WIF JAPAN BRAND BOOK · 01

The Mizuhiki
Brand System

Visual & verbal guidelines for WIF Japan — a destination management agency weaving unforgettable journeys through Japan.

BRAND OFWanasia FOUNDERWan Iqmal Fathi SOCIAL#japanwifus EDITIONv1.0 · 2026

01  The Brand

One cord, many journeys —
tied with care.

WIF Japan helps travellers from Malaysia, Türkiye and beyond experience Japan as insiders do. Our mark is the mizuhiki — the woven ceremonial cord given on Japan's most meaningful occasions. It is a promise made visible: separate strands drawn into one enduring knot.

Trust
Shinrai

Every itinerary is a promise. We earn confidence through transparency, local expertise and follow-through.

Time
Jikan

We honour our guests' time and Japan's seasons — designing trips that move at the right pace.

Effort
Doryoku

The unseen work behind a seamless journey. Craft, diligence and quiet attention to detail.

Why the mizuhiki

In Japan, a mizuhiki knot is never tied carelessly. The awaji-musubi — the looped form in our mark — symbolises a bond that cannot be easily undone, and a wish for a relationship that deepens over time. It is the perfect emblem for a company built on connecting people to a place.

Throughout this system the knot appears as a hero mark, a faint watermark, a woven texture and a recurring rhythm. Used wholeheartedly — but always with restraint.

03  Clear Space & Sizing

Give the knot room to breathe

Minimum clear space equals the height of the knot's central loop — measured as “x” — on every side. Keep this margin free of type, imagery and other marks.

↕ x ↔ x

Minimum sizes

  • Full lockup — never below 120px / 32mm wide. Below this, the tagline characters lose legibility.
  • Knot mark — never below 28px / 9mm. Ideal for favicons, app icons, stamps.
  • Print — reproduce the knot at 100% vector or 300dpi raster minimum.

Placement

Prefer top-left or centred placement. The knot may also sit as a large bleed element off the edge of a layout (see Pattern). Never crowd the lockup against a hard edge.

04  Color · explore

A vermilion rooted in Japan

We refine the supplied red toward shu (朱) — the traditional vermilion of shrine gates and seals. Warmer and more grounded, it carries heritage while staying vivid and welcoming.

Supplied red
HEX #F23333 · reference only
Shu Vermilion
HEX #DD3B2F · oklch(58% 0.19 31)

Direction A — Ink & Paper / minimal

Vermilion does all the talking against warm ink and washi paper. Calmest, most editorial.

Shu
#DD3B2F
Sumi
#211C19
Stone
#8A7F73
Washi
#F8F3EC

Direction B — Warm Neutrals / recommended

Adds a graded set of warm paper tones for panels, cards and UI surfaces. Flexible and approachable — our working default.

Shu
#DD3B2F
Shu Deep
#B82B22
Washi Deep
#F0E8DC
Shu Tint
#F4D9D3

Direction C — Seasonal Accents / expressive

For campaigns & seasonal collateral only — never on the logo. Drawn from traditional Japanese hues, sharing one tonal family with the vermilion.

Ai
#284A6E · indigo
Matcha
#75834F · green
Kin
#B68B43 · gold

Tip — click any value to copy.   Ratio guidance: ~70% paper · 20% ink · 10% vermilion. Accents stay under 5%.

05  Typography · explore

Three pairings to choose from

Each keeps an elegant serif lead — echoing the logo's classical caps — over a warm, highly legible sans for running text, plus a matched Japanese face. Pick one and we'll lock the whole system to it.

Pairing A — Marcellus · Hanken Grotesk · Shippori MinchoRecommended
Discover Japan, woven with care
Marcellus brings the calm, inscriptional capitals of the logo into headlines, while Hanken Grotesk keeps body copy warm and open. A confident, hospitable voice.
DISPLAY — MarcellusBODY — Hanken Grotesk日本語 — Shippori Mincho
Pairing B — Cormorant Garamond · Mulish · Zen Old Mincho
Discover Japan, woven with care
Cormorant is more literary and high-contrast — elegant for luxury campaigns and editorial spreads. Mulish keeps interfaces clean and friendly underneath.
DISPLAY — Cormorant GaramondBODY — Mulish日本語 — Zen Old Mincho
Pairing C — Zen Old Mincho · Zen Kaku Gothic New
Discover Japan, woven with care
A single Japanese type family (the Zen superfamily) covering both Latin and 日本語 — the most systematic, modern and unified option. Excellent for digital products.
DISPLAY — Zen Old MinchoBODY — Zen Kaku Gothic New日本語 — same family

Type scale / Pairing A shown

DISPLAY · 64/MarcellusAa 結び
H2 · 40/MarcellusThe art of the journey
H3 · 23/MarcellusSeasonal itineraries
BODY · 17/HankenWarm, legible running text for brochures, web and email.
CAPTION · 11/Space MonoMETADATA · LABELS · #JAPANWIFUS

06  The Mizuhiki Pattern

One motif, four expressions

The knot is our most valuable asset. It works at four scales — from a whisper-quiet watermark to a woven all-over texture. Reach for it often, but only one expression per surface.

Spring in Kyoto

Watermark sits low-opacity behind content, bleeding off an edge.

01 · Watermark — 6–10% opacity, bleed
02 · Woven fill — seamless cord texture
03 · Cord divider

Separates sections; the triple hairline echoes three mizuhiki strands.

04 · Repeating rhythm

A measured row of marks for borders, ticket edges and packaging trims.

結び · MUSUBI

The woven fill renders in CSS — infinitely scalable, single-color, print-safe. Default tone: vermilion at 38% on washi-deep.

07  Imagery

Warm, human, unhurried

Photography should feel like a trusted friend's invitation — natural light, candid moments, and quiet detail. People over postcards; texture over saturation.

HERO — guest & guide sharing tea, Kyoto machiya · soft window light · 4:5
DETAIL — hands tying a mizuhiki cord · macro · warm neutral palette
PLACE — quiet torii path at dawn · mist · negative space for logo
LIFESTYLE — Malaysian / Turkish travellers, candid, mid-laugh · 16:9
SEASON — same location across four seasons · consistent framing

Do

  • Natural, directional light & honest color
  • Candid expressions and real interactions
  • Leave calm space for the logo or a quote

Avoid

  • Heavy filters, HDR, or oversaturation
  • Generic stock with forced smiles
  • Cluttered frames with no resting point

Drop real photography into these slots — placeholders describe the intended shot, crop & mood.

08  Voice & Tone

Speak like a trusted host

“We don't sell tours. We tie a knot between you and Japan — and we don't let go.”
  • Warm — hospitable and personal, never corporate or pushy.
  • Trustworthy — precise, honest, and reassuring about details.
  • Considered — calm and unhurried; let silence and space speak.
  • Quietly expert — show local depth without showing off.
We say

“Let's plan your Japan, at your pace.”

“Every detail is handled — so you can simply arrive.”

“Tell us your dream; we'll tie the rest together.”

We avoid

“Book the cheapest package now!”

“Unbeatable deals — limited time only!!”

Jargon, ALL CAPS urgency, exclamation pile-ups.

Primary social handle & hashtag
#japanwifus
@wifjapanEN · 日本語 · BM · TR信頼・時間・努力

09  Stationery

Business cards & print

Generous paper, one vermilion accent, the knot as a quiet host. Uncoated warm-white stock; optional letterpress deboss on the knot.

WIF Japan
WIF JAPAN 信頼・時間・努力
Wan Iqmal Fathi
FOUNDER · DESTINATION DIRECTOR
信頼・時間・努力
WIF JAPAN · #JAPANWIFUS
Letterhead
WIF Japan WIF JAPAN 信頼・時間・努力
WIF JAPAN — A BRAND OF WANASIA
hello@wifjapan.com · #japanwifus

Dear traveller,   thank you for letting us tie your Japan journey together…

10  Digital

Web & social

Website hero
DESTINATION MANAGEMENT · JAPAN
Your Japan, woven with care.

Tailored journeys for travellers from Malaysia, Türkiye & beyond.

Plan my tripSee journeys
信頼
Trust, first
Value post
PHOTO — destination · logo top-left · #japanwifus
Photo post
5 days
in Hokkaido
Pattern post
App icon
Avatar
Favicon
Stamp / seal

11  Do's & Don'ts

Protecting the mark

Do
Use approved files with full clear space.
Don't stretch
Never distort the knot's proportions.
Don't recolor
No off-brand colors or gradients.
Don't rotate
Keep the mark upright.
Low contrast
Ensure the mark stays legible on its ground.
Don't crowd
JAPAN TOURS!!
Respect clear space; no busy lockups.