Japanese Udon Product Packaging Design Retains Tradition with a Touch of Quirkiness
Japanese designer Nosigner created innovative designs for a range of packaging for a new type of udon noodle made from gourd powder from the Oyama district, famed for producing Kanpyo – gourd strips used in Japanese dishes.
26 Dec 2009 --- A Japanese packaging designer took an unconventional approach to the design of a traditional product – creating a cute and approachable brand image that is both youthful and friendly while retaining a premium appearance.
Japanese designer Nosigner created innovative designs for a range of packaging for a new type of udon noodle made from gourd powder from the Oyama district, famed for producing Kanpyo – gourd strips used in Japanese dishes.
The Kanpyo Udon packaging range includes the main package - a transparent plastic packet for retail - a special gift packaging, and a paper carrier.
During the initial brand conceptualization process, the brand owner – The Oyama Chamber of Commerce and Industry - decided that it wanted a brand image that would clearly communicate that this is a noodle brand made from high quality Kanpyo.
The solution: a brand, and its accompanying packaging, that is both youthful and friendly while retaining a premium appearance.
This was achieved by designing a cute and approachable brand image inspired by the gourd that would appeal to all consumer age groups, while using traditional Japanese calligraphy to ‘draw’ the main graphic itself and add a tone of luxury to the product – this helps emphasize the high quality of the udon and sets it apart from its competition.
In addition, a traditional Japanese seal image is printed on the front face of the packaging to indicate that the noodles are produced locally from dried gourd shavings.
Nosigner is the pseudonym taken on by the designer for Kanpyo Udon. He explained his design conceptualization process to PackWebasia.com. “For the creation of the new brand, I focused on two aspects: One was to develop a friendly design which would be remembered at one glance at the store. At the same time, the design had to be classy enough to be able to compete with other traditional high class Udon brands.
“To solve these seemingly-contradictory tasks, I formed the new character of Kanpyo (gourd), drawn using traditional Japanese calligraphy on Japanese paper.
This stylish design not only reflects the high quality of the noodles themselves, the package was also elevated to a luxury level, beyond the usual character of noodle products in Japan.”
Nosigner said that the use of a Japanese traditional art form, especially calligraphy, is very essential for the design of Japanese traditional products – particularly so if brand owners want their products to have a luxury image
“In Japan, locals place great importance in historical things; for example, they trust well-established companies in Japan because they have been able to survive for a very long time.
“Japanese calligraphy has been used in store-sign and advertisement for a long time now. So there’s a mental connection which consumers make between calligraphic designs and premium high-quality packaging and products. Even modernized specialty food shops incorporate calligraphy in their packaging design, to highlight the quality of their premium products.
Nosigner’s choice of a semi-transparent material for the main packaging was a carefully considered one. “I wanted customers to be able to see the product through the packaging because that provides assurance of product quality. But a completely transparent packet does not seem to be premium. Therefore I chose a semi-transparent material – Japanese traditional paper - for the package.”
An example of Nosigner’s quirky creativity is seen in the design of the paper carrier, which is simple yet stylish and features images of black string overlying one another and disguising the actual string holder. “The paper bag has silhouettes of Udon noodle in its dried form. When the straps of the bag are hanged down, these straps disappear by mixing with the silhouettes.”
The gift package – made from white cardboard bob paper – was designed to imitate a bundle of Udon noodles tied together with ribbon.
The designer for Kanpyo identifies himself by the pseudonym NOSIGNER, and explains that this refers to “someone who designs invisible things without an explicit signature”. Beyond the confines of design, his work enjoys a worldwide reputation, especially in the fields of product design, graphic design and art direction.
Japanese designer Nosigner created innovative designs for a range of packaging for a new type of udon noodle made from gourd powder from the Oyama district, famed for producing Kanpyo – gourd strips used in Japanese dishes.
The Kanpyo Udon packaging range includes the main package - a transparent plastic packet for retail - a special gift packaging, and a paper carrier.
During the initial brand conceptualization process, the brand owner – The Oyama Chamber of Commerce and Industry - decided that it wanted a brand image that would clearly communicate that this is a noodle brand made from high quality Kanpyo.
The solution: a brand, and its accompanying packaging, that is both youthful and friendly while retaining a premium appearance.
This was achieved by designing a cute and approachable brand image inspired by the gourd that would appeal to all consumer age groups, while using traditional Japanese calligraphy to ‘draw’ the main graphic itself and add a tone of luxury to the product – this helps emphasize the high quality of the udon and sets it apart from its competition.
In addition, a traditional Japanese seal image is printed on the front face of the packaging to indicate that the noodles are produced locally from dried gourd shavings.
Nosigner is the pseudonym taken on by the designer for Kanpyo Udon. He explained his design conceptualization process to PackWebasia.com. “For the creation of the new brand, I focused on two aspects: One was to develop a friendly design which would be remembered at one glance at the store. At the same time, the design had to be classy enough to be able to compete with other traditional high class Udon brands.
“To solve these seemingly-contradictory tasks, I formed the new character of Kanpyo (gourd), drawn using traditional Japanese calligraphy on Japanese paper.
This stylish design not only reflects the high quality of the noodles themselves, the package was also elevated to a luxury level, beyond the usual character of noodle products in Japan.”
Nosigner said that the use of a Japanese traditional art form, especially calligraphy, is very essential for the design of Japanese traditional products – particularly so if brand owners want their products to have a luxury image
“In Japan, locals place great importance in historical things; for example, they trust well-established companies in Japan because they have been able to survive for a very long time.
“Japanese calligraphy has been used in store-sign and advertisement for a long time now. So there’s a mental connection which consumers make between calligraphic designs and premium high-quality packaging and products. Even modernized specialty food shops incorporate calligraphy in their packaging design, to highlight the quality of their premium products.
Nosigner’s choice of a semi-transparent material for the main packaging was a carefully considered one. “I wanted customers to be able to see the product through the packaging because that provides assurance of product quality. But a completely transparent packet does not seem to be premium. Therefore I chose a semi-transparent material – Japanese traditional paper - for the package.”
An example of Nosigner’s quirky creativity is seen in the design of the paper carrier, which is simple yet stylish and features images of black string overlying one another and disguising the actual string holder. “The paper bag has silhouettes of Udon noodle in its dried form. When the straps of the bag are hanged down, these straps disappear by mixing with the silhouettes.”
The gift package – made from white cardboard bob paper – was designed to imitate a bundle of Udon noodles tied together with ribbon.
The designer for Kanpyo identifies himself by the pseudonym NOSIGNER, and explains that this refers to “someone who designs invisible things without an explicit signature”. Beyond the confines of design, his work enjoys a worldwide reputation, especially in the fields of product design, graphic design and art direction.
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