Preserving Street Fonts with the 'Noramoji Project' | Focus #65

Old signs that add character to street corners and handwritten signs that guard shop fronts—they breathe life beyond mere letters.

The 'Noramoji Project' shines a spotlight on these often-forgotten handwritten stories. Since its inception in 2013, it has been bridging the past and present through 'Noramoji' collected from all over Japan.

Old signs in the city, the letters written on them convey the atmosphere of the time and the thoughts of the creators to the present day. Each letter offers different interpretations to viewers and serves as a source of inspiration for new designs and artworks.

We are now accustomed to typing on keyboards, and the opportunity to see handwritten letters has significantly decreased. However, by using the fonts provided by the 'Noramoji Project', we can bring back the warmth of handwriting in the digital age.

These fonts, available for download from the official website, are used in various settings, both commercial and non-commercial, breathing new life into design.

The 'Noramoji Project' conveys the precious messages left by forgotten letters to the present day. Imagining the context and background of the era when these letters were engraved opens up a completely new perspective on the world of design.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life, pause for a moment and capture the Noramoji that gently envelops our lives and memories on the street corners.

At cizucu, from March 21, 2024 (Thu) to April 4, 2024 (Wed), we are holding a campaign to post with the hashtag #Font. We will select several works from the submitted photos and present gifts from cizucu.

We welcome a wide range of fonts, from unique ones to those that evoke a sense of tradition! Why not take a step into the world of Noramoji with the tag project and decipher the letters from the past?