Kyoto Lectures

Kyoto conserva ancora oggi la sua antica tradizione di cultura come uno dei maggiori centri accademici del Giappone e luogo di incontro per gli studiosi di tutto il mondo. Organizzate in collaborazione con la Ecole Française d’Extrême-Orient e il Center for Research in Humanities dell’Università Statale di Kyoto, le Kyoto Lectures offrono agli specialisti delle culture e società dell’Asia Orientale la possibilità di presentare a Kyoto i risultati delle ricerche in corso.
Pictograms to Emoji to Kamon

Kyoto Lectures

Pictograms to Emoji to Kamon

The Hierarchy of Japan's Visual Packaging Culture

Christopher Hood

27 ottobre 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