Wayfinding, aka Making My Way Downtown

Walking fast, faces pass, and I'm homebound

It is a luxury to be in a country that over-communicates with its inhabitants. Everywhere I look, I see signage, detailed instructions, labels for anything and everything, arrows pointing me in the correct direction. Even in the world’s busiest subway station, I haven’t feel lost.

There’s a word for all of this signage, support, and guidance. It’s “wayfinding.” Wayfinding refers to systems that guide people through a physical environment, enhancing their understanding and experience of the space.

Here are some of the most commonly cited principles for wayfinding, which have practical uses and implications well beyond urban design:

tbh these three topline bullets are the foundation of effective communication

I’m in awe of the incredible wayfinding I’ve seen across Japan, now one week into a two-week stint here. It’s not even just the sheer quantity of helpful signage or visuals, it’s that this kind of basic, supportive guidance is not a nice-to-have, but a way of life. Even Google Maps is infinitely more specific and helpful in this country than it is in New York City.

Please clap: Multiple languages! A number assigned to every stop! Clear transfer information!

lmao

Google Maps tells me the closest numbered + named entrance of the subway to depart from, which car of the train I should ride in for the most efficient way out, which numbered + named subway stop to get out at, and which specific exit to take. And these details are just a cherry-on-top: I rarely have to look at my phone to orient myself. I know exactly where I am: my body and my brain, for once, are in the same place.

This makes me feel safe and held in a way I could never anticipate. It also transforms my travel experience: I am looking up and around, I’m an eager sponge wanting to soak up all the directions, I am present and interacting with my surroundings. I feel connected to the places and people all around me. I feel like an explorer! Marco Polo walked (swam blindfolded?) so I could soar. I am Carmen Sandiego.

candid photo of me in Japan <3

In a world where our devices are constantly sucking away at our attention spans and our joy, feeling present and connected to our physical existence is a necessity. Finding our way through the physical world is also good for us: it helps our brains build new connections and works on neuroplasticity in our hippocampus. It’s creative problem solving that we don’t often get to do, especially for those of us who might be working from home. On top of that, you’ll notice new things, people, and places you probably haven’t spotted before. Maybe you’ll feel more curious, maybe you’ll feel some awe and wonder, or maybe you’ll feel just a tiny less amount of existential dread.

I’ll leave you with the two questions still simmering in my brain while writing this:

1. Why isn’t everywhere else like this? This seems like a very clear way to show empathy for… literally, everyone. Why do so many places assume people know where they’re going?

2. What does it really, truly mean to find your way? All this talk of wayfinding has me reflecting on how I find my way in life, day in, and day out. Naturally, none of that happens without guidance, direction, and support from other humans. If we make it easier for people to find their way around the physical world, won’t it make them feel a little less lost mentally?

Here’s to finding our ways, in every sense.