Kyoto Lectures

Kyoto still preserves its ancient cultural tradition as one of Japan's major academic centers and a meeting place for scholars from around the world. Organized in collaboration with the École Française d’Extrême-Orient and the Institute for Research in Humanities at Kyoto University, the Kyoto Lectures offer specialists in East Asian cultures and societies the opportunity to present their ongoing research results in Kyoto.
Pictograms to Emoji to Kamon

Kyoto Lectures

Pictograms to Emoji to Kamon

The Hierarchy of Japan's Visual Packaging Culture

Christopher Hood

October 27th, 2026 18:00

Symbols convey meaning, but not all symbols are equal. In this lecture, I consider a hierarchy of symbols within what I term ‘Visual Packaging Culture’, focusing on pictograms, emoji, and kamon as representatives of each group, to question whether symbols truly carry the meanings ascribed to them.

Christopher Hood is Honorary Professor of modern Japanese history at Cardiff University. His books include Japan: The Basics (2024),  Dealing with Disaster in Japan (2011), and Shinkansen: From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan (2006). In 2025/6, he was a Japan Foundation Fellow at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, researching symbolism in Japan.

This hybrid lecture will be held on site (registration required in advance from here) and via Zoom.

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82070889460

Meeting ID: 820 7088 9460