical and contemporary Japanese culture, as well as the Kōdō ceremony, exploring ways to translate these concepts visually. Japandi design principles – clean lines, natural elements, bright spaces, and neutral colours – were incorporated to create a calming and welcoming energy.
Although the visual routes explored were diverse, I aimed to present a cohesive concept deck that conveyed a sophisticated brand aligned with an elevated culinary experience.
The final logo balances openness with directionality: lines form a stylised “K” for Kōdō, with six distinct open sections referencing the incense ceremony, while the slight misalignments reflect the traditional Japanese wabi-sabi philosophy. The identity invites audiences to engage with the brand thoughtfully, highlighting the craftsmanship and cultural inspiration behind every element.
Project Scope
Branding, Graphic Design
Client
KODO Dining
Year
2023
Grounded Research
Today, two leading schools of Kōdō survive: the Oie-ryu School and the Shino-ryu School. The former, places more emphasis on literal aspects of incense. Shino-ryu, the latter, is more systematically organized, putting considerable emphasis on manners and formality. For our fourth route, we present an open concept that explores both characteristics of the survivng schools of Kōdō.
Concept Route
Further research showed the Oie-ryu School of Kodo places more emphasis on literal aspects of incense, this route explored a logo mark that pays homage to the graphic synergy between all the aspects of the Kōdō ceremony e.g. smoke, wood, sound, smell etc. The box format allows the logo mark to appear as an incense box and function simialrly to a stamp or hanko seal.
Evolving and combining inspirations
Configuring a balance between the undulating lines of wood-cuts and the structure of Rikkoku-Gomi classification system – which categorises fragrant wood by six countries of origin – sought to ultimately pay homage to the ritual of Kōdō. The route on the left explores how elements in the right hand side of the box can be replaced to make room for future co-branding or alternate in-house designs e.g. Kōdō Bar, Kōdō Home etc.
Gallery
In-use examples
