Today, I would like to introduce “Kanji, Katakana, and Hiragana – History of Japanese Notation,” written by Shinji Konno
The content explains Japanese notation up to written in kanji and kana at present with twists and turns through various historical documents. Beginning from a bronze mirror in the tumulus period, well known documents such as the “Kojiki,” “Manyoshu,” “Tale of the Heike,” etc. are handled. The author, who is also a Japanese linguist, observes these notations in detail.
What I’m particularly interested in is the analysis with a focus on typeface. The close relationship between text content, character type, and typeface is explained. I have previously mentioned the current Japanese notations titled “Typesetting Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana” in this blog. If you want to know more about the origin of kana and Japanese notations in the past, I recommend this book.
Book information:
“Kanji, Katakana, and Hiragana – History of Japanese Notation”
Author: Shinji Konno
Publisher: Heibonsha
Purchase information:
Heibonsha
https://www.heibonsha.co.jp/book/b310920.html
(T.I)
Series archive Recommended Book / Book of the Month
- Book of the Month (November 2024): “There are Characters”
- Book of the Month (October 2024): “Man and Writing”
- Book of the Month (June 2024): “New Design Guide: Design of Japanese Language”
- Book of the Month (April 2024): “Mincho Type: Its Origin and Formation”
- Book of the Month (February 2024): “Stroll with Typography: Observation of Characters on the Road”
- Book of the Month (September 2023): “Shintaro Ajioka’s Typeface Course”
- Book of the Month (July 2023): “Men Who are Possessed by the Type”
- Book of the Month (February 2023) : “The Visual History of Type”
- Book of the Month (December 2022) : “Reading Letters”
- Book of the Month (October 2022): “SANS SERIF”
- Book of the Month (June 2022): “’Typeface’ is Created”
- Book of the Month (March 2022): “Size-specific adjustments to type designs”
- Book of the Month (December 2021): “The Field Guide to Typography: Typefaces in the Urban Landscape”
- Book of the Month (November 2021): “Designing Type”
- Book of the Month (October 2021): “Writing Vertically Creates the Scenery of Words – Why Do We Need Two Japanese Writings in Vertical and Horizontal?”
- Book of the Month (September 2021): “Kanji, Katakana, and Hiragana – History of Japanese Notation”
- Book of the Month (August 2021): “Scripts: Elegant Lettering from Design’s Golden Age”