When tradition meets innovation, the results can be transformative. That's exactly what happened when I partnered with the talented team at Kumori Studios to lead the complete redesign and redevelopment of the official website for Toei Kyoto Studio, one of Japan's most historic film studios.
Located in Kyoto, Toei Studios Kyoto is widely recognized as a cornerstone of Japanese cinema. Known for producing iconic works such as Memoirs of a Geisha, the studio is a living archive of Japanese storytelling, samurai films, and period dramas. Despite this rich legacy, their digital presence told a very different story.
The original website, which hadn't been updated in over a decade, was non-responsive, visually outdated, and functionally broken on most modern browsers. The site looked like a relic from the Windows 98 era — it simply didn't reflect the prestige or international ambition of a studio that helped shape Japanese cinema.
We led a user-focused redesign that combined modern UX/UI principles with visual elements inspired by traditional Japanese aesthetics. The result was a fully responsive, multilingual, and visually captivating website — one that now serves as a proper digital front for international film producers, tourists, and collaborators.
Key improvements included:
After launching the new website, Toei Studios Kyoto proudly unveiled it during a major industry event in Los Angeles, earning praise for the updated design and usability. "We finally feel proud to show off our studio online," a Toei team member shared at the showcase.
In a world where first impressions happen online, even the most legendary names must evolve. This collaboration proved that modern design doesn't erase tradition — it elevates it.
Toei Kyoto Studio now has a digital presence worthy of its cinematic history, one that connects with a global audience while honoring the timeless beauty of Japanese culture.