The City of Towada is a splendid city blessed with numerous tourist resources. While researching Towada to design a logo that would boost its tourism industry, I became fascinated with its origins. This curiosity led me to the volcanic activity of Mount Towada, which dates back 200,000 years. The formation of the Towada Caldera, Lake Towada, the Oirase River, and the Oirase Gorge, followed by the development of the Towada area as we know it today, can be traced back to these volcanic events.

The history of this area is embodied in Lake Towada. The comical shape of today's Lake Towada was formed through the undulating terrain created by each eruption. Everything began with Mount Towada, which now exists in the form of Lake Towada. Without Lake Towada, the city of Towada might not have existed.

The Oirase River, which flows out from Lake Towada and through the Oirase Gorge, has been carefully managed by people for years to preserve its precious natural environment. The city of Towada, further along this river, began its development in the Meiji era. Today, Towada has become a unique city where contemporary art is cherished amid the natural beauty of the Oirase Gorge and Lake Towada.

By sharing the unique origins of Towada City, I hoped to spark more interest in it. With this in mind, I designed the logo as a cross-section of the lake, specifically hinting at the concept of Towada's origins.

I hope to continue supporting the appreciation of Towada's beauty in art, nature, and industry as it evolves in the future.

Akiko Sekimoto

Art director and graphic designer Akiko Sekimoto is a graduate of Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School. She founded Hidamari Inc., where her branding services include corporate identity, packaging, product development, promotional activities, and advertising.

Her major clients include traditional Kyoto confectionery Shichijo Kanshundo; lemon cake specialty store Lemon no Ki; Lawson Inc.; Kinari Inc. with their Kusakikoka line; Kanro Co., Ltd.'s Hitotsubu Kanro; Tokyo Midtown; Recruit; Lion Corporation; Kyoto dyeing brand Insho Suginoshita; Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum; Takeo Co., Ltd.; and Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Co., Ltd.

Akiko Sekimoto has received the Tokyo ADC Award, the JAGDA Newcomer Award, the Japan Package Design Awards Grand Prize, the Red Dot Award in Communication Design, the Red Dot Award Hong Kong Global Design Award with both Silver and Bronze Awards, the Design For Asia Awards Bronze Award, the CS Design Award Runner-up Grand Prix, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award at the National Calendar Exhibition, among many other domestic and international recognitions.