Kiyoshi Awazu (1929-2009) was a stellar figure in Japanese graphic design history, self-taught and known for his genre-bending bodywork. In a context where aggressive change was a palpable threat to folklore values, the designer’s vision focused on rescuing traditional art forms, using historical printing methods to illustrate modern symbolism, but also as an occasion to expressed social commitment. His style represented a statement against modernist dogmas that pursue the internationalization of soulless symbols. In his own words, the designer’s mission was “to extend the rural into the city, foreground the folklore, reawaken the past, summon back the outdated.”