John — Thanks for this.
You have keenly picked up on the most important point of my article. Apart from sharing the basics about Japanese typography, I wanted to convey a sense of how limited we may be in what we consider to be “good design”. Since coming to Japan it struck me how it is a kind of arrogance to think this language is beautiful or that one is not ~ each has its own utility within its own context. Design principles are important, but to step beyond that — this is not something you can easily teach. I want to inspire people to be open to new possibilities ~ find new truths ~ discard old ones ~ for only then you can make the most brilliant connections to be able to create something fresh or groundbreaking or even revolutionary.