Hidden Shangri-La

Client: Yoichi Okubo
Role: Book design, cover design and production preparation
Languages: Japanese and English
Production: Printed and perfect bound at Mitchell Press

Overview

Author Yoichi Okubo’s Hidden Shangri-La: The Philosophy of 13 Bookshops in Vancouver brings together interviews with thirteen independent Vancouver booksellers, presented in both Japanese and English.

As a designer at Mitchell Digital, I worked closely with Yoichi to develop the cover and interior design, prepare the files for production, and support the project through printing and perfect binding at Mitchell Press.

Design approach

The bilingual content required a typographic system that felt cohesive while remaining clear and readable in both Japanese and English. I worked with Yoichi to select typefaces that supported each language and created a consistent reading experience throughout the book.

Colour is used to distinguish chapters, highlight quotations, and help organize the editorial content. Yoichi’s photography is paired with bright typography and translucent overlays, creating a playful visual rhythm while keeping the interviews easy to navigate.

Cover design

The cover carries the interior colour palette into a series of flowing forms inspired by Vancouver’s mountains, ocean, and surrounding landscape. The result reflects the book’s sense of place while introducing its colourful and exploratory tone.