JTA: English / cultural interpretation / institutional communications

Japan has no shortage of information for international visitors. The problem is that information isn't automatically communication.

We worked with the Japan Tourism Agency to refine English-language tourism signage, adapting the original material for international readers without stripping away the cultural specificity that made it worth reading in the first place.

The Challenge

Japan’s public-facing tourism signage is often highly informative, but can present challenges for non-Japanese audiences:

  • Dense academic tone

  • Literal translation structures

  • Inconsistent hierarchy

  • Assumed cultural knowledge

  • Complex language for ESL readers

The result can be technically accurate English that still feels opaque to international readers.

The brief required maintaining cultural nuance while improving accessibility and readability.

Approach

Monkfish Creative approached the project as an exercise in interpretive narrative design, rather than proofreading.

This involved:

  • Restructuring text for Western reading flow

  • Clarifying key messages without oversimplification

  • Adjusting tone to suit international visitor expectations

  • Preserving cultural specificity and terminology where appropriate

  • Introducing hierarchy and pacing into long-form panels

The goal was to create signage that felt authoritative, not diluted, but clear.

Strategic Contribution

Rather than treating English as a secondary layer, the project positioned it as an equal interpretive medium.

This required balancing:

  • Cultural respect

  • Visitor psychology

  • Tourism policy objectives

  • Practical readability

The result was English-language signage designed to enhance comprehension, engagement, and visitor confidence.

Result: Created English-language interpretations that were clearer without sacrificing cultural nuance.