Initiatives of Yokohama Sign

　Yokohama City defines advertising materials that have high functionality and design and create an attractive landscape of Yokohama as "Yokohama Signs."
　About "Yokohama sign", we work on the spread enlightenment to form attractive scenery by raising interest of company and citizen and increase attractive advertising matter, create bustle and plan promotion of sightseeing Out.

　From Saturday, January 27 to Friday, February 2, we will hold the "Yokohama Sign Exhibition 2024" at the Yokohama City Hall 1F Exhibition Space A.
　We aim to be an exhibition where children and adults can easily learn about the outdoor advertising materials that we usually see casually, and feel a new perspective on the city.
　Anyone can see it freely. Please drop in!

　Press release document (PDF: 623KB)

　Guide map of exhibition place (exhibition space A)

・Out of 148 entries submitted at the 2nd Yokohama Sign Award, which recruits "Yokohama Sign", an advertising material that creates an attractive landscape of Yokohama with high functionality and design, and honors excellent examples. 12 works were selected as awarded works.
・Urban Development Bureau presented a certificate of commendation and a commemorative gift to the representatives of the award-winning organizations at the 5th Yokohama Sign Forum on Sunday, February 27, 2022.
※Due to the situation of COVID-19, only the winners and their related parties were present.

Winners, Selection Committee, Director Urban Development Bureau

[The 2nd Yokohama Sign Award Winners] （PDF：459KB）

Outline of the Awards Ceremony and Forum (Press Release) （PDF：765KB）

[State of the day]

　Outdoor advertising materials such as signboards, posters, and banners overflowing in the city are often considered to hinder the town Nami and landscape. However, outdoor advertising materials can make the city more unique and attractive if they are highly designed and well match the atmosphere of the place.
　In Yokohama City, outdoor advertising materials that create such an attractive landscape of Yokohama are called "Yokohama Signs", and we are actively promoting initiatives to spread them to the city.
　Yokohama City has been promoting advanced initiatives nationwide with the aim of creating a town with beauty, enjoyment, and moisture. While making use of the results, we will further promote attractive town development through the efforts of the Yokohama Sign.

We have applied for "Yokohama Sign" that everyone feels attractive from outdoor advertising materials in the city, and have newly established the "Yokohama Sign Award" to commend works that create a particularly attractive landscape.

The 1st Yokohama Sign Award
Press release document (PDF: 135KB)
1st Yokohama Sign Award Commendation Works Collection (PDF: 4,062KB)

We display attractive outdoor advertising matter in the city with photograph panel and introduce.
Yokohama Sign Exhibition 2023 (February 24-26, 2026)
Yokohama Sign Exhibition 2021 (December 18 and 19, 2021)
Yokohama Sign Exhibition 2020 (October 1-6, 2020)
Yokohama Sign Exhibition 2019 (March 1-6, 2011)
Yokohama Sign Exhibition 2018 (March 3, 2018)
Yokohama Sign Exhibition 2016 (November 5, 6, 2016)
Yokohama Sign Exhibition 2015 (September 5, 6, 2015)
Yokohama Sign Exhibition 2014 (September 6, 7, 2014)
Yokohama Sign Exhibition 2013 (September 7, 8, 2013)

We will discuss the role of signs in town development, how to make Yokohama signs, and specific town development utilizing signs.

The 4th Yokohama Sign Forum (March 4, 2017)
Program (PDF: 773KB)　

The 3rd Yokohama Sign Forum (March 5, 2016)

Program (PDF: 461KB)

The 2nd Yokohama Sign Forum (March 1, 2015)

Program (PDF: 505KB) Keynote Lecture 1 Regime (PDF: 221KB)

Keynote Speech 2 Contents (PDF: 281KB) Forum Overview (PDF: 298KB)　　　

The 1st Yokohama Sign Forum (March 1, 2014)

Program (PDF: 1,699KB) Held record (minutes) (PDF: 413KB)
Keynote speech materials (excerpt) (PDF: 4,305KB)　　　

Local people, outdoor advertising industry officials, and government officials will work together to create a town that utilizes attractive signs while walking around the town focusing on signs.

Walking around Okurayama Elm Street (November 19, 2015)

Walking around Motomachi (November 26, 2014)

I made a logo mark designed by Creative Director Matsuno Isao (registered trademark). There are various variations based on colors, horizontal positions, and slogans.

The design intent of the logo mark is as follows.

Oh, it is based on international signal flags commonly used by ships, reminiscent of Yokohama Port. The meaning of this international flag (communication text) is "I wish to communicate with you" (the ship wants to communicate with your ship). There is a symbolic layer of light blue seagulls that give a refreshing blue sky and a fresh and light impression.

The English sentence of Islogan is as the meaning of the international signal flag (communication text). Based on the fact that it is a logo mark for advertising materials, the Japanese sentence states that "I want to tell you" as an easy-to-understand catchphrase.

The font of the YOKOHAMA SIGN logo uses "stencil", which is often used for cargo. "Yokohama Sign" is also added in Japanese to make it easier to understand.

As one of the efforts to spread the Yokohama sign, Yokohama City has designated March 1 as "Sign Day". Yokohama City will hold a forum every year before and after this day as a campaign period, and will send out the initiatives of the Yokohama sign.

We are also calling on the national government, other local governments, and outdoor advertising organizations to support the “Sign Day”. We hope that the efforts of attractive town development using outdoor advertising materials will spread throughout the country.