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From symbols to scripts
By the Neolithic era (10,000-2200 BC), visual communication had become more structured. Early scripts often combined pictographs (symbols representing objects) with ideographs (symbols representing ideas) and emerged in four main regions: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Mesoamerica, and China.
Egyptian hieroglyphs were complex from their inception, yet include many recognizable images, such as wavy lines for water or a gold disk for the sun. Hieroglyphs also employed bold colours to reinforce meaning, a practice echoed in modern pictograms where red indicates warning and green conveys safety.
On the other side of the globe in around 1300 BC, an early script emerged in China. Diviners (ancient Chinese divination specialists) carved images onto ox bones and turtle shells, and these ‘oracle bones’ were used to ask questions of the gods. Over time this practice of employing visual symbols for expression became essential for administrative functions, and spread widely with Buddhism across East Asia.
Japan adopted kanji characters from China in the fifth century, many of which still retain their original pictographic form. For instance, the kanji character 木 (ki) signifies ‘tree’, while three trees combined creates 森 (mori), meaning ‘forest’.
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Crests and modern icons
Visual means of communication evolved further in Japan during the Heian Period (794–1185). A notable example is kamon: designs used to signify family lineages. In contrast to the elaborate crests of the West, kamon relied on stark black lines and swirls which could be easily recognized from a distance. Instead of remaining the sole privilege of the upper classes, kamon permeated all levels of Japanese society and appeared on shop fronts and samurai banners.
Many kamon designs, such as mitsudomoe – three swirling shapes symbolizing man, earth, and god – remain culturally resonant, still visible at Shinto shrines and on taiko drums. These stark black and white designs would later inform Japan’s approach to contemporary pictogram design.
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Ready, set, go
In the 20th century, Japan played a central role in shaping pictograms as more than just symbols, but the artistic creation of celebrated designers. The 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games marked a turning point, bringing together designers to create standardized pictograms for each sport and facility. Like kamon, pictograms relied on deliberate minimalism to convey meaning to anyone, from anywhere.
When Japan hosted the Games for a second time in 2021 (delayed a year due to the pandemic), it unveiled the first animated sporting pictograms, showing once again how it continues to develop visual language for the modern world.
However, Japan had actually brought visual communication into the digital sphere long before this. In 1999, the first 176 emoji were unveiled by the mobile phone operator NTT DOCOMO, Inc.
The word emoji derives from e (picture) and moji (character). Each emoji condenses expressions into compact, universally legible 12×12 pixel images. Like the original Olympic pictograms before them, emoji demonstrate how simple visuals can render words redundant. Their cultural significance is such that, in 2016, the Museum of Modern Art in New York acquired emoji as part of its permanent collection.
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Pictograms exhibition at Japan House London
As Japan welcomes more visitors each year, its use of pictograms in visual communication sets a global standard for hospitality. In the Nippon Design Center’s Experience Japan Pictogram series, images for everyday items such as beer, ramen and hotels have been carefully crafted to create a seamless, intuitive encounter with Japan that encourages further discovery.
The Pictograms: Iconic Japanese Designs exhibition at Japan House London explores both the historical development and intricate design process of Japan’s celebrated pictograms and invites visitors to imagine – what would a world without this universal language look like?