Restaurant 㐂すけ kisuke

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2018

A Japanese restaurant brand identity: 㐂すけ kisuke

Kisuke (㐂すけ) is a friendly washoku izakaya, located in Hiroshima’s entertainment district. From the counter seats, you can watch the chef in an open kitchen. But if you prefer a more intimate setting, there’s also a cozy, raised dining nook, a tatami room, and a private table.

Kisuke serves mostly traditional washoku cuisine. Sashimi, oden, grilled fish, seafood and meat, tempura, udon, nabe (hot pot), etc. Kisuke’s dashi (cooking stock) is prepared with high grade ingredients like hidaka konbu, rishiri konbu and premium katsuobushi.

Fish and vegetables are purchased daily at the market so you can be sure they’re very fresh.

The chef, Yoshihiko Kihara, has been working for more than 20 years in prestigious Kaiseki Ryori restaurants. In Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe and now Hiroshima.

㐂 (ki) means “to rejoice” and すけ (suke) “to help”.

Kisuke's owner and chef

The client’s needs

The owner wanted his logo and visual identity to reflect his commitment to Japanese tradition and gastronomy. However, he felt it was important that they also suggest the relaxed, warm atmosphere and moderate prices of the restaurant.

He wanted me to use a kamon (Japanese family emblem) and the kanji 㐂 consisting of three 7s in Japanese script. Indeed, this lucky number appears in his birth date (7/7/57 of the Showa era).

But he also described the brand identity he imagined as “pop”; bold and with character.

The challenge was to create an identity that was authentic and contemporary at the same time.

Kisuke visual identity

The restaurant’s brand identity

The fonts

Since I couldn’t find anything to my liking, I finally designed the kanji of the kamon and the Japanese font myself. I was able to give them the retro-modern look I wanted. For the name in Latin script, I used a simple, slightly rounded font to convey the idea of a relaxed and approachable environment.

The colours

I chose two very bright, complementary colours (vermilion and indigo blue). These are colours traditionally used in Japan (in Shinto shrines, lacquered tableware and dyeing). And when combined, they bring an electric and modern intensity. They are complemented by white and golden beige.

The logo

There are many kinds of kamon. And some are very complex. But I preferred to create a simple, geometrical shape that is easy on the eyes and doesn’t distract the viewer. That’s why I designed a rope circle like you see in some kamon.

The graphic elements

As a complementary graphic element, I chose a gyotaku. This is a method of printing fish dating back to the 1800s. Its presence makes the whole thing a bit more organic. It also creates a link to washoku cuisine and tradition.

Color palette: Dark Orange / Indigo blue / Gold / White

More about the colours

The owner of the restaurant had insisted that I don’t use dull colours. He wanted a palette that would make him stand out from the overly traditional and luxurious establishments.

As he asked me to create a ‘bold and pop’ brand identity, I chose opposite colours. This creates an interesting contrast, especially when used at full saturation. In addition, it makes the neon sign stand out among those of the other restaurants.

In the oldest documents found in Japan, reference is made to the colours black, red, white and blue. So I chose colours close to red and blue to bring in the idea of tradition subtly.

These colours are also found in the staff uniforms: indigo blue fabric for the maekake apron (on which the kamon is printed in white), orange-red towels, black trousers and koikuchi shirts.

The accent colour needed to be quieter, so I chose a neutral and more natural colour (like metal, wood, or sand).