The Use of Japanese Calligraphy when Promoting Japanese Traditional Products

Abstract The article depicts the use of Japanese calligraphy (shodō) as a way to artistically create the logos of Japanese or Japanese-inspired products and restaurants in the food industry. Japanese calligraphy is a complex art that developed gradually, together with the writing system in Japan and, as a result, it manages to encompass both traditional elements that have remained unchanged over the course of years, as well as modern elements that reflect the calligrapher’s unique view. For this reason, shodō has been used in creating Japanese and Japanese-themed products, as means to portray tradition and authenticity within a brand. This practice is still used in the present, with more and more businesses opting for a calligraphic logo, not only in Japan, but also outside the country. This article analyses the use of shodō as means to promote and create a brand’s image, as well as the unique benefits of calligraphy. In order to better understand this phenomenon, the article ultimately assesses the logo of a Japanese restaurant situated in Romania that uses as logomark a calligraphic work created by the Romanian calligrapher Rodica Frențiu.