Welcome to brennan.jp.net! This site is a love letter to the vibrant, dense, colorful aesthetic of traditional Japanese web design from the 1990s through the 2010s.
Why Japanese Web Design?
The Japanese internet developed a unique visual language that prioritized information density over minimalism. Where Western web design trends moved toward whitespace and hero images, Japanese websites packed every pixel with content, color, and character.
This wasn’t bad design β it was a different design philosophy. One that valued giving visitors everything they needed without making them click through pages of empty space.
What You’ll Find Here
This blog covers topics close to my heart:
- Writing β Essay and the craft of putting words together
- Technology β Hugo, static sites, and the IndieWeb movement
- Identity β Reflections navigating digital spaces
- Web History β Preserving and celebrating the weird, wonderful early web
Built With Hugo
This site is built with Hugo, a fast static site generator. The theme is custom-built to authentically recreate that classic Japanese web feel while maintaining modern accessibility standards.
Every page loads fast. Every element is semantic. Every color contrast ratio has been considered. The nostalgia is real, but the code is modern.
Thanks for visiting! β¨