The University of Tokyo, known in Japanese as Todai, adopted a new visual identity system in April 2024, centered on the “UTokyo” logotype. The identity pairs the university’s long-standing ginkgo leaf symbol with a modern English wordmark, replacing the previous kanji-based logo that had been in use since 2004.
Design and History
The ginkgo leaf symbol, the university’s most enduring visual identifier, dates to June 8, 1948, when the university council established the “ginkgo badge.” The design was drawn by Hoshino Shoichi, a professor in the university’s Second Faculty of Engineering, with the characters “大學” rendered in gold and the ginkgo leaves in silver. It was not formally designated as an official emblem at the time.[1]
When the university became a national university corporation in April 2004, it formalized a new mark based on the ginkgo design. In this version, the upper leaf was colored the yellow of autumn ginkgo leaves and the lower leaf was rendered in the university’s school color, “tansei” (light blue).[1]
In September 2013, the university adopted “UTokyo” as its official English abbreviation, and in July 2014 it established the “UTokyo Mark,” pairing the ginkgo symbol with the new English abbreviation to make the university’s name more familiar and memorable.[2]
In April 2024, the university introduced its Visual Identity Guidelines, developed by an internal study group led by Executive Vice President Miki Iwamura. The guidelines updated the logo to use “UTokyo” as the primary wordmark, reasoning that alphabetical characters would be understood by more people worldwide than kanji, which only some readers can interpret.[3]
Meaning and Symbolism
The two overlapping ginkgo leaves carry specific color symbolism. The upper leaf uses the yellow of autumn ginkgo foliage, while the lower leaf uses the university’s official school color, tansei (light blue).[1] The 2004 mark was created with the intent of expressing the university’s resolve to lead global education and academic research.[1]
In the 2024 update, the lettering color was changed from black to the school color tansei. The university explained that black conveyed a rigid and overbearing impression, while the light blue was chosen to present a bright and open attitude. The update also emphasized the combination of yellow and light blue.[3]
Typography and Design
The 2024 Visual Identity Guidelines introduced a modern font for the UTokyo logotype, replacing the previous typography. The university also prepared a variation of the logo displaying both kanji and alphabetical characters for use in different situations.[3] The guidelines recommend eight brand colors across three directional categories, along with six recommended serif and sans-serif typefaces.[4]
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