I live in a big city in Mexico and although it has infrastructure such as skyscrapers, subway and others. there is a street near the center that remains preserved as if it were the time of the viceroyalty or independence I like the street and the contrast it makes with the huge buildings that are close or can be seen from there
I'm personally a huge fan of this style of clean, minimalist design, natural wood and stone exteriors, and subdued earth tones. It feels far more calming to me than a relentless explosion of primary colors and obnoxious ads.
You’re not special. Most are like this. Advertisements don’t exist for your pleasure or to make you calm. They’re there to get your attention. It’s how capitalism exists. Endless consumption. Keep in mind, Kyoto’s economy is severely declining. I wonder if this approach to advertising has anything to do with it???? 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔😑
Kyoto is better for when we do not want or need distraction. While natural environments are restful, the potential and actual beauty of the built environment is easily lost to attention-grabbing, pure primary colors. We benefit from signs and ads, but not too many. Why not cover the Parthenon with bright signage? Graffiti the balconies of Wright's Falling Water? Plaster advertisements on the Hall of Mirrors?
@@stormveil Statues were painted, too, but at least there were no ads. Come the think of it, why assume there were no ads. "Re-elect Zeus. Our guy on Mt Olympus."
As a former graphic designer, I really appreciate the consistent design and subtle colors of the area. Tokyo can look like a giant pack of Starburst exploded in places. When everything tries to pop, it all bleeds together and you get an eyesore. This might make some things a bit harder to stand out, but that also means people are forced to really look at their surroundings and maybe find some hidden gems along the way.
Yeah, I have a friend who lives in Osaka, and whenever I go over to visit him, I find myself thoroughly overwhelmed by all the visual bombardment that Japan has on offer. And I could have sworn I was going to start screeching when we took a shortcut through a pachinko parlour. As a result, I was absolutely delighted by the lack of visual noise on our first trip to Kyoto and we've made a commitment to visit when I'm over there every time since.
On the other hand, I feel it all looks grey and dull, lifeless, stuck in the past. You are right, about Tokyo as well but there has to be a middle ground somewhere where people and companies can express themselves, to be who they want to be instead of having to conform to something the local government thinks they should be.
@@Hans-gb4mv Why do companies need to express themselves? It's not their city, it belongs to the residents, whose elected representatives decided that preserving the city's unique character was more important than some company's superfluous signage. If your business is good you don't even need the advertising, as your business will speak for itself and word will get around. And there's been plenty of time to elect new people who would reverse the bylaw, so clearly the city supports it enough to keep it around. If you think the city looks dull, you're free to get your eyes blasted in Tokyo, but no company has any right to advertise in a way that the city's residents don't approve of, and there are many tourists including myself who specifically seek out Kyoto for its historical character and lack of ocular assault.
@@mezmerya5130 Kyoto was largely fine when I went in last November, and both the friend I was visiting and everyone I spoke to said that the lack of tourists hadn't been as bad as they'd expected. A lot of people and businesses in Kyoto/Osaka that I spoke to said that the inability/unwillingness to travel abroad combined with the lack of tourists meant that an unprecedented number of Japanese people were going on trips around Japan, which had been helping to keep businesses afloat. On our way back from Nagasaki, we tried to visit the torii on Miyajima Island, but had to give up and turn back because we were just driving around in circles for an hour unable to find a park, because so many Japanese people were in town for the weekend to visit it themselves. The businesses that _had_ been having more of a hard time were the rural ones, which Japanese people weren't as interested in visiting for various reasons, and which usually made most of the annual revenue from tourists in the summer. But large cities like Kyoto and popular hotspots that Japanese people were usually hedged out of were doing fine in the scheme of things. I barely even saw anything that closed down, which is more than I can say for my own city in New Zealand-except, of course, for the arcades, though my friend said most of the lots were already abandoned even before the pandemic because only a few old ladies still visit them. A Japanese-fusion burger joint I visited said they'd been surprised at how many Japanese people had come to try their burgers once it wasn't packed full of tourists, and they hoped that those new customers wouldn't all be scared away when the tourists returned. And it's not like the crowds were full of newly arrived tourists just because the borders had recently opened up-nearly everyone on my flight over was a Japanese person returning home, and most of the places we visited had barely a tourist in sight. We went on a fully booked tour of Gunkan-jima, and the only other foreign tourists on the whole tour were an American couple who nervously asked if we had any idea what the Japanese tour guide was saying and whether we could translate for them. So yeah, as far as I could see, Kyoto was doing just fine-especially compared to many other tourist destinations in the world-and I can only image things will get better as more tourists start returning in a couple of months.
It's definitely interesting because advertisements will naturally optimize for visibility and their ability to draw attention, rather than any kind of aesthetic "niceness". So it's neat to see what happens in an area where they put limitations on that.
It’s actually a great exercise for designers-can you do it without relying on being the biggest, loudest, most in your face advertisement? Leads to some very aesthetically pleasing solutions I think…
Everything still functions, businesses still operate and the sky didn't fall in, which is not what the parasites in the advertising industry would have you believe. Imagine central Paris painted scarlet, yellow, sky blue and lime green as is the much of the commercial real estate here in NZ.
I actually like Kyoto's choice here. I think historical towns are important, even if they adopt modern businesses and update the architecture for safety or other similar reasons... obviously it would be terrible if every single city worked this way, but it's nice from both a historical and artistic perspective for cities like this to maintain at least a significant district with such rules. Savannah, Georgia's historical district is one I've visited in the states and it's very beautiful if you ever get the chance to visit.
I think this is the reason why you can feel calm and refreshed after a trip to Kyoto, in spite of huge crowds of tourists you often encounter there. For comparison, I always feel pretty exhausted after a trip to Osaka (even though I love the place). I’d never thought about just how much effect the colors etc of an environment affect one’s emotional state, but I guess it makes sense!
I think the colours are visually stimulating, which is a tactic businesses use to sell their products. I’ve heard this is one of the reasons restaurants and shops play loud music - the stimulation leads to stress, which leads to decision fatigue/low will power, which leads to more sales. But when all the businesses are clamouring together to get you to buy, it becomes very stressful.
Yes, I was thinking exactly the same, and wrote something similar before reading your comment. Kyoto feels much more relaxing compared to Osaka or Tokyo.
aesthetics absolutely do play a role in mental health, most cities tend to cause over stimulation which is exhausting to the brain. Kyoto doing something as simple as banning loud colors helps to prevent this
Man this could be a whole 1hr long documentary. As a former graphic design student obsessed with Japanese design this incredibly interesting to me. Would love to know how initially this affected tourism and if it had any effect on foot traffic or the perceived tone of certain established brands.
I agree. So many signs and advertisements are the visual equivalent of someone shouting at the top of their lungs while standing inches from your ear. While the Kyoto regulations feel more like someone is calmly talking at arm's length.
Ads that you have no way to escape from in daily life should definitely be restricted. I like Kyoto's rules as they treat the citizens with respect and remove the power of companies to abuse the landscape and ruin the aesthetics for the people who live there.
If you don't point that out, most people wouldn't even notice that. It makes the city so calm and peaceful, without all these multi color, in your face sign boards, fighting for your attention. That's why Kyoto is my favorite place to visit. It is all these little things that make a big difference.
I lived in Kyoto for two years as a student, and also grew up in Hawaii, where outdoor advertising has been strictly regulated for decades (no billboards anywhere, for example). These rules make a lot of sense in both places. Kyoto verged on losing its architectural soul in the bubble years of the late 70s and 80s (not to mention, with the construction of that monstrosity known as Kyoto Station), so it's good to hear the city has begun to regain its senses with regards to how it looks. Seen in one light, it may come across as drab and monochrome, but from a historical perspective, much of Kyoto's beauty comes from its distinctive palette of browns, grays and greens--wood and stone, plants and trees. While there's not a lot that can be done about much of the ugliness of post-war buildings in the city, much can be done to preserve what makes Kyoto special. And there is still color--the traditional orange-red color known as 'bengara,' identified with the walls of the Ichiriki tea house in Gion for centuries; the vermilion of shrine gates and temples (as you mentioned); the deep purple or tri-color bunting found at the entrance to traditional Noh and Kabuki theaters, among others. Japanese cities are seldom beautiful on a macro scale, but seen on a micro level--especially in Kyoto, with its many intricate alleyways and hidden neighborhoods--they can be wonderful places to explore and discover.
Now I understand even more why I fell in love with Kyoto than Tokyo. I love how energetic Tokyo can get, but as someone who can easily get overwhelmed by physical stimuli, the muted and more neutral colors that I walked by around Kyoto appealed more to my soul. To someone who has an overactive brain that doesn't sleep much, the peaceful and less stimulating environment Kyoto made me feel calm and at home. I do love the two City's contrast so they have the best of both!
I'm so glad so many businesses embraced the Kyoto style and not just subdued or subtracted the colors. So many places clearly put in more effort then just being within the guide lines. I love carved wooden signs. This reminds me a little of Leavenworth, WA., a town up in the Cascade Mountains where every business in the heart of it must to conform to a traditional Bavarian style. The town did this to survive as a tourist destination after the mines dried up. It worked and the place looks amazing during the Christmas season. On my last visit, the first place we stopped after a very long drive was a Bavarian styled McDonald's.
i really like the culture-conscious approach and wish more places did it maybe it's just due to me getting older, but i feel like a "return to form" (in terms of architecture and aesthetic), at least in designated areas, would go a long way toward keeping us connected to our history/ancestors/etc it's a tragedy that destruction has been so common place for so long in most places. my mind goes to the Parthenon (which is where my heritage is); imagine what it would've been like if it wasn't near obliterated multiple times progression and newness is one thing, but it's not worth it at the cost of what got us here (imo)
In all fairness western countries, especially European ones, are doing a much better job at maintaining historical architecture and aesthetic then Japan. Destruction is far more common in Japan where they only seem interested in the very old, knocking down anything even remotely modern losing that wonderful architecture, Compared to the wonderful selection of different decades and centuries that is possible to see across the UK for example. Bath is full of beautiful Georgian architecture and in certain parts has a similar rule about signs on stores having to follow strict guidelines allowing you to see big brands with simple toned down signs. People need to remember that what is 'historical culture' today was modern and progressive at the time. In hundreds of years People will want a 'return to form' of what we live today. We need to preserve it all, both the old and the new.
@@DavidCruickshank I'm not sure but that might have something to do with many older Japanese buildings being unable to withstand earthquakes. So they are often replaced by modern earthquake-resistant architecture.
that Starbucks is gorgeous, and i've never said that before in my life. but the aesthetics of Kyoto are so warm and woodsy that it truly would be a shame to lose that. it reminds me, in a way, of how when middle French was evolving into modern French, they deliberately set out to make it sound good. you gotta respect people who will go to extremes to preserve the artistry of something!
As an interesting opposite, here in the USA I guess we weren’t as attached because they tore through a lot of historical cities with highways and such.
There's another very pretty Starbucks in Uji, which is close to Kyoto. It's pretty in a modern way though, not traditional Japanese, but it incorporates many traditional elements such as having a garden
@@TahtahmesDiary The USA doesn't have much in the sense of historical cities though, the whole place is just like 250 years old, in contrast Kyoto is about a thousand years older than the entire US. But I know they kind of cared about aesthetics in the US for a while, in older towns in the US they would create these elaborate fronts for buildings facing the street, while the actual building was just a box, sometimes even a tent. And that was because they wanted the town to look prosperous from the street so it would attract more people. This is the look you seen in western movies and stuff, and you can still see the influence of this in some small towns in the US, where the front facing the street is significantly more elaborate than the rest of the building. It's a pretty interesting style. Anyway, because the US doesn't really have historical cities it did give them the freedom to start building a totally new style, high rise buildings. And that has inspired a lot of cities around the world and it's often what is considered the hallmark of modern cities.
Kyoto is my hometown and the signage ordinance is one of few government regulations I fully support. 😊 I love the transformation of city-scapes before & after!BTW, If you miss bright neon signs, you can hop on the train & head for Osaka, which is only 30 minutes away.
I love the toned down low chromo regulation of Kyoto. It is actually considered very stylish. Many high end luxury designs around the world has started adopting this. In fact, that is considered hip and fashionable today.
today?? you act like this is some movement that kyoto started when it's finally the smallest step to getting some of their ridiculous signage in control. this was a problem in kyoto for a hundred years before they took this step a mere 10 years ago. it's entirely recent. and it's not something that's rare outside of japan in cities... this ins't kyoto being 'stylish' at all.
I just came back from a week and a half long trip to Kyoto and Tokyo and had no idea about these regulations beforehand. But after seeing the comparison first hand in such a close time frame I can honestly say this was the best decison Kyoto made. I couldn't quite put my finger on what exactly felt so calming, serene and relaxing about Kyoto's streets (esp in comparison to when I was last there in 2007 as a teen) but it was such a refreshing experience. Of course, the life there in general is much slower paced than in Tokyo but the general city facade really does invoke that historical feel so well, my friends and I couldn't stop commenting on it! Pontocho in particular was breath-taking, I took so many pictures and videos and just found myself stopping to take in the various alleyways and nooks along our walk, my friends got annoyed that I kept stopping to just stare. I noticed the lights were more warm and orange than in other places and it just made everything look that much more magical. Watching this video makes me want to go back right now! From a tourist perspective, the city has definitely done a lot in the way of making the experience of exploring the city a joy to do. Great video as always! Thanks for making me long for a place I just returned from 😅
Reminds me of when I lived in a Homeowners Association in California. We could only paint things certain colors, could only have certain types of fences and garage doors, etc. Lots of rules to keep the community looking a certain way. It looked nice, but gets to be quite hard when there's other things in our lives that we all have to worry about. Hard for residential, but I think it's okay and looks really good for commercial areas and it really works here in Kyoto. What a nice place!
It isn't just Kyoto, it's a standard rule in historical areas. I do really like how Kyoto expanded it into the downtown core, though. I was actually at the Gion Matsuri in 2008 and was pretty surprised when visiting the area a few years later. More cities should follow suit, ads are gaudy af.
I love the toned-down look of Kyoto as it makes for a much calmer environmental experience. I found Tokyo headache-inducing and far too overstimulating. I think the toned-down designs on signs also present graphic designs with a new kind of challenge rather than no challenge at all. Having said all that I do love the lanterns outside shops etc as they give a nice warm glow and make it feel traditional.
The traditional exteriors of Japan can be a little confusing for a Western tourist. It's not always easy to tell what is an open business and what is a private place. After a year of living there (2 months of that in Kyoto), I was definitely more clued in, but it was a struggle at first. Japanese cities are just built differently to the UK when it comes to businesses. We don't really have the multistorey thing going on with multiple bars and restaurants stacked on top of each other- usually it's business on the ground floor and then flats above. But having lived there, I really like the Japanese style now.
Greg, you may limit the number of videos you release in a given month, but you certainly do know how to put a short documentary together. The production quality is always there. Outstanding work.
never knew this was a thing, but it should be enforced everywhere in the world - we are giving up way to much in terms of design and space for agressive corporate advertisement
I adore this colour palette, so harmonious with nature and its incorporation with the typical timber and stone architecture. Japanese culture takes a great deal of inspiration from nature and strives to maintain balance with those influences in conjunction with a great deal of focus on the four seasons. Respectfully honouring the seasons is expressed not only through the arts but also many specific dishes strictly only available during their respective seasons. These expressions of honour and gratitude make a great deal of scientific sense from the perspective of diet and physiology/homeostasis. It is widely recognised clinically that consuming both local and seasonal produce sourced from the area one resides is immuno-supportive and incredibly beneficial to the maintenance of optimal health. Where possible food ought to contain as many natural colours as possible, the colours being indicative of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that they exclusively contain. I have always loved Kyoto especially the traditional Gion/Higashiyama-ku areas. Most of the Kyoto Prefecture is punctuated with elegant time capsules of lovingly maintained tradition. Along with Ise Shrine and Fukuoka these are my ultimate 'go-to' locations in Japan. Sadly I have not been back to Japan in a while now, having been spoiled with countless visits in the ‘00s - ‘10s. This video has given me a burning desire to return for a well overdue visit!
I think it is very forward thinking. They have considered the value of the cultural landscape of Kyoto and have taken important steps to preserve the beauty and historic significance of the area. It's a great example of what can be done if people care and work together. Thanks for the video!
Love this channel!! You really give us all a new look in to what life is like in japan! And teach us about traditions and tell us facts!! Thank you so much!!! Keep up the good work👍
I had thought for a while that Kyoto's modern buildings had a cozy feel that I hadn't seen elsewhere in Japan, but I had never been able to put my finger on why. Thank you for highlighting and explaining this!
I think what makes Kyoto's approach distinct is that the design makes exploring relaxing and welcoming while balancing the blend between landscape and structure. Im so intrigued.
At 8:10 the most striking change wasn't so much the signs but the removal of the over hanging wires. A very big eye sore all over Japan. BTW, most World heritage sites have similar rules. Having lived in Quebec city before, the entire area inside the walls is a World Heritage site. Buildings and signs must blend in with the surroundings.
the city of london has protected angles, which dictate certain corridors in which taller buildings are prohibited in order to ensure that certain landmarks can always be viewed from certain directions, to both preserve the view of course, but also to help people navigate the city.
I was absolutely mesmerised when I visited Kyoto a few years back and now I know why! Thank you for this informative video. Other Asian countries/cities) really need to learn from this and adopt similar policies.
Love this. Makes me want to visit Kyoto. I think its a good challenge for franchises to change their logo etc. to fit in. Fun fact, in pokemon heartgold and soulsilver there are cities that adhere to the same rules. Ecruteak and Violet city. Thats how I heard about this first 😋
This is a wonderful video! When I went to Japan, I remember thinking and telling people it felt like Tokyo "conquered" nature, whereas Kyoto lived more in harmony with it. Learning about how much effort they made into preserving their skyline and everything really puts into perspective why I felt that way.
Its really beautiful. I love kyoto and how they organized the location to make sure that natural landscape and man made landscape can be aligned. Blinding lights are really irritating and makes you uncomfortable so its one of the reasons why this is a brilliant implementation
I like the one they did in Kyoto. The minimalist signs aren't painful to the eyes. The tone down color makes it more cooler to the eyes. And the way they gave importance more to the scenery and surroundings makes it more welcoming and less stressful.
This is maybe the only thing I’ve seen a video about in Japan that I haven’t been able to put into words. Wow, thanks for explaining this. Kyoto protects us from visual advertisement graffitis, as simple as that, and it seems that very few cities do that. If I remember correctly Florence in Italy does that also.
This is done elsewhere in historically or culturally significant areas in Japan as well. While riding through Nasu Kōgen last summer I stopped at a Lawson with a brown and white sign instead of the usual bright blue and white sign. I realized that it was some sorry of “historical city rule” but now I have such a deeper understanding of what’s going on with these altered storefronts and so on. Great video 👍👍
I think every city needs to do this with their historical areas. Places like Tokyo are associated with color and lights so that makes sense. Even though it is overstimulating to me.
I love it. I don't think it is necessary everywhere, but in particular culturally significant cities, or even just certain city districts, such changes are great in my oppinion. The ambiance and atmosphere of the place is calm, natural and refreshing. You are still in a city, but without the clutter.
Totally fascinating. I had absolutely no idea even after 8 years in Japan. These toned down signs exist in my town too…and I assume others places as well 😮
I visited Kyoto nineteen years ago and I remember I was amazed by the old parts of Kyoto. Such an amazing experience, felt like going back to the past centuries ago.
Thanks for the video and insights. I just got back from Japan yesterday. I think each city and region works hard to differentiate itself from the others. That's why there are many limited editions and region's special products available. It's interesting to see that the city planning is also doing the same to maintain its uniqueness. I love Kyoto. I'm glad to hear that they are working to preserve it's old-time charm. What a great escape with only a 2-ish hour train ride from Tokyo!
It is so many things at once. A kind of "visual fasting" to avoid burnout from colors. A commitment to traditional technique and a healthy suspicion of modern inventions. An ideal to pursue. Toning down artificial color is also a way for nature to stand out more.
Well this is an amazing advertisement for Kyoto! I get overwhelmed with so many lights and advertisements. I tire of seeing them everywhere constantly. I've avoided a lot of cities because of it. It's nice to know that if I want to visit Japan, that Kyoto would be a great option for me =)
thank you for this! it's only through your video that i FINALLY realised why i somehow just preferred kyoto but never actually realised it was the muted and calm colours that was a MAJOR factor in that. absolutely good decision imo!
I have to be very honest; As annoying it might be for the companies to actually do what they have to do by law, it creates a very unique and special style for Kyoto in general. When I was there in January, I certainly haven't really recognized it too much, tbh. But now that you actually compared them side by side, waow....I am amazed! As a German fellow, we love rules and laws...we literally have laws for the toppings of specific Pizza, otherwise we are not allowed to name them like we want ("Pizza Napoli") and even colors are copyrighted. So I really like it. However; That rule should be specific to such an area. It should not be the general case. I would like to see such rules for some other places too though, not only in Japan 🤔
Actually at least Italy, France and Spain, have really strict regulations about even the color that a building can be painted or if you have a shop and you decide to change something like windows frame it need to be approved, not tu mention advertising in the street, all of this to preserve historic city center and not only in big city but in small towns as well. A lot of people complain about these rules but they are extremely helpful to keep the authenticity of the place
@@suohfgh803 That "German fellow" has no idea what he is talking about, because German cities do in fact have such restrictive rules to preserve the historic look and feel of cities, especially in the cities that were never destroyed by war. Examples of that are Regensburg, Bamberg, Rothenburg, Dinkelsbühl, Heidelberg, Wismar, Meissen... And even completely modern cities, such as Cologne or Frankfurt, have already way stricter rules than any city in Japan. The neon signs and billboards you find in Japan are strictly forbidden in all of Germany.
i love Kyoto,, its traditional aesthetic and mature colors gives a breath of fresh air of professionalism and maturity in a world where everything has to be colored and immature looking to appear "fun" and "eye catching" to stand out
I always thought that I'd prefer Kyoto over Tokyo, until I actually went there and imprinted on Tokyo so hard ^^'' Kyoto is totally calming and peaceful, and serene, however Tokyo has those tall buildings, every building has a different structure, color and vibe to it, also the neon signs, the broad streets and the spaceful sky above the city's horizon really can make a person feel free and excited. If I could get an offer to live in one city in the world tomorrow, and I could only bring one backpack with me, that would def be Tokyo, I've never felt more inspired and at home than I did at Tokyo. Kyoto and Kamakura, however, are the soul's balm for the spirituality. I could spend days in those places and just meditate with my eyes open ^^
Great video, Greg. While others tend to put out clickbait, I truly appreciate that you put out genuinely interesting and insightful videos of Japan. Truly "Life Where I'm From".
Awesome, I love it! Also agreed that not the entire country should stick to rules like those, but more historical cities should think of urban planning like that all around the world, not just Japan. I knew there was some preservation effort in Kyoto so that it remained closer to it's roots, but I didn't know they took it this far... explains a lot. xD I also imagine that codes and rules like those are what makes even neighborhoods so distinct from each other in big cities, and at least in my eyes, it definitely pays off for a country that's becoming more and more touristic over the years - both internally and externally I mean. I'd be far more interested in visiting cities in my own country if there was such care about preserving the ambience, historical value and aesthetics in general of some of them. It's also quite the feat to enforce and maintain things that way in a city as big as Kyoto... I can imagine this being done in smaller cities and towns, but managing a city the size of Kyoto must require several layers of cooperation and true will to enforce stuff like that. The city I currently live in has a bit bigger population than Kyoto... around 500 thousand more people, it's a mid sized capital. There are some preservation efforts on the old part of downtown, but it's just done in a dumb way. It's mostly about the streets and pavement, which are just horrible. Paved with these slippery and hard stones that are just fall hazards whenever it rains, or even with it's not raining. It's less historical preservation and more like the mayor not wanting to invest and receiving kickbacks to maintain things as they are - namely old, useless and horrible. Meanwhile, decrepit old ugly buildings dominate the landscape, and there are no aesthetic restrictions to anything, so it just looks like a dirtier run down part of downtown instead. Next time I visit Kyoto I'll pay more attention and value how beautiful the place is even more... :D
That is so cool! For a few decades now big cities all around the globe have started to look more and more the same - more and more international companies setting up shop everywhere, bright lights and huge advertisements hiding the old buildings, a homogenised cacophonie that started to make big cities feel more similar to each other than the lands surrounding them. This initiative does not prevent international corporations from entering the market but it makes sure that even the design of the buildings and advertisements have to take the people actually living there into consideration. While these exact rules don't need to apply everywhere - not even everywhere in Japan - they make for a great blueprint for cities around the world going forward.
I would just point out that this only works for certain areas. Removing signs is great when the buildings under the sign are architecturally beautiful and valuable. There are many parts of cities where the buildings are old, dirty, and an eye sore. The love hotel is a good example of this. Removing the signage just exposes the ugly buildings underneath. Adding signage makes otherwise boring area pop and interesting in a cyberpunk kind of way. (Of course, having too much signage in every area would also become an eyesore) The quality of the signage matters too - Sao Paulo pre-sign ban was hideous. Most cities in the world in general have very strict rules on singage.
Just love it. Calming landscape without annoying bright colors and distracting commercials everywhere. I truly appreciate Kyoto's decision in this one. It really sustains the traditional beauty of Japanese architecture with just a small amount of todays necessary signs.
Very well thought out! They should do this in Europe too. There are far too many ugly signboards here. Ugly take away, night shop & newsagency signs, etc. Especially in London and other big cities! I hope that many cities all around the world will follow the Kyoto example.
“It was preserved from bombing due to its heritage” - This cannot be understated, Kyoto was on the target selection for dropping the atomic bombs and was -only- spared because the war secretary (Henry Stimson) had been there on holiday.
Americans are warmongers and responsible for death and destruction. Imperial Japan could have defeated US. US relied on European alliance and European scientists to defeat a single power, Japan. I salute Imperial Japan for their bravery and ultimate sacrifice. True, they may have been defeated but they brought fear to US. Imperial Japanese soldiers are the fury that will follow US always, a dying Empire.
Very informative and well done! Thank you for your great work! I was surprised the first time I saw the sign outside the 7-Eleven store across the street from Tōji temple just dressed in black and white. My friend Tomohiro explained it to me.
as a person who uses landmarks for directions, it would be interesting to see how well i would do with such homogonous cityscapes; especially as i have always wanted to visit kyoto!
I currently live in Tokyo but I've always preferred Kyoto to Tokyo. I don't know what it is about Kyoto but I definitely like it much better, I lived there for a month and I would love to go back and live there for a bit longer. I think that after watching this video I realise that probably the reason I prefer the way Kyoto looks is probably because of their established "aesthetic" all throughout the city. Tokyo at times becomes too much in my opinion, it can be a bit of an eye sore at times, while Kyoto's consistent aesthetic is extremely pleasing in my opinion.
I like how in the first 20 seconds you said that Kyoto has kept most of its spiritual buildings intact and then showed the Golden Pavillion which was burned down after WWII
i love the subtle nature of traditional Japanese culture. i hope they never change. let other cities go more vibrant and modern, let others stay traditional.
One of the best parts of this is that business acknowledge the local landscape and not the other way around. Thus there's an order that can be followed and amazingly, no one suffers but instead something unique comes out.
When I saw the title of this video, I thought you meant all colours - including what people wear. I love wearing and seeing bright colours on others, so I thought this was a horrible idea. I’m glad it just pertains to advertising. I think it’s a good idea, and I wish more places did this. I get a little tired of the incessant advertisements everywhere, especially now that many where I live are fast paced, flashy videos. They literally hurt my brain.
It’s great that cities can have their own unique character. Thankfully Kyoto is preserving its character. Now, I can understand why it feels so calm and relaxed despite the numbers of tourists. It doesn’t have all the flashing neon and bright advertisements. It’s more subtle and attractive in a traditional sense.
We are currently amending sign regulations in my (US) city, and I found this video super helpful to see how to communicate these kinds of regulations in a clearer way. My city limits things like logos/copy on directional signs and quantity of colors used for others. It also requires sign design plans for multi-tenant buildings. I don’t personally find most of our regulations very effective, but the overall color palette rules seem like they work very well for Kyoto.
Somewhat reminds me of how 3D logos were back then but then everyone started becoming minimalist. It’s not bad and actually most of them are tasteful and refined, but it’s not for everybody. I love that Kyoto is doing this for their history and I hope other places would do it too but Tokyo and other modern cities may not be fitting for this.
"it was spared from bombings in ww2 and thus has kept most of it's buildings intact" proceeds to show like the one building that was burned down and rebuilt lol.
I’m usually not a fan of anything that restricts creative freedom but I can appreciate it here as well as those who have to work within their restrictive guidelines
As someone, who is extremely near-sighted, only correctable to a certain degree, this would be hell for me. I rely so much on big, bright signs, with trademark colors and symbols, to find my way, so I'd be completely lost in Kyoto. And I can't be the only one. Does anyone think of visually impaired people when making such rules?
At first before clicking i was like "why?" Then it all made sense and i am thankful the law exist. Kyoto is extremely pretty, it would be a shame for it to lose its beauty. It also forces companies to fit with the decor, making it aesthethically pleasing while also removing bright color brand criteria trope. Since no one is allowed bright saturated colors, no company can stand out and fight eachother on who has the flashiest design, creating a mess of color. Everyone has to get creative while following some rules, the prettiest design will still stand out on its out while fitting the scenery. Great for tourist and locals alike.
Seems a little harsh to say no signs or colors but then not offer some sort of substitute improvement/decoration to the business owners. The giant inflatable cat was actually nicely covering up that ugly 80's mini mall building, which is now in everyone's face. The key to make urban areas look more coherent is to unify the color scheme, not just mute it... make every sign a. shade of green for example.
Wow that was so interesting... I have always appreciated the aesthetic of Kyoto and is one of the reasons I am so drawn to going there, but now I know why it looks the way it does and the effort and intention behind maintaining that traditional, neutral and clean aesthetic, I love it even more!!!
It's great that Kyoto can stay calm and traditional. And Tokyo can expand on neon light futurism. Not every city has to be a mash of everything.
My hometown is incredibly guilty of that, you can find colonial homes right next to skyscrapers. But it has an interesting feel to it
Kyoto can also stay bankrupted thanks to all the great lavish spendings thr city made over the years.
@@khoado9512 You believe that was caused by their lighting regulations?
@@passantNL you must have quite a wild imagination to be able to come to that conclusion reading my comment
I live in a big city in Mexico and although it has infrastructure such as skyscrapers, subway and others. there is a street near the center that remains preserved as if it were the time of the viceroyalty or independence I like the street and the contrast it makes with the huge buildings that are close or can be seen from there
I'm personally a huge fan of this style of clean, minimalist design, natural wood and stone exteriors, and subdued earth tones. It feels far more calming to me than a relentless explosion of primary colors and obnoxious ads.
You’re not special.
Most are like this.
Advertisements don’t exist for your pleasure or to make you calm.
They’re there to get your attention.
It’s how capitalism exists.
Endless consumption.
Keep in mind, Kyoto’s economy is severely declining.
I wonder if this approach to advertising has anything to do with it????
🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔😑
Mmm..nah, I find it kind of bland. Color helps your mood. If you want an earthy tone for an area- don't pollute it with humans.
Kyoto is better for when we do not want or need distraction. While natural environments are restful, the potential and actual beauty of the built environment is easily lost to attention-grabbing, pure primary colors.
We benefit from signs and ads, but not too many. Why not cover the Parthenon with bright signage? Graffiti the balconies of Wright's Falling Water? Plaster advertisements on the Hall of Mirrors?
@@SBCBears 😂 You do know the parthenon was brightly painted? But it was only natural pigments so that puts some limits on it anyway.
@@stormveil Statues were painted, too, but at least there were no ads.
Come the think of it, why assume there were no ads. "Re-elect Zeus. Our guy on Mt Olympus."
As a former graphic designer, I really appreciate the consistent design and subtle colors of the area. Tokyo can look like a giant pack of Starburst exploded in places. When everything tries to pop, it all bleeds together and you get an eyesore. This might make some things a bit harder to stand out, but that also means people are forced to really look at their surroundings and maybe find some hidden gems along the way.
Yeah, I have a friend who lives in Osaka, and whenever I go over to visit him, I find myself thoroughly overwhelmed by all the visual bombardment that Japan has on offer. And I could have sworn I was going to start screeching when we took a shortcut through a pachinko parlour. As a result, I was absolutely delighted by the lack of visual noise on our first trip to Kyoto and we've made a commitment to visit when I'm over there every time since.
On the other hand, I feel it all looks grey and dull, lifeless, stuck in the past. You are right, about Tokyo as well but there has to be a middle ground somewhere where people and companies can express themselves, to be who they want to be instead of having to conform to something the local government thinks they should be.
Kyoto basically dying atm due to 2 years of tourist drought. strict regulations are double edged sword.
@@Hans-gb4mv Why do companies need to express themselves? It's not their city, it belongs to the residents, whose elected representatives decided that preserving the city's unique character was more important than some company's superfluous signage. If your business is good you don't even need the advertising, as your business will speak for itself and word will get around. And there's been plenty of time to elect new people who would reverse the bylaw, so clearly the city supports it enough to keep it around. If you think the city looks dull, you're free to get your eyes blasted in Tokyo, but no company has any right to advertise in a way that the city's residents don't approve of, and there are many tourists including myself who specifically seek out Kyoto for its historical character and lack of ocular assault.
@@mezmerya5130 Kyoto was largely fine when I went in last November, and both the friend I was visiting and everyone I spoke to said that the lack of tourists hadn't been as bad as they'd expected. A lot of people and businesses in Kyoto/Osaka that I spoke to said that the inability/unwillingness to travel abroad combined with the lack of tourists meant that an unprecedented number of Japanese people were going on trips around Japan, which had been helping to keep businesses afloat.
On our way back from Nagasaki, we tried to visit the torii on Miyajima Island, but had to give up and turn back because we were just driving around in circles for an hour unable to find a park, because so many Japanese people were in town for the weekend to visit it themselves. The businesses that _had_ been having more of a hard time were the rural ones, which Japanese people weren't as interested in visiting for various reasons, and which usually made most of the annual revenue from tourists in the summer. But large cities like Kyoto and popular hotspots that Japanese people were usually hedged out of were doing fine in the scheme of things. I barely even saw anything that closed down, which is more than I can say for my own city in New Zealand-except, of course, for the arcades, though my friend said most of the lots were already abandoned even before the pandemic because only a few old ladies still visit them.
A Japanese-fusion burger joint I visited said they'd been surprised at how many Japanese people had come to try their burgers once it wasn't packed full of tourists, and they hoped that those new customers wouldn't all be scared away when the tourists returned. And it's not like the crowds were full of newly arrived tourists just because the borders had recently opened up-nearly everyone on my flight over was a Japanese person returning home, and most of the places we visited had barely a tourist in sight. We went on a fully booked tour of Gunkan-jima, and the only other foreign tourists on the whole tour were an American couple who nervously asked if we had any idea what the Japanese tour guide was saying and whether we could translate for them.
So yeah, as far as I could see, Kyoto was doing just fine-especially compared to many other tourist destinations in the world-and I can only image things will get better as more tourists start returning in a couple of months.
It's definitely interesting because advertisements will naturally optimize for visibility and their ability to draw attention, rather than any kind of aesthetic "niceness". So it's neat to see what happens in an area where they put limitations on that.
It’s actually a great exercise for designers-can you do it without relying on being the biggest, loudest, most in your face advertisement? Leads to some very aesthetically pleasing solutions I think…
It works because everyone else has to follow the same standards.
Yeah the McDonald's red and various blues and yellows are honestly pretty annoying
Everything still functions, businesses still operate and the sky didn't fall in, which is not what the parasites in the advertising industry would have you believe.
Imagine central Paris painted scarlet, yellow, sky blue and lime green as is the much of the commercial real estate here in NZ.
The minimalist signage is a lot more appealing to me personally.
Yeees!
To me its just the norm. In Sweden we don´t have big signs/Commercials like that at all.
Same, the lack of rainbow puke makes me feel way more comfortable
@@JaffaGaffa That depends. In Växjö we have insanely bright billboard screens that literally light up the sky at night. It's pretty bad.
@@JaffaGaffa I've been to Stockholm 🤢
I actually like Kyoto's choice here. I think historical towns are important, even if they adopt modern businesses and update the architecture for safety or other similar reasons... obviously it would be terrible if every single city worked this way, but it's nice from both a historical and artistic perspective for cities like this to maintain at least a significant district with such rules. Savannah, Georgia's historical district is one I've visited in the states and it's very beautiful if you ever get the chance to visit.
I think this is the reason why you can feel calm and refreshed after a trip to Kyoto, in spite of huge crowds of tourists you often encounter there. For comparison, I always feel pretty exhausted after a trip to Osaka (even though I love the place). I’d never thought about just how much effect the colors etc of an environment affect one’s emotional state, but I guess it makes sense!
I think the colours are visually stimulating, which is a tactic businesses use to sell their products. I’ve heard this is one of the reasons restaurants and shops play loud music - the stimulation leads to stress, which leads to decision fatigue/low will power, which leads to more sales. But when all the businesses are clamouring together to get you to buy, it becomes very stressful.
@@user-no2mz9hl4f Agreed. 😅
Yes, I was thinking exactly the same, and wrote something similar before reading your comment. Kyoto feels much more relaxing compared to Osaka or Tokyo.
aesthetics absolutely do play a role in mental health, most cities tend to cause over stimulation which is exhausting to the brain. Kyoto doing something as simple as banning loud colors helps to prevent this
@@cottoncandykawaii2673 it’s so true isn’t it!
Man this could be a whole 1hr long documentary. As a former graphic design student obsessed with Japanese design this incredibly interesting to me. Would love to know how initially this affected tourism and if it had any effect on foot traffic or the perceived tone of certain established brands.
Likely, no, as Japan's soft power i.e. the appeal of its culture and culture industry has only grown. Anime and the like are plenty colourful.
Toning down advertisements is always a good idea in my opinion.
That includes ad signs, vocal announcements, and monitors in malls trains, buses etc.
I agree.
So many signs and advertisements are the visual equivalent of someone shouting at the top of their lungs while standing inches from your ear.
While the Kyoto regulations feel more like someone is calmly talking at arm's length.
Ads that you have no way to escape from in daily life should definitely be restricted. I like Kyoto's rules as they treat the citizens with respect and remove the power of companies to abuse the landscape and ruin the aesthetics for the people who live there.
@@YarrowTV They play vape ads at gas pumps in california
50% of money spent on advertisment is wasted money anyway. The only problem is, advertisers don't know exactly which 50%.
If you don't point that out, most people wouldn't even notice that. It makes the city so calm and peaceful, without all these multi color, in your face sign boards, fighting for your attention. That's why Kyoto is my favorite place to visit. It is all these little things that make a big difference.
I lived in Kyoto for two years as a student, and also grew up in Hawaii, where outdoor advertising has been strictly regulated for decades (no billboards anywhere, for example). These rules make a lot of sense in both places. Kyoto verged on losing its architectural soul in the bubble years of the late 70s and 80s (not to mention, with the construction of that monstrosity known as Kyoto Station), so it's good to hear the city has begun to regain its senses with regards to how it looks. Seen in one light, it may come across as drab and monochrome, but from a historical perspective, much of Kyoto's beauty comes from its distinctive palette of browns, grays and greens--wood and stone, plants and trees. While there's not a lot that can be done about much of the ugliness of post-war buildings in the city, much can be done to preserve what makes Kyoto special. And there is still color--the traditional orange-red color known as 'bengara,' identified with the walls of the Ichiriki tea house in Gion for centuries; the vermilion of shrine gates and temples (as you mentioned); the deep purple or tri-color bunting found at the entrance to traditional Noh and Kabuki theaters, among others. Japanese cities are seldom beautiful on a macro scale, but seen on a micro level--especially in Kyoto, with its many intricate alleyways and hidden neighborhoods--they can be wonderful places to explore and discover.
Exactly beautifully said :))
What a lovely read.
Bravo, well said!
What would it mean to be beautiful on a macro scale? (Genuine question)
It is plesant to read man of culture!
Now I understand even more why I fell in love with Kyoto than Tokyo. I love how energetic Tokyo can get, but as someone who can easily get overwhelmed by physical stimuli, the muted and more neutral colors that I walked by around Kyoto appealed more to my soul. To someone who has an overactive brain that doesn't sleep much, the peaceful and less stimulating environment Kyoto made me feel calm and at home. I do love the two City's contrast so they have the best of both!
I'm always surprised what niche topics can somehow be interesting when the right person makes a video about them :D
I can't subscribe, cuz I need an education mahalo 🤙🏻
Agreed! Fascinating video. I love this!
@@WayneHendersonVO their style is so pretty and delicate - this is what Taylor Swift means "I'm a monster on a hill" she's so deep yo.
not to mention how a plethora of youtubers are in japan doing the same over and over again.
I'm so glad so many businesses embraced the Kyoto style and not just subdued or subtracted the colors. So many places clearly put in more effort then just being within the guide lines. I love carved wooden signs.
This reminds me a little of Leavenworth, WA., a town up in the Cascade Mountains where every business in the heart of it must to conform to a traditional Bavarian style. The town did this to survive as a tourist destination after the mines dried up. It worked and the place looks amazing during the Christmas season. On my last visit, the first place we stopped after a very long drive was a Bavarian styled McDonald's.
Perhaps Leavenworth, WA should change its' name, too.
Whenever I hear "Leavenworth", all I think of is *PRISON!* :-O
i really like the culture-conscious approach and wish more places did it
maybe it's just due to me getting older, but i feel like a "return to form" (in terms of architecture and aesthetic), at least in designated areas, would go a long way toward keeping us connected to our history/ancestors/etc
it's a tragedy that destruction has been so common place for so long in most places. my mind goes to the Parthenon (which is where my heritage is); imagine what it would've been like if it wasn't near obliterated multiple times
progression and newness is one thing, but it's not worth it at the cost of what got us here (imo)
In all fairness western countries, especially European ones, are doing a much better job at maintaining historical architecture and aesthetic then Japan.
Destruction is far more common in Japan where they only seem interested in the very old, knocking down anything even remotely modern losing that wonderful architecture, Compared to the wonderful selection of different decades and centuries that is possible to see across the UK for example. Bath is full of beautiful Georgian architecture and in certain parts has a similar rule about signs on stores having to follow strict guidelines allowing you to see big brands with simple toned down signs.
People need to remember that what is 'historical culture' today was modern and progressive at the time. In hundreds of years People will want a 'return to form' of what we live today. We need to preserve it all, both the old and the new.
@@DavidCruickshank I'm not sure but that might have something to do with many older Japanese buildings being unable to withstand earthquakes. So they are often replaced by modern earthquake-resistant architecture.
Maybe they can find a way to reinforce older buildings to be more earthquake/fire resisting
Without destroying what makes them pleasing
Meh, preservation of history/ancestors is only a side benefit. The true benefit is the lack of cancer caused by in-your-face neon.
@@orppranator5230 You freaks always saying some weird wrong stuff.
that Starbucks is gorgeous, and i've never said that before in my life. but the aesthetics of Kyoto are so warm and woodsy that it truly would be a shame to lose that. it reminds me, in a way, of how when middle French was evolving into modern French, they deliberately set out to make it sound good. you gotta respect people who will go to extremes to preserve the artistry of something!
As an interesting opposite, here in the USA I guess we weren’t as attached because they tore through a lot of historical cities with highways and such.
There's another very pretty Starbucks in Uji, which is close to Kyoto. It's pretty in a modern way though, not traditional Japanese, but it incorporates many traditional elements such as having a garden
@@TahtahmesDiary The USA doesn't have much in the sense of historical cities though, the whole place is just like 250 years old, in contrast Kyoto is about a thousand years older than the entire US. But I know they kind of cared about aesthetics in the US for a while, in older towns in the US they would create these elaborate fronts for buildings facing the street, while the actual building was just a box, sometimes even a tent. And that was because they wanted the town to look prosperous from the street so it would attract more people. This is the look you seen in western movies and stuff, and you can still see the influence of this in some small towns in the US, where the front facing the street is significantly more elaborate than the rest of the building. It's a pretty interesting style. Anyway, because the US doesn't really have historical cities it did give them the freedom to start building a totally new style, high rise buildings. And that has inspired a lot of cities around the world and it's often what is considered the hallmark of modern cities.
Kyoto is my hometown and the signage ordinance is one of few government regulations I fully support. 😊 I love the transformation of city-scapes before & after!BTW, If you miss bright neon signs, you can hop on the train & head for Osaka, which is only 30 minutes away.
I live in Kyoto and the atmosphere is much nicer than Osaka, but it's true that Osaka has charm to go on a weekend to have a drink haha.
Osaka colours give me headache 😆
I was just thinking; if you can see the Glico man, you're standing somewhere that would be illegal anywhere in Kyoto.
You live in a beautiful city.
Greetings from Vienna 🙂
I love the contrast between Kyoto and Osaka.
There’s something so beautiful and calming about dark/muted colors. It’s an aesthetic I’ve always loved
I love the toned down low chromo regulation of Kyoto. It is actually considered very stylish. Many high end luxury designs around the world has started adopting this. In fact, that is considered hip and fashionable today.
Yeah trends go in cycles.
I agree, I associate toned-down, subtle branding with higher quality in recent years. Bright colours and bold designs read as "cheap" to me.
So yall are why stuff looks boring 😭/j
today?? you act like this is some movement that kyoto started when it's finally the smallest step to getting some of their ridiculous signage in control. this was a problem in kyoto for a hundred years before they took this step a mere 10 years ago. it's entirely recent. and it's not something that's rare outside of japan in cities... this ins't kyoto being 'stylish' at all.
@@jerkchickenblog Tell me you live under a rock without telling me you are living under a rock lmao
I like both. I like that you have colorful, energetic cities and calm, relaxing cities.
I just came back from a week and a half long trip to Kyoto and Tokyo and had no idea about these regulations beforehand.
But after seeing the comparison first hand in such a close time frame I can honestly say this was the best decison Kyoto made. I couldn't quite put my finger on what exactly felt so calming, serene and relaxing about Kyoto's streets (esp in comparison to when I was last there in 2007 as a teen) but it was such a refreshing experience. Of course, the life there in general is much slower paced than in Tokyo but the general city facade really does invoke that historical feel so well, my friends and I couldn't stop commenting on it! Pontocho in particular was breath-taking, I took so many pictures and videos and just found myself stopping to take in the various alleyways and nooks along our walk, my friends got annoyed that I kept stopping to just stare. I noticed the lights were more warm and orange than in other places and it just made everything look that much more magical. Watching this video makes me want to go back right now!
From a tourist perspective, the city has definitely done a lot in the way of making the experience of exploring the city a joy to do.
Great video as always! Thanks for making me long for a place I just returned from 😅
Reminds me of when I lived in a Homeowners Association in California. We could only paint things certain colors, could only have certain types of fences and garage doors, etc. Lots of rules to keep the community looking a certain way. It looked nice, but gets to be quite hard when there's other things in our lives that we all have to worry about. Hard for residential, but I think it's okay and looks really good for commercial areas and it really works here in Kyoto. What a nice place!
Personally I like bright colors, but the uniformity of the colors, shapes, and buildings in Kyoto is very calming and kinda classy! 😍
It isn't just Kyoto, it's a standard rule in historical areas. I do really like how Kyoto expanded it into the downtown core, though. I was actually at the Gion Matsuri in 2008 and was pretty surprised when visiting the area a few years later. More cities should follow suit, ads are gaudy af.
I love the toned-down look of Kyoto as it makes for a much calmer environmental experience. I found Tokyo headache-inducing and far too overstimulating. I think the toned-down designs on signs also present graphic designs with a new kind of challenge rather than no challenge at all. Having said all that I do love the lanterns outside shops etc as they give a nice warm glow and make it feel traditional.
The traditional exteriors of Japan can be a little confusing for a Western tourist. It's not always easy to tell what is an open business and what is a private place. After a year of living there (2 months of that in Kyoto), I was definitely more clued in, but it was a struggle at first. Japanese cities are just built differently to the UK when it comes to businesses. We don't really have the multistorey thing going on with multiple bars and restaurants stacked on top of each other- usually it's business on the ground floor and then flats above. But having lived there, I really like the Japanese style now.
Greg, you may limit the number of videos you release in a given month, but you certainly do know how to put a short documentary together. The production quality is always there. Outstanding work.
never knew this was a thing, but it should be enforced everywhere in the world - we are giving up way to much in terms of design and space for agressive corporate advertisement
I adore this colour palette, so harmonious with nature and its incorporation with the typical timber and stone architecture.
Japanese culture takes a great deal of inspiration from nature and strives to maintain balance with those influences in conjunction with a great deal of focus on the four seasons. Respectfully honouring the seasons is expressed not only through the arts but also many specific dishes strictly only available during their respective seasons.
These expressions of honour and gratitude make a great deal of scientific sense from the perspective of diet and physiology/homeostasis. It is widely recognised clinically that consuming both local and seasonal produce sourced from the area one resides is immuno-supportive and incredibly beneficial to the maintenance of optimal health. Where possible food ought to contain as many natural colours as possible, the colours being indicative of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that they exclusively contain.
I have always loved Kyoto especially the traditional Gion/Higashiyama-ku areas.
Most of the Kyoto Prefecture is punctuated with elegant time capsules of lovingly maintained tradition. Along with Ise Shrine and Fukuoka these are my ultimate 'go-to' locations in Japan.
Sadly I have not been back to Japan in a while now, having been spoiled with countless visits in the ‘00s - ‘10s. This video has given me a burning desire to return for a well overdue visit!
I think it is very forward thinking. They have considered the value of the cultural landscape of Kyoto and have taken important steps to preserve the beauty and historic significance of the area. It's a great example of what can be done if people care and work together. Thanks for the video!
Love this channel!! You really give us all a new look in to what life is like in japan! And teach us about traditions and tell us facts!! Thank you so much!!! Keep up the good work👍
I had thought for a while that Kyoto's modern buildings had a cozy feel that I hadn't seen elsewhere in Japan, but I had never been able to put my finger on why. Thank you for highlighting and explaining this!
I think what makes Kyoto's approach distinct is that the design makes exploring relaxing and welcoming while balancing the blend between landscape and structure. Im so intrigued.
At 8:10 the most striking change wasn't so much the signs but the removal of the over hanging wires. A very big eye sore all over Japan. BTW, most World heritage sites have similar rules. Having lived in Quebec city before, the entire area inside the walls is a World Heritage site. Buildings and signs must blend in with the surroundings.
the city of london has protected angles, which dictate certain corridors in which taller buildings are prohibited in order to ensure that certain landmarks can always be viewed from certain directions, to both preserve the view of course, but also to help people navigate the city.
I visited Japan about 4 years ago. I completely felt in love with this city.
I was absolutely mesmerised when I visited Kyoto a few years back and now I know why! Thank you for this informative video. Other Asian countries/cities) really need to learn from this and adopt similar policies.
Love this. Makes me want to visit Kyoto. I think its a good challenge for franchises to change their logo etc. to fit in. Fun fact, in pokemon heartgold and soulsilver there are cities that adhere to the same rules. Ecruteak and Violet city. Thats how I heard about this first 😋
This is a wonderful video! When I went to Japan, I remember thinking and telling people it felt like Tokyo "conquered" nature, whereas Kyoto lived more in harmony with it. Learning about how much effort they made into preserving their skyline and everything really puts into perspective why I felt that way.
Kyoto is like the older brother who has to plan accordingly in advance to his younger brothers and sisters not get hurt
Its really beautiful. I love kyoto and how they organized the location to make sure that natural landscape and man made landscape can be aligned. Blinding lights are really irritating and makes you uncomfortable so its one of the reasons why this is a brilliant implementation
I like the one they did in Kyoto. The minimalist signs aren't painful to the eyes. The tone down color makes it more cooler to the eyes. And the way they gave importance more to the scenery and surroundings makes it more welcoming and less stressful.
This is maybe the only thing I’ve seen a video about in Japan that I haven’t been able to put into words. Wow, thanks for explaining this.
Kyoto protects us from visual advertisement graffitis, as simple as that, and it seems that very few cities do that. If I remember correctly Florence in Italy does that also.
This is done elsewhere in historically or culturally significant areas in Japan as well. While riding through Nasu Kōgen last summer I stopped at a Lawson with a brown and white sign instead of the usual bright blue and white sign. I realized that it was some sorry of “historical city rule” but now I have such a deeper understanding of what’s going on with these altered storefronts and so on. Great video 👍👍
this is great. I love the calm nature of all the tones down colors. This is zen and refreshing in a way.
I think every city needs to do this with their historical areas. Places like Tokyo are associated with color and lights so that makes sense. Even though it is overstimulating to me.
I love it. I don't think it is necessary everywhere, but in particular culturally significant cities, or even just certain city districts, such changes are great in my oppinion.
The ambiance and atmosphere of the place is calm, natural and refreshing. You are still in a city, but without the clutter.
Great observation and an outstanding video! I really love how you make videos about topics less thought or talked about.
Totally fascinating. I had absolutely no idea even after 8 years in Japan. These toned down signs exist in my town too…and I assume others places as well 😮
very interesting, I never knew that Kyoto was so strict, but after seeing your video I realize that it's for the better.
This is fascinating! The last time was in Kyoto was 2003, so now I'm eager to go back and compare my pictures of Pontocho and Kawaramachi-dori
I visited Kyoto nineteen years ago and I remember I was amazed by the old parts of Kyoto. Such an amazing experience, felt like going back to the past centuries ago.
Thanks for the video and insights. I just got back from Japan yesterday. I think each city and region works hard to differentiate itself from the others. That's why there are many limited editions and region's special products available. It's interesting to see that the city planning is also doing the same to maintain its uniqueness. I love Kyoto. I'm glad to hear that they are working to preserve it's old-time charm. What a great escape with only a 2-ish hour train ride from Tokyo!
It is so many things at once. A kind of "visual fasting" to avoid burnout from colors. A commitment to traditional technique and a healthy suspicion of modern inventions. An ideal to pursue. Toning down artificial color is also a way for nature to stand out more.
I love it. The sensory overload is dampened so much and makes for a much more relaxing setting.
Well this is an amazing advertisement for Kyoto! I get overwhelmed with so many lights and advertisements. I tire of seeing them everywhere constantly. I've avoided a lot of cities because of it. It's nice to know that if I want to visit Japan, that Kyoto would be a great option for me =)
thank you for this! it's only through your video that i FINALLY realised why i somehow just preferred kyoto but never actually realised it was the muted and calm colours that was a MAJOR factor in that. absolutely good decision imo!
Amazing videography as usual!
I love all the urban design content you’ve been able to make!
I have to be very honest; As annoying it might be for the companies to actually do what they have to do by law, it creates a very unique and special style for Kyoto in general. When I was there in January, I certainly haven't really recognized it too much, tbh. But now that you actually compared them side by side, waow....I am amazed! As a German fellow, we love rules and laws...we literally have laws for the toppings of specific Pizza, otherwise we are not allowed to name them like we want ("Pizza Napoli") and even colors are copyrighted. So I really like it. However; That rule should be specific to such an area. It should not be the general case. I would like to see such rules for some other places too though, not only in Japan 🤔
Actually at least Italy, France and Spain, have really strict regulations about even the color that a building can be painted or if you have a shop and you decide to change something like windows frame it need to be approved, not tu mention advertising in the street, all of this to preserve historic city center and not only in big city but in small towns as well. A lot of people complain about these rules but they are extremely helpful to keep the authenticity of the place
@@suohfgh803 That "German fellow" has no idea what he is talking about, because German cities do in fact have such restrictive rules to preserve the historic look and feel of cities, especially in the cities that were never destroyed by war. Examples of that are Regensburg, Bamberg, Rothenburg, Dinkelsbühl, Heidelberg, Wismar, Meissen...
And even completely modern cities, such as Cologne or Frankfurt, have already way stricter rules than any city in Japan. The neon signs and billboards you find in Japan are strictly forbidden in all of Germany.
コンビニなどのカラーが落ち着いているのは知っていましたが、ここまで細かく気が配られていることは知りませんでした。いつも興味深いコンテンツをありがとうございます。こんなに質の高いドキュメンタリーが見れて感謝です！
Hooray! New video from Greg :-)
I do appreciate the muted and candid shots of this one. You actually get time to appreciate the locations.
i love Kyoto,, its traditional aesthetic and mature colors gives a breath of fresh air of professionalism and maturity in a world where everything has to be colored and immature looking to appear "fun" and "eye catching" to stand out
Thank you, arbiter of maturity, Dankcrackpipe69.
I always wondered what it is that makes me so drawn to Kyoto. Thanks for explaining exactly what it is
I always thought that I'd prefer Kyoto over Tokyo, until I actually went there and imprinted on Tokyo so hard ^^''
Kyoto is totally calming and peaceful, and serene, however Tokyo has those tall buildings, every building has a different structure, color and vibe to it, also the neon signs, the broad streets and the spaceful sky above the city's horizon really can make a person feel free and excited. If I could get an offer to live in one city in the world tomorrow, and I could only bring one backpack with me, that would def be Tokyo, I've never felt more inspired and at home than I did at Tokyo.
Kyoto and Kamakura, however, are the soul's balm for the spirituality. I could spend days in those places and just meditate with my eyes open ^^
I always loved Tokyo but after seeing Kyoto and reading it's history I prefered Kyoto more
Great video, Greg. While others tend to put out clickbait, I truly appreciate that you put out genuinely interesting and insightful videos of Japan. Truly "Life Where I'm From".
Awesome, I love it!
Also agreed that not the entire country should stick to rules like those, but more historical cities should think of urban planning like that all around the world, not just Japan.
I knew there was some preservation effort in Kyoto so that it remained closer to it's roots, but I didn't know they took it this far... explains a lot. xD
I also imagine that codes and rules like those are what makes even neighborhoods so distinct from each other in big cities, and at least in my eyes, it definitely pays off for a country that's becoming more and more touristic over the years - both internally and externally I mean.
I'd be far more interested in visiting cities in my own country if there was such care about preserving the ambience, historical value and aesthetics in general of some of them.
It's also quite the feat to enforce and maintain things that way in a city as big as Kyoto... I can imagine this being done in smaller cities and towns, but managing a city the size of Kyoto must require several layers of cooperation and true will to enforce stuff like that.
The city I currently live in has a bit bigger population than Kyoto... around 500 thousand more people, it's a mid sized capital. There are some preservation efforts on the old part of downtown, but it's just done in a dumb way. It's mostly about the streets and pavement, which are just horrible. Paved with these slippery and hard stones that are just fall hazards whenever it rains, or even with it's not raining. It's less historical preservation and more like the mayor not wanting to invest and receiving kickbacks to maintain things as they are - namely old, useless and horrible.
Meanwhile, decrepit old ugly buildings dominate the landscape, and there are no aesthetic restrictions to anything, so it just looks like a dirtier run down part of downtown instead.
Next time I visit Kyoto I'll pay more attention and value how beautiful the place is even more... :D
This is so awesome! I love the difference and you can really see the difference in the comparison shots so thank you for sharing those! :)
Huge respect to them for making this decision.
That is so cool!
For a few decades now big cities all around the globe have started to look more and more the same - more and more international companies setting up shop everywhere, bright lights and huge advertisements hiding the old buildings, a homogenised cacophonie that started to make big cities feel more similar to each other than the lands surrounding them.
This initiative does not prevent international corporations from entering the market but it makes sure that even the design of the buildings and advertisements have to take the people actually living there into consideration.
While these exact rules don't need to apply everywhere - not even everywhere in Japan - they make for a great blueprint for cities around the world going forward.
I would just point out that this only works for certain areas. Removing signs is great when the buildings under the sign are architecturally beautiful and valuable.
There are many parts of cities where the buildings are old, dirty, and an eye sore. The love hotel is a good example of this. Removing the signage just exposes the ugly buildings underneath. Adding signage makes otherwise boring area pop and interesting in a cyberpunk kind of way. (Of course, having too much signage in every area would also become an eyesore)
The quality of the signage matters too - Sao Paulo pre-sign ban was hideous. Most cities in the world in general have very strict rules on singage.
I am an Urban Planner in the US and I LOVED this video, thank you! I deal with sig regs every day in Oregon.
Big respect for them rightfully respecting and promoting their national styles of architecture.
Just love it. Calming landscape without annoying bright colors and distracting commercials everywhere. I truly appreciate Kyoto's decision in this one. It really sustains the traditional beauty of Japanese architecture with just a small amount of todays necessary signs.
Very well thought out! They should do this in Europe too. There are far too many ugly signboards here. Ugly take away, night shop & newsagency signs, etc. Especially in London and other big cities! I hope that many cities all around the world will follow the Kyoto example.
No.
@@nightslasher9384 Yes! lol😝
Wow! This was super informative and interesting! Thank you!🎉
I love the old school look of Kyoto. It feels like real history.
Wow, this was absolutely fascinating. It’s wonderful how well the traditional architecture has been preserved in such a major city. It’s beautiful.
“It was preserved from bombing due to its heritage” - This cannot be understated, Kyoto was on the target selection for dropping the atomic bombs and was -only- spared because the war secretary (Henry Stimson) had been there on holiday.
Wow!
Americans are warmongers and responsible for death and destruction. Imperial Japan could have defeated US. US relied on European alliance and European scientists to defeat a single power, Japan. I salute Imperial Japan for their bravery and ultimate sacrifice. True, they may have been defeated but they brought fear to US. Imperial Japanese soldiers are the fury that will follow US always, a dying Empire.
Very informative and well done! Thank you for your great work!
I was surprised the first time I saw the sign outside the 7-Eleven store across the street from Tōji temple just dressed in black and white. My friend Tomohiro explained it to me.
as a person who uses landmarks for directions, it would be interesting to see how well i would do with such homogonous cityscapes; especially as i have always wanted to visit kyoto!
At first, I thought you run out of topics to explore. I live in Kyoto, I won’t see the signage same again. Good video.
I currently live in Tokyo but I've always preferred Kyoto to Tokyo. I don't know what it is about Kyoto but I definitely like it much better, I lived there for a month and I would love to go back and live there for a bit longer. I think that after watching this video I realise that probably the reason I prefer the way Kyoto looks is probably because of their established "aesthetic" all throughout the city. Tokyo at times becomes too much in my opinion, it can be a bit of an eye sore at times, while Kyoto's consistent aesthetic is extremely pleasing in my opinion.
I like how in the first 20 seconds you said that Kyoto has kept most of its spiritual buildings intact and then showed the Golden Pavillion which was burned down after WWII
i love the subtle nature of traditional Japanese culture. i hope they never change. let other cities go more vibrant and modern, let others stay traditional.
really interesting, I've been living in Japan for almost 14 years, however I had not noticed all these details before! thanks a lot!!
One of the best parts of this is that business acknowledge the local landscape and not the other way around. Thus there's an order that can be followed and amazingly, no one suffers but instead something unique comes out.
When I saw the title of this video, I thought you meant all colours - including what people wear. I love wearing and seeing bright colours on others, so I thought this was a horrible idea. I’m glad it just pertains to advertising. I think it’s a good idea, and I wish more places did this. I get a little tired of the incessant advertisements everywhere, especially now that many where I live are fast paced, flashy videos. They literally hurt my brain.
I think it should be reserved for historical districts like many places around the world.
Just visited Kyoto and Oasaka in January, and I really love Kyoto. Thanks for this video, now I know why I'm so in love with this city.
It’s great that cities can have their own unique character. Thankfully Kyoto is preserving its character. Now, I can understand why it feels so calm and relaxed despite the numbers of tourists. It doesn’t have all the flashing neon and bright advertisements. It’s more subtle and attractive in a traditional sense.
We are currently amending sign regulations in my (US) city, and I found this video super helpful to see how to communicate these kinds of regulations in a clearer way. My city limits things like logos/copy on directional signs and quantity of colors used for others. It also requires sign design plans for multi-tenant buildings. I don’t personally find most of our regulations very effective, but the overall color palette rules seem like they work very well for Kyoto.
Somewhat reminds me of how 3D logos were back then but then everyone started becoming minimalist. It’s not bad and actually most of them are tasteful and refined, but it’s not for everybody. I love that Kyoto is doing this for their history and I hope other places would do it too but Tokyo and other modern cities may not be fitting for this.
Kyoto is so beautiful. Thank you for producing this very insightful video.
"it was spared from bombings in ww2 and thus has kept most of it's buildings intact" proceeds to show like the one building that was burned down and rebuilt lol.
I’m usually not a fan of anything that restricts creative freedom but I can appreciate it here as well as those who have to work within their restrictive guidelines
As someone, who is extremely near-sighted, only correctable to a certain degree, this would be hell for me. I rely so much on big, bright signs, with trademark colors and symbols, to find my way, so I'd be completely lost in Kyoto. And I can't be the only one. Does anyone think of visually impaired people when making such rules?
At first before clicking i was like "why?" Then it all made sense and i am thankful the law exist. Kyoto is extremely pretty, it would be a shame for it to lose its beauty. It also forces companies to fit with the decor, making it aesthethically pleasing while also removing bright color brand criteria trope. Since no one is allowed bright saturated colors, no company can stand out and fight eachother on who has the flashiest design, creating a mess of color. Everyone has to get creative while following some rules, the prettiest design will still stand out on its out while fitting the scenery. Great for tourist and locals alike.
Seems a little harsh to say no signs or colors but then not offer some sort of substitute improvement/decoration to the business owners. The giant inflatable cat was actually nicely covering up that ugly 80's mini mall building, which is now in everyone's face. The key to make urban areas look more coherent is to unify the color scheme, not just mute it... make every sign a. shade of green for example.
Blah blah. Sounds like an ignorant westerner
Wow that was so interesting... I have always appreciated the aesthetic of Kyoto and is one of the reasons I am so drawn to going there, but now I know why it looks the way it does and the effort and intention behind maintaining that traditional, neutral and clean aesthetic, I love it even more!!!