( Akari ) Hyugatoki Tea Identity

For the brand identity development of Hyugatoki Tea by AKARI, we led the entire process—from brand strategy and corporate identity to packaging, website, brand book, and graphic applications. Inspired by the Eastern medicine concept of mibyo—caring for the body before illness occurs—we established AKARI’s philosophy of maintaining balance in both body and mind through everyday life as the foundation of the brand. Hyugatoki Tea is made with Hyugatoki, a plant traditionally valued in Japan and passed down through generations. Rather than communicating the product primarily through health claims or functionality, we sought to express the history and character of the plant, together with the maker’s commitment to creating something genuinely beneficial for everyday life. Working with FIL on product development, we refined the blend through repeated experimentation, preserving the distinctive bitterness of Hyugatoki while creating a taste that can be enjoyed as part of a daily routine. From the product itself to language, logo, typography, packaging, photography, and digital experience, every element was shaped through a single philosophy—transforming the simple act of making tea into a quiet ritual for bringing balance to everyday life.