Miyamoto Musashi was a ronin (a samurai without a master) and a philosopher whose wisdom was captured in many books. One of these books was "The Dokkodo," which features 21 precepts that impart great wisdom. Each bar of Ronin Chocolates features a precept from Musashi along with a distinctly Japanese flavor.
In total, I designed 15 bars of Ronin Chocolates. The front of each bar was labeled in English as well as Japanese. The red Kanji to the left is the Japanese translation of the chocolate bar's flavor. For the imagery, I selected Japanese flowers, converted them to black-and-white (similar to a black-and-white Japanese samurai films), and drew the flowers with a distinct white outline and red fill.
I wanted Ronin Chocolates to convey harmony, balance, and elegance. Bearing this in mind, I favored stark colors and striking imagery. However, I also wanted Miyamoto Musashi's wisdom to be predominant, which is why the images of the flowers accomodate each precept.
The ways of the samurai and the ronin were full of teachings that fit into the modern day. These chocolates were not only fun to design, but educational and enlightening. Ever since I took on this project, I have made it a point to follow Miyamoto Musashi's precepts. The hope is that audiences will do the same once they indulge in these sweet treats.
