The MBTI personality test has been all the rage these days. Are you a logical "T" (Thinking) type or a compassionate "F" (Feeling) type? However, for Japanese designer Ryosuke Uehara, good design requires both. "Design is a creative process that balances emotion and theory, engaging both the left and right brain together," he says. With over 20 years in the industry, Uehara has worked on branding, graphic design, and product design, yet his passion remains undimmed, and he’s also deeply involved in creative education. Uehara will soon visit Hong Kong for the Graphic Design in Japan 2024 (Hong Kong Edition) exhibition, co-presented by PMQ and the Japan Graphic Designers Association (JAGDA), where he’ll share insights on nurturing creative thinking.

The Graphic Design in Japan 2024 (Hong Kong Edition) exhibition will showcase over 300 works selected by Japanese design professionals and featured in JAGDA’s 2024 annual -Graphic Design in Japan. Among them is Uehara’s label design for the natural wine brand Livvera, a past JAGDA Award winner. He previously explained that the Spanish name Livvera blends the feminine names Liv (meaning "life") and vera (meaning "truth"): "The logo embodies both elegance and resilience—a form I arrived at after countless sketches."

When discussing Uehara’s work, one can’t overlook his longtime creative partner, Yoshie Watanabe Yoshie. The two met while working at Japan’s renowned design firm DRAFT before co-founding their own studio, KIGI, in 2012. Since then, the duo has explored diverse design fields. Recently, for instance, KIGI collaborated with Belgian chocolatier GODIVA. "GODIVA JAPAN will launch a new bakery line in May," Uehara shares. "At this stage, we’re using Watanabe’s oil painting as the key visual, aiming to evoke a narrative through the artwork."

Interestingly, Uehara’s upcoming event in Hong Kong also connects with chocolate. Together with fellow Japanese designer Yago Naonori, he will lead the JAGDA Kids family workshop, using chocolate as a medium to help parents and children translate sensory experiences into creative expression. For Uehara, fostering creativity begins in childhood and arises from everyday life. As a kid, he remembers being captivated by a typography book in his father’s office. "I begged him to buy me the same book. I pored over it daily, practicing the lettering. When making New Year’s cards or posters, I handwrite everything that’s how I honed my skills, and it’s stayed with me ever since."

A decade ago, Uehara’s KIGI studio opened OUR FAVOURITE SHOP, a hybrid retail space and gallery showcasing its designed products. After relocating and rebranding as OFS.TOKYO, the essence remains the same— a place to share and experience all kinds of creativity. Uehara notes, "Since the move, OFS.TOKYO has taken on an even stronger role as a gathering spot for creators."

One example is their CHIQ project, which curates products designed to nurture both body and mind, including natural wines made with minimal human intervention during cultivation and fermentation. "Mass-produced foods, especially in Japan, often rely on excessive additives, which can trigger allergies, health issues, or even dependency," Uehara explains.

The CHIQ wine series, sourced from Argentina, features labels designed by KIGI—one of which, Livvera, earned Uehara the 2024 JAGDA Award. The wines are imported by a friend to Japan, allowing for creative freedom rarely found in client work. "Since CHIQ is a boutique brand, not a commissioned project, we could experiment more freely—that made it exciting." Noticing that the original labels didn’t resonate with Japanese consumers, Uehara led a redesign, collaborating remotely with Argentine winemakers through repeated online discussions.

Beyond wine, KIGI also partnered with a perfumer to develop a fragrance line. "The labels and packaging grew organically from the scent’s concept. The process was deeply intuitive, starkly contrasting with the left-brain logic of client work—and a different kind of joy."

Speaking of creative design, Uehara often discusses the interplay between the left and right brain. "I use my right brain to feel, my left brain to analyze things rationally, and then my right brain again to imagine—gradually building creative ideas." For him, inspiration is the result of a long-term accumulation process. "I want to pass down my ideas and techniques to the next generation, and through teaching, I also hope to test whether my creative theories hold up."

Uehara admits that teaching at the university level would be challenging. Commuting is long, and the time commitment would make it difficult to balance with his design work. Yet, his passion for teaching remains strong. Last year, he launched the "OFS-style Terakoya Design School" at OFS.TOKYO, near his studio. The concept turns the shop’s space into a "mini classroom," where different art directors and designers regularly hold creative workshops. Currently, most students are professionals. Uehara notes that the classes foster networking and even lead to collaborative opportunities. "I hope this becomes a place where creators can gather and bring new ideas to life, and add energy to the creative community."

Graphic Design in Japan 2024 (Hong Kong Edition)

Date | 25.4 - 11.5.2025

Time | 11:00 - 19:00

Venue | The Qube, 2/F, PMQ

Details | https://pmq.hk/eHz3G

Free Admission