Fonts Are Chosen Based on "Readability" and "Impact"

Hello. This isKototsuki Design.

When considering creating or redesigning a website, people tend to be particular about photos and color schemes, but surprisingly, they often end up choosing fonts “on a whim.”

However, in design, text is not merely a symbol. It is “one of the impressions” that a brand conveys.

In this post, I’ll discuss “impression design” in font selection—a concept that goes beyond mere visual appeal.

Fonts are “one of the impressions” a website conveys

Just imagine this:

Imagine a front desk clerk at a luxury hotel standing there in a crisp, well-tailored suit, but the text on the welcome card is written in scrawled marker pen… That would completely ruin the sophisticated atmosphere, wouldn’t it?

Choosing the wrong font is exactly the same situation.

Imagine a brand that wants to quietly convey trust, but the letterforms are too round and childish. Conversely, imagine a service that prides itself on being approachable, but the sharp corners of the letters make it feel cold. Only when the “message you want to convey” and the “expression of the type” align will the brand’s message be correctly received by the audience.

How to Choose a Font: Who Is the Audience, and How Will It Be Presented?

Font Types and the “Atmosphere” They Convey

Each font has its own “role” and “personality.” Simply understanding these five representative categories makes it much easier to control the impression your website makes.

• Mincho

  Trust, tradition, sincerity. A refined impression, as if speaking politely with good posture.

• Sans-Serif
  Modern, approachable, rational. A bright, crisp, and down-to-earth strength.
• Rounded Gothic:
  Gentleness, reassurance, and a youthful feel. A soft, rounded appearance that feels warm and enveloping.
• Calligraphic:
  Passion, Japanese tradition, and craftsmanship. A powerful, energetic brushstroke.
• Design Fonts: A unique
  worldview and artistic flair. Distinctive expressions that instantly leave a lasting impression.

Quick Reference Chart for Font-Specific Impression Design

Designs that embody “kindness” and resonate with the target audience

Design is not about self-indulgence; it begins with “consideration” for the person on the other side of the screen.

For the 50+ demographic Choosing a font that’s too thin “just because it’s
stylish” is actually quite inconsiderate. Maintain a consistent weight and provide a typeface that “catches the eye effortlessly and naturally.”

For
younger audiences, while readability is a given, it’s also effective to prioritize fonts with slightly edgy forms or a unique atmosphere.

Baumkuchen and Itokiri Mochi: Their Respective “Expressions”

Let’s consider the impression fonts make using two of my favorite traditional confections as examples.

• The Impression
  of Itokiri Mochi Long-loved in front of the Taga Grand Shrine, Itokiri Mochi features beautiful three-colored stripes. A Mincho typeface with a dignified, brush-like stroke suits it well. It’s a “quiet typeface that makes you sit up straight,” evoking a sense of history, tradition, and refined sincerity.
• The Impression
  of Club Harie’s Baumkuchen It evokes the craftsmanship of skilled artisans while feeling somehow modern and glamorous. For this, a bright, crisp, and warm Gothic typeface is a perfect fit. It’s a “friendly, lively typeface” that creates that sense of excitement the moment you open the box.

What if these two fonts were swapped? We would surely sense something off—a subtle “something’s not quite right”—before we even had a chance to imagine the taste.

Specific Example: Web-Friendly Fonts and “Impression”

Fonts are chosen based on “what impression you want to convey” rather than “which one to use.” Using Google Fonts—commonly used in web design—as an example, let’s break down three representative impressions.

The “Thickness” That Defines a Brand’s Personality

Simply making text bolder “to make it stand out” isn’t design—it can often amount to nothing more than mere “emphasis.”

• Bold fonts: Tradition, solidity, a sense of security. A “powerful stroke” that feels firmly rooted in the earth.
• Thin fonts: Clean, modern, delicate, sophisticated. A “crystal-clear stroke” that conveys intelligence.

How do you want your company to be perceived? The essence of impression design lies in working backward from that vision to select the font weight down to the 1-pixel level.

Size and Jump Ratio: Creating the “Rhythm” of Information

The difference in font size (size variation) creates “emphasis and subtlety” in the information.

Text where everything is the same size appears as a monotonous list, making it unclear what’s important.

Capture the reader’s attention with large headlines, then convey information with an appropriate body text size. This is not only a technical skill but also the design of a “rhythm of hospitality” for users—one that creates a pleasant reading experience.

Summary: Type is the “language for designing impressions”

A font does not determine an impression on its own; it is only when combined with white space, line spacing, and the tone of photographs that a unified impression is formed.

Once you’ve met the minimum requirement of “readability,” seek out the “ideal expression” that lies beyond it.

Fonts are not mere decoration; they are the very essence of design that determines “how you want to be perceived.” If you proceed with design while leaving this aspect ambiguous, no matter how beautiful your website may be, it will fail to convey your message.

Is your website currently conveying your message with your ideal image?