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Zen Dots

Designed by Yoshimichi Ohira

About

Zen Dots Family is one of three Latin fonts designed by Yoshimichi Ohira, as part of the Zen Fonts collection.

Zen Dots was designed with a futuristic vision and inspired by the different eras in science fiction films.

To contribute, see github.com/googlefonts/zen-dots.


Say Hello to our big new Japanese collection with Zen Fonts: Learn about the complex beauty of Japanese fonts

In 2019, Google Fonts started an ambitious project to expand its font library with a variety of typeface designs for Japanese. At that point Google Fonts had fewer than 10 Japanese families, most of which were basic Mincho (serif) and gothic (sans) designs. Since then the collection of Japanese fonts within the library has grown, now with 38 font families from 18 designers, in a variety of styles – from formal text types to fun display fonts. All these Japanese fonts are now live on Google Fonts for anyone to test out and use in any project.

The Zen Fonts collection is the largest set of Japanese fonts on Google Fonts

As part of this larger effort to expand Japanese offerings, Google Fonts collaborated with type designer Yoshimichi Ohira to open his prestigious collection of Zen Fonts typefaces to the public. With 23 Japanese and three Latin fonts in various styles of mincho (serif), gothic (sans serif), maru (rounded), and display styles, the Zen Fonts collection is now the largest set of Japanese fonts in Google Fonts’ expansive library, and is also available in Adobe Fonts. Check out The Story of Zen Fonts - interview with Yoshimichi Ohira to learn more.

To learn more, read:
Say Hello to our big new Japanese collection with Zen Fonts (English)
The Story of Zen Fonts - interview with Yoshimichi Ohira (English)
Zenフォント: 新しい日本語フォントコレクションの登場 - 日本語フォントの複雑な美しさについて - (Japanese)
Zenフォントのおはなし:大平善道さんとのインタビュー (Japanese)

Designer

Yoshimichi Ohira started working on type design after several years of typesetting. He has created 23 Japanese fonts plus 3 Latin fonts. Popular works include "Zen Old Mincho N Family," in which he pursued traditional beauty of Japanese characters. Aside from type designing, Ohira also works on metal stamps with letters of his original design.

zenfont.jp

Choosing type

When you have some text, how can you choose a typeface? Many people—professional designers included—go through an app’s font menu until we find one we like. But the aim of this Google Fonts Knowledge module is to show that there are many considerations that can improve our type choices. By setting some useful constraints to aid our type selection, we can also develop a critical eye for analyzing type along the way.

Zen Dots - Google Fonts