The Sound of Silence: How Muji and Kurashi & Trips Sell Calm Without Saying Much

One of the quietest ads in the world might be a Muji commercial.

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No voiceover.
No sale banner.

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Just a breeze through linen curtains, the sound of tea being poured, a woman folding clothes.

And somehow, it works...?

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That’s because Muji doesn’t sell products.
It sells peace of mind.

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But what’s even more interesting is that this calm isn’t universal.
It looks one way abroad, and another way at home.

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Let’s unpack why.

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Different Languages of Calm

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Globally, Muji has become a visual synonym for Japanese minimalism.

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Neutral colors, wide white margins, a rhythm that feels almost meditative.

In the West, this “anti-brand” aesthetic became luxury.

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You’re not buying a mug; you’re buying a feeling, one of quiet confidence, intentional living, the fantasy of control in a noisy world.

But switch your perspective to Japan, and suddenly “calm” looks different.

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Here, minimalism isn’t an aspiration. It’s everyday life.
Really, you don’t need Muji to remind you to breathe.

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That’s why other lifestyle brands like Kurashi & Trips (a cozy, slow-living brand founded by illustrator Kazumi Tsubota) or Nitori, Japan’s friendly home store, take a warmer path.

Their visuals are still peaceful, but they’re alive.

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Soft daylight, handwritten labels, a table with slightly uneven dishes. There’s chatter, family, and imperfection.

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Where Muji sells silence, Kurashi & Trips sells comfort.
Where Muji shows space, Nitori shows use.

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The Cross-Cultural Calm Gap

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This difference runs deeper than style. In fact, it’s cultural rhythm.

In Western marketing, “silence” often signals luxury.

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Think Apple’s white backgrounds, or Aesop’s slow, wordless films.
It says: we don’t need to explain ourselves.

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In Japan, silence doesn’t mean status, but subtlety.
It’s the pause (間, ma) that gives room for emotion to surface.

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Japanese audiences read emotion through microdetails. Texture, pacing, even background sound.

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A single quiet second can mean care.

So when global designers borrow Japan’s minimalist calm, they often miss that emotional density.

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Stillness Isn’t Emptiness : It’s Trust

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As we editors know, when we strip away noise in design or editing, we’re not removing information. We’re creating space for meaning to land. And not only that: that breath builds empathy.

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And in digital content, this principle still holds.

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Whether it’s a short film, a brand reel, or a product post, viewers notice when something feels unhurried.

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It signals confidence, and it earns trust.

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Designing Silence

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For editors and designers, the takeaway isn’t “be minimal.”
It’s “be intentional.”

• Use visual rhythm the way musicians use rests.
• Let white space and slow motion carry emotion instead of words.
• Add texture — a breeze, a scratch, a small imperfection — to make calm feel human, not sterile.
• And remember: in Japan, silence is not absence. It’s a form of care.

Because in a world shouting for attention, sometimes the quietest voice is the most persuasive one.

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Lisa Anglade,
Co-founder at Pont Miyabi🌏

🔗 Connect: LinkedIn | Website
📩contact@pontmiyabi.com

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