The Hidden Design Genius Behind Japan’s Most Trusted Delivery Logo. Japanese designer Kenya Hara, through Nippon Design Center, led the 2021 refinement of Yamato Transport’s iconic Kuroneko mark, the first redesign of the symbol in 64 years. The story, however, begins in 1957, when Yamato founder Yasuomi Ogura was inspired by the mother-and-kitten emblem of American transport company Allied Van Lines, whose idea of “careful handling” resonated with Yamato’s approach to delivery. Ogura obtained permission to use the concept, and Yamato’s own mark was designed by Takeshi Shimizu, who worked in the company’s public relations department. There is an especially charming detail behind its creation: Shimizu’s young daughter drew the family’s black cat, Kuro, on a sheet of paper using crayons. Her drawing of the mother cat and kittens became an important inspiration for the final symbol. Remarkably, in 2016 another cat drawing was discovered on the back of the same sheet, showing a kitten positioned at its mother’s mouth, an image even closer to the eventual logo. In 2021, Hara refined the symbol without changing its essential character, carefully examining details such as the eyes and ears and replacing the traditional outlined oval with a softer, more expansive ellipse. The result modernised a 64-year-old symbol while preserving its enduring message of care, reassurance and trust. #logodecks