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TMD Journal ᱢᱩᱠᱷᱚ ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ: ᱢᱮᱜᱟᱡᱤᱱ by Tomohiro Kaji

TMD Journal ᱢᱩᱠᱷᱚ ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ: ᱢᱮᱜᱟᱡᱤᱱ by Tomohiro Kaji is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award ᱨᱩᱯᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ in ᱪᱷᱟᱯᱟ Competition Category.


ᱨᱩᱯᱟᱪᱷᱟᱯᱟ· 2026

TMD Journal ᱢᱩᱠᱷᱚ ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ: ᱢᱮᱜᱟᱡᱤᱱ

by Tomohiro Kaji

Client: Tomodachi Ltd.

A' Design Award ᱨᱩᱯᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ Winner in ᱪᱷᱟᱯᱟ Category

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The Design

About TMD Journal ᱢᱩᱠᱷᱚ ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ: ᱢᱮᱜᱟᱡᱤᱱ

TMD ᱡᱚᱨᱱᱟᱞ ᱫᱚ ᱴᱟᱭᱤᱯ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱫᱮᱠᱷᱟᱣ ᱮᱢ ᱤᱥᱴᱟᱭᱤᱞᱤᱝ ᱞᱮᱠᱟᱛᱮ ᱵᱟᱝ ᱢᱮᱱ ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱸ ᱢᱟᱱᱮ ᱛᱮ ᱴᱷᱤᱠ ᱯᱟᱲᱦᱟᱣ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱚᱱᱟ ᱞᱮᱠᱟᱛᱮ ᱯᱟᱨᱠᱷᱟᱛᱮᱭᱟ ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱸ ᱢᱟᱱᱮ ᱠᱚ ᱛᱷᱟᱨᱟ ᱨᱮ ᱫᱚ ᱦᱚᱦᱚᱭᱟ। ᱰᱤᱡᱤᱴᱟᱞ ᱯᱷᱚᱱᱴ ᱠᱚ ᱛᱷᱟᱨᱟ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱥᱚᱢᱯᱚᱛᱤ ᱞᱮᱠᱟ ᱡᱚᱛᱚ ᱴᱷᱮᱱ ᱵᱮᱵᱷᱟᱨ ᱦᱩᱭ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱚᱱᱟ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱡᱟᱣᱟᱵ ᱨᱮ, ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱯᱚᱛᱷᱤ ᱫᱚ ᱴᱟᱭᱤᱯᱚᱜᱨᱟᱯᱷᱤ ᱫᱚ ᱢᱚᱱᱮ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱟᱛᱟᱶ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱢᱟᱫᱷᱭᱚᱢ ᱞᱮᱠᱟ ᱛᱮ ᱫᱚᱦᱚᱭᱟ। ᱡᱚᱛᱚ ᱚᱰᱷᱮᱭᱟᱭ ᱫᱚ ᱟᱭᱢᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱴᱟᱭᱤᱯ ᱥᱤᱥᱴᱚᱢ ᱟᱨ ᱚᱱᱟᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱠᱟᱱᱥᱮᱯᱴ ᱮᱢ, ᱥᱴᱨᱟᱠᱪᱟᱨᱟᱞ ᱞᱚᱡᱤᱠ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱮᱵᱷᱟᱨᱟ ᱠᱚᱱᱴᱮᱠᱥᱴ ᱛᱮ ᱩᱫᱩᱜᱟ, ᱚᱠᱟ ᱨᱮ ᱴᱟᱭᱤᱯᱚᱜᱨᱟᱯᱷᱤᱠ ᱴᱷᱤᱠ ᱠᱟᱛᱷᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱨᱩᱯ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱮᱵᱷᱟᱨ ᱨᱮ ᱩᱛᱷᱟᱣ ᱠᱚ ᱩᱫᱩᱜᱟ। ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱡᱚᱨᱱᱟᱞ ᱫᱚ ᱴᱟᱭᱤᱯ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱨᱟᱱᱰᱤᱝ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱟᱛᱟᱶ ᱨᱮ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱦᱩ ᱠᱟᱛᱷᱟ ᱞᱮᱠᱟ ᱵᱩᱡᱷᱟᱹᱣ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱨᱩᱯᱨᱮᱠᱷᱟ ᱮᱢᱟ।

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award ᱨᱩᱯᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ

TMD Journal ᱢᱩᱠᱷᱚ ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ: ᱢᱮᱜᱟᱡᱤᱱ ᱫᱚ A' Design Award ᱨᱩᱯᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱧᱟᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱥᱩᱱᱫᱚᱨ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱠᱚ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱮᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱥᱚᱢᱟᱱ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱᱟᱨ ᱠᱚ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱵᱷᱟᱵᱱᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱠᱟᱢᱤ ᱡᱷᱟᱞᱠᱟᱣ ᱠᱚ᱾ TMD Journal ᱢᱩᱠᱷᱚ ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ: ᱢᱮᱜᱟᱡᱤᱱ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱚᱞᱟ, ᱣᱤᱜᱭᱟᱱ, ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱟᱨ ᱴᱮᱠᱱᱚᱞᱚᱡᱤ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱥᱤᱢᱟ ᱵᱟᱲᱦᱟᱣ ᱟᱨ ᱫᱩᱱᱤᱭᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱜᱚᱲᱚ ᱮᱢ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties
TMD Journal positions typefaces as systems that organise meaning rather than visual styles. Each typeface is examined through its conceptual premise, structural logic and applied context within a unified publication.

By combining original type development with editorial analysis, the journal establishes a framework where typography is not presented as form, but understood as a system that shapes communication, identity and interpretation.
Dimensions & Packaging
210 × 297 mm (A4)
52 pages
Tags
Typography, Editorial Design, Type Design, Print Publication, Typographic Research, Visual Communication, Branding System, Independent Publishing, Communication Design, Design Systems
Production Technology
The publication is constructed as a sequence of chapters, each dedicated to a distinct type system. The editorial structure follows a consistent progression from concept to structure to application.

This method translates abstract typographic ideas into a readable system, allowing relationships between design decisions and communication outcomes to become visible through use rather than explanation.
Design Challenge
The primary challenge was translating conceptual typographic research into a coherent editorial system. Typefaces informed by historical structures needed to function within a contemporary format while maintaining clarity and usability.

Balancing conceptual depth with readability required continuous iteration. Maintaining consistency across multiple type systems while preserving their individual logic was critical to achieving both coherence and distinction.
Research
Type of Research
Practice based research in typographic systems and communication design

Objective
To examine how typefaces construct meaning and function within branding and editorial contexts

Methodology
Comparative analysis of historical typography and experimental type development

Process and Tools
Archival references, typographic specimens and digital type design software

Outcome
A publication demonstrating how typographic structure influences communication

Impact
Provides a framework for integrating typography into branding systems
Inspiration
In the digital era, typefaces are increasingly consumed as visual surfaces detached from the ideas they were originally designed to express. Historically, typography functioned as a medium for structuring thought and communication.

This project begins with a question: can type operate again as a system that carries meaning rather than appearance. Drawing from typographic history and calligraphic traditions, TMD Journal reconsiders the role of type as an active structure within communication.
Project Duration
The typefaces were developed between March 2023 and September 2025. Editorial research and design were conducted in parallel.

The journal was completed and published in November 2025 in Kamakura, Japan.
Operation Flow
The journal is read sequentially through chapters, each focusing on a typeface. Readers move from conceptual explanation to structural breakdown and then to application examples.

This structure allows readers to actively understand how typographic decisions influence meaning, shifting the experience from passive viewing to analytical reading.
Team Members
Art Director: Tomohiro Kaji
Typeface Designer: Tomohiro Kaji
Book Designer: Tomohiro Kaji, Ivan Persoglia
Image Credits
Images: Tomodachi Ltd

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