Context

Nawate Kindergarten, established in 1953 in Shijōnawate City, Osaka Prefecture, is a kindergarten with nearly 70 years of history. The school places great importance on partnerships between the kindergarten and parents, working together to nurture children. While it has long been rooted in the local community, the kindergarten had no consistent branding in place, creating a need for a new visual identity that could effectively communicate its appeal to today’s parents.

Approach

As the first kindergarten in Shijōnawate City, the aim was to reinforce its position as a representative institution within the community. Drawing inspiration from the shape of the kanji “畷”, we created a flag-like pattern with symbolic qualities to serve as the visual identity. The geometric design expresses how diverse groups—staff, children, and parents—come together to form the kindergarten.

Additionally, to maintain a sense of continuity with Manmaru, a small nursery I had previously designed for, the pattern was created to be flexible, allowing seamless application across signage, brochures, business cards, and other tools.