Blog
Web Design in Okayama & Kurashiki – AEDI
AEDI is a web design company in Kurashiki, Okayama, creating fully custom, affordable, and high-quality websites through SimpleTastes for businesses and organizations of all kinds.
2025: A Year in Review
AEDI’s 2025 Year in Review. Looking back on a year of growth as a website and design company in Okayama and Kurashiki, including the launch of SimpleTastes and ongoing service development.
Turning a 2D Character into 3D Using Nano Banana Pro and Adobe Firefly
We converted our original 2D character into 3D using Nano Banana Pro (built into Gemini 3) integrated with Adobe Firefly.
In the White Breeze: Tamashima, Kurashiki, Okayama
Yesterday, I went out with my camera for the first time in quite a while. Since early October, so many things have happened, including some that were almost unbelievable, and I completely lost the motivation to take out my camera and go shooting on my own.
Drawing Is Like Meditation
At the end of the day, I sometimes draw—illustrations or doodles. Since it’s not commissioned, I can draw anything. Just letting the pen run, no matter if it’s messy or imperfect—that feels amazing.
The Website Strategy School: Lesson 4 – Photos and Words Make the Difference! Tips on Visuals and Writing
Your website's success hinges on photos and writing! Learn how to choose impactful images and craft text that builds trust, using structured writing and psychological triggers to engage users.
The Website Strategy School: Lesson 3 – Users Don’t Act Based on “Looks” Alone: The Fundamentals of Strategic Design
Website design is about more than just looks. Learn the fundamentals of strategic design that enhance brand value and drive real results.
From Kurashiki to Okayama: Cameras and Blogging
A day traveling from Kurashiki to Okayama with a lightweight APS-C camera. Thoughts on photography, blogging, and the joy of capturing everyday moments.
Misfortune Is Your Asset
I was deeply moved by a passage from a memorial article honoring Yoshiomi Tamai, the founder of the Ashinaga movement. It was a message about turning suffering, sadness, and misfortune into the strength to live.
The Website Strategy School: Lesson 2 – What Should You Include? How to Think About Site Structure and Sitemaps
The biggest reason why websites fail to produce results is poor structure. This article clearly explains the difference between common missteps and result-driven structures—even for beginners.
The Website Strategy School: Lesson 1 – Who Are You Building Your Website For? Understanding Your Target, Persona, and Purpose
The first step to creating a successful website is clearly defining who it’s for. This article explains the differences between target audiences and personas, and guides beginners through purpose-driven website planning in an easy-to-understand way.
What Is a KPI and Why Does It Matter for Your Website?
Learn what KPIs are and how to use them to measure and improve the performance of your website, blog, and online marketing—even if you're a beginner.
A Checklist to Prepare for a Successful Website Project — 7 Key Points to Review Before Requesting a Quote
A web design professional with over 20 years of experience shares a preparation checklist to avoid failure. 7 key points to review before requesting a quote.
Surprisingly Capable for a Low-Cost Website Service — SimpleTastes
Here is a list of features included in “SimpleTastes,” AEDI’s affordable website design service line.
In the Blue Breeze: Tamashima, Kurashiki, Okayama
This morning, I visited a place I often go to—well, occasionally. It’s the kind of place I find myself drawn to whenever I’m feeling busy or mentally stuck with work.
Free and Easy! How to Create a Looping Video from a Single Image Using Adobe Firefly
We’ll walk you through how we created a promotional looping video for a semi-custom logo featured on our logo design site, LogoLand.
Sample Graphic T-Shirts from AEDI and LogoLand Have Arrived
We ordered five sample graphic T-shirts we designed, featuring both our AEDI and LogoLand brands.
A Guide to WordPress Block Types: Text, Media, and Widgets
We have compiled an overview of Gutenberg blocks in the WordPress block editor.
How to Outline Text in an InDesign Table
InDesign sometimes causes an issue where the outlined text and the original text are both placed within a table. In this post, we will show you how to resolve this problem.
Operate a Cost-Effective, High-Quality Website with Essential Features
Recently, AEDI launched SimpleTastes, a website creation service that combines affordability, high quality, and essential functionality as a sub-brand of AEDI.
That Website is Back
That website is back! The indescribable excitement I felt when I first started creating websites—the thrill of being completely absorbed in the process, losing track of time, forgetting to eat or sleep. Those feelings from back then are slowly coming back to me.
Candy-Like 3D Letters and LogoLand’s 3D Logo
For our logo specialty store LogoLand, we created a cover image and a 3D logo for the blog post titled Happy New Year 2025!
As a Web and Graphic Design Company in Kurashiki, Okayama – 2025
This may sound simple, but our theme for this year is “Energy.” As a web and design company, we could have chosen a cooler or more sophisticated term. However, this year, we’ve decided to focus on this straightforward word.
Thank You, 2024
It’s been quite a while since our last blog update, and now, we find ourselves with just one day left in 2024.
Comparison of Completed and Line Drawings for SimpleTastes Characters/Illustrations
We’ve compared the completed versions and line drawings of the characters/illustrations created for our website design service SimpleTastes.
About Logos: Origin, History, Benefits, Necessity, Types, and Logotherapy
Have you ever wondered where the term "logo" comes from? In this article, we will discuss the origin, history, benefits, necessity, and types of logos, as well as the concept of logotherapy.
Launch of ST Shrine – SimpleTastes’ Website Creation Service for Shinto Shrines
Following the launch of ST Base, we are pleased to introduce the demo website for ST Shrine, a dedicated website creation service for Shinto shrines, under our SimpleTastes brand. The demo website has been developed for Okayama Heiwayama Heiwa Shrine.
Animations for Mobile Game Completion
Here’s an introduction to the animations featured in the mobile game "Corron's Brain Training: IQ. Hitofude," including both victory animations for clearing the game and the animations of tiles flipping over.
Launch of ST Base – SimpleTastes’ Versatile Website Creation Service
We are excited to announce the launch of ST Base, a versatile website development service under AEDI’s sub-brand SimpleTastes, which combines affordability, high quality, and essential features. We have also launched two demo websites (for Setouchi Green Fields Inc.) showcasing the two available design themes.
Setouchi Green Fields Logo
We are currently developing five websites related to SimpleTastes. Today, we're excited to introduce the logo designed for our demo company.
Keep Doing, Stay Strong
For the past two months, I have been focused on developing our web service and sub-brand, SimpleTastes. This involves not only designing and creating websites but also considering, creating, and improving various aspects necessary for the service.
Where Ideas Come to Me
Eureka! Eureka! Do you have moments or places where ideas suddenly come to you? In this article, I will share the moments and places where ideas tend to come to me.
In the Green Breeze: Sakazu, Kurashiki, Okayama
This morning, the weather was exceptionally good, prompting me to take my camera to Sakazu Park in Sakazu, Kurashiki, Okayama, where our company AEDI is also located, and capture the scenes.
SimpleTastes Logo and Key Visual
We have been preparing our new service since last month, and this time we are announcing the service name, logo, and key visual for this service.
Added 3 New Graphic Tees
We are excited to announce the addition of 3 new graphic tees to our online store.
New Graphic Tees
We added 9 new graphic t-shirts to our online shop. These shirts feature designs from our past work, including graphic designs, logos, characters, and illustrations.
Design Work Beyond Imagination
Over the past year into this year, I've had the opportunity to work on design projects that I never imagined before.
What I Value Most as a Web Designer/Graphic Designer
About what I consider the most important as a web designer/graphic designer right now.
Comparing Google Maps Using the Google Maps Embed API
Comparing Google Maps using the Google Maps Embed API, which allows creating custom maps using parameters despite being free to use.
Expanding Nationwide from Kurashiki, Okayama through Web Design and Development: Leveraging Website to Expand Services Nationwide
Our client, who has gained a considerable share in Okayama (ranking first in search results for both Okayama and Kurashiki), has developed a strategy on how to utilize their website to expand services nationwide.
Mambo Still Life with Franchise
"Still Life with Franchise" is an art book packed with the history of Mambo, an Australian surf/street apparel brand, published by Mambo in 1998.
Changing the Property Values of the Decoding and Loading Properties Applied to WordPress Images
Exploring the meaning of WordPress's automatic addition of decoding='async' and loading='lazy' to images, and considering changing them to decoding='auto' and loading='eager'.
Let’s Start from Small Things
Let's start from small things. Just start anyway. Let's try what we want to do.
From Soja to Sasaoki and from Mizushima to Kojima
From Soja, Okayama, to Kojima, Kurashiki, in search of something specific. In Kojima, there was a sea that seemed as if it was visited and photographed for its beauty.
Design of Invoices, Estimates, and Related Documents
We have redesigned the templates for transaction documents such as invoice, estimate, delivery note, receipt, purchase order, and cover letter for AEDI.
AEDI Online Shop beta – Issues with WooCommerce
We have transitioned our website's online shop, AEDI Online Shop, from the alpha phase to the beta phase.
New Year’s Greetings 2024
New Year's greetings: Best Wishes for the New Year
AEDI Online Shop Alpha Version
We are excited to announce the launch of AEDI's online shop, now in its alpha version.
T-Shirts and Sweatshirts Born to Be Loved
Can we sell it? Can we buy it? Can we wear it? We designed T-Shirts and Heavyweight Sweatshirts that were born to be loved.
As a Web and Graphic Design Company in Kurashiki, Okayama in 2024
We recently had a meeting at a client's office in Kurashiki, Okayama, and received a significant report. Inspired by their words, I contemplated the upcoming year for AEDI.
Excluding/Removing Specific Tags in WordPress
Excluding specific tags from the tag list with the_tag seemed challenging. However, I figured out a way using get_the_tags, and I wanted to share it with you.
What We Want to Achieve with Our New Website
It's been a week since we launched our new website. During this week, we've been tirelessly tweaking settings, making adjustments, and adding new content to the site.
August 22, 2023, 14:40 – Reflecting on This Blog
About this blog. As we revamp our website, we’re contemplating what kind of content and topics to write about on this blog. It’s currently August 22nd (Tuesday), 2:40 PM, and I find myself in a family restaurant in Mizue, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture. Why, you might wonder? Well, sitting in front of my computer at the usual workspace wasn’t yielding any ideas today. Inspiration wasn’t descending from the heavens, and I found myself just staring at the monitor.
How to Display Custom Post Type as a Dropdown Field in Contact Form 7
When using WordPress custom post types for website development, there are instances where you might want to dynamically display a list of custom post type titles within Contact Form 7 forms, such as contact forms, order forms, or other types of forms, allowing users to make selections. In this guide, we will achieve this without using additional plugins. We'll demonstrate how to display a list of custom post type titles in a dropdown format using the SELECT (select box) element within Contact Form 7.
Participating in Disaster Volunteer Activities in Mabi, Kurashiki
On July 12th and 13th, 2018, I took part in disaster volunteer activities in Mabi-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture. It had been approximately a week since heavy rain warnings were issued, and upon arriving in the local area of Mabi-cho, Kurashiki City, I witnessed the aftermath of the floods, which was more severe than anticipated, leaving me deeply aware of the extent of the flood damage.
The Source of All Abundance Lies Within You
There’s a widely known figure in the spiritual realm named Eckhart Tolle, who authored a bestselling book titled “A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose.” This book, which sold a staggering 5.8 million copies in the United States, has left a significant impact. I personally purchased this book nearly a decade ago (according to the publication date in my copy, it was first published on October 25, 2008) and have revisited it recently after spotting it on my bookshelf.
246 by Kotaro Sawaki
Around three years ago, at the end of October in 2014, I made the decision to relocate my base of operations from Tokyo to Okayama. I had already shipped my office and household belongings to Okayama, and there I stood at Tokyo Station with a large backpack on my back and a small carry-on in hand. 246 was the book I purchased at Tokyo Station's kiosk for entertainment during my Shinkansen ride back to Okayama from Tokyo.
Making Chance Your Ally
The other day, I happened to come across a YouTube video of a lecture by the novelist Yoko Ogawa titled "Literature in Life Project." As I watched, she shared some fascinating insights. She talked about how the background story of her book "Kotori" (Little Bird) was a product of chance.
Just Do Something Anyway. Chase It. Seek It. Take Action.
This is an article about the content of the book “How to Get Ideas” by Jack Foster, a person who worked at a major advertising agency in the United States. The book was translated into Japanese by Tsukiko Aoshima. Our company name was inspired by this book, as we decided to choose a name related to ideas. The book is about “how to generate ideas,” presented in a structured manner through numerous episodes and anecdotes.
