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Andon

A portable design language for agents: download the markdown first, then inspect the preview, tokens, and rules as needed.

Download DESIGN.md

Portable DESIGN.md — tokens plus the paired art style. Agents must generate real images.

the spec

specification

philosophy
summary
Andon keeps the soul of Ma Wabi-Sabi Spatial Minimalism — Japanese ma (the meaningful interval), wabi-sabi imperfection, quiet affordance, and MUJI no-brand restraint — and reconceives its expression around one physical truth the parent only named in passing: light as hierarchy. A single warm lamp falls across the interface; the surfaces it reaches sit forward, the rest recede into warm shadow, and the one active element catches a thin amber seam. Emptiness is no longer a labelled blank bay but the unlit interval between pools of light. There are no borders; light and shadow do the structural work. An andon — the paper-and-cedar lantern — names the language and sets its behaviour: paper glows, wood frames, shadow holds the room, and one warm amber is the only saturated colour.
values
Light as hierarchyActive emptinessMaterial restraintQuiet affordanceWeathered precisionNo-brand neutrality
anti-values
×Ornamental Japanism×Luxury-spa softness×Tech-showroom gloss×Over-compression
visual character
A warm directional lamplight falls across every screen from one side; lit surfaces sit forward, unlit surfaces recede.Lit paper planes carry a soft warm top gradient and a matching soft shadow, with no borders.The active element catches a single 2px luminous amber seam on its lit edge; nothing else gets an edge.The ma interval is an unlit shadow gutter — a column or band the light does not reach — separating regions without a rule.Warm amber is the only saturated colour, used like the glow of a wick — on the seam, on selection, on one call to action.
tokens
colors14 items
bg
#F5F0E7
surface
#FBF8F1
surface_solid
#FFFFFF
text
#1C1712
muted
#6A6154
border
#E4DCCC
accent
#C07A2B
accent_2
#9A5A2A
accent_soft
#EFDFC4
on_accent
#F7EFDF
success
#5E6B3C
warning
#9A6B22
error
#8C3A2B
info
#456068
typography10 items
base size
17px
body font
IBM Plex Sans
heading font
Shippori Mincho
mono font
IBM Plex Mono
heading weight
700
heading transform
none
letter spacing
-0.02em
line height
1.6
scale ratio
1.25
google fonts url
https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=IBM+Plex+Mono:wght@400;500&family=IBM+Plex+Sans:wght@400;500;600&family=Shippori+Mincho:wght@500;600;700;800&display=swap
radii4 items
none
0px
md
16px
lg
24px
full
9999px
shadows3 items
sm
0 1px 2px rgba(28,23,18,.06), 0 2px 8px rgba(28,23,18,.045)
md
0 10px 34px rgba(28,23,18,.10), 0 2px 8px rgba(28,23,18,.06)
lg
0 26px 74px rgba(28,23,18,.15), 0 6px 20px rgba(28,23,18,.085)
spacing2 items
base
8px
scale
4px, 8px, 12px, 16px, 24px, 32px, 48px, 64px, 96px, 128px
surfaces3 items
treatment
paper-plaster under lamplight
card style
Lit paper planes modelled by a soft warm directional light and shadow; elevation is depth into the light; no borders.
bg pattern
warm directional light-fall gradient with a faint material grain
borders4 items
default width
0px
accent width
2px
style
luminous-seam
character
No borders. Structure is read from light and soft shadow; the only edge is a single 2px warm amber seam that marks the active/lit element.
motion3 items
duration
260ms
easing
cubic-bezier(0.22,0.61,0.18,1)
philosophy
A lamp brightening — elements warm into presence and recede into shadow; deliberate settle, no bounce, no celebration.
rules
composition
Model a quiet asymmetrical grid with one unlit shadow gutter as the ma interval; place primary work in the pool of light slightly off-centre; separate major regions with 48-96px of interval. Hierarchy is luminance before type or colour.
hierarchy
Priority is how much light a surface catches: lit paper planes sit forward with a soft warm shadow; the single active element carries a 2px amber seam. Display type is Shippori Mincho; micro labels are IBM Plex Mono; amber appears only on the seam, selection, and one call to action.
density

Medium-low with deliberate pauses; lists compact but never crowded; forms full-height; the screen feels edited, the shadow between objects part of the content.

signature patterns
Lampfall pool: a soft warm luminance gradient plus a matching drop shadow models every raised plane; elevation is depth into the light.The seam: a single 2px luminous amber line marks the one active/lit element and nothing else.Shadow gutter: the ma interval rendered as an unlit column or band — structure by absence of light.Lantern-body primary: the primary button is a dark warm cedar-ink panel with a bright amber top seam and cream label.Recessed well: inputs are soft inset shadow wells with no border; on focus the well brightens and the amber seam appears at its lit edge.
layout
density

Medium-low; every cluster gets enough shadow to read as a deliberate pause.

grid

12-column field, max width ~1360px; one column is left as an unlit shadow gutter (ma); content offset into the remaining columns.

whitespace

Active structure: 48px minimum between regions, 64px around decision areas, 96px where the reader should slow.

breakpoints
desktop
1200px and above: 12 columns with the shadow gutter
tablet
768-1199px: 8 columns, gutter becomes a top interval
mobile
0-767px: single column, intervals reduce to 32px but stay visible
responsive

Collapse side rails beneath the main panel on tablet; stack panels on mobile; keep controls 44px; let tables become card rows rather than overflow.

guidance
do
  • Model hierarchy with light and shadow first; reach for the amber seam only to mark the one active element.
  • Keep one warm directional light across a whole screen so the modelling is coherent.
  • Let the ma interval be a genuine unlit gutter; leave it empty.
  • Use warm cream labels on the dark lantern-body primary button for high contrast.
  • Keep body text at 17px and letter-spacing at -0.02em on display type.
  • Reserve #FFFFFF for the brightest lit surfaces and warm off-white for paper planes.
avoid
  • Do not draw boxes or grey borders; the seam and the shadow do the work.
  • Do not give a card a decorative accent edge — the seam only marks the active element.
  • Do not use gradients as decoration, glassmorphism, neon, or gloss.
  • Do not decorate with literal Japanese motifs.
  • Do not centre every section or pack the screen.
  • Do not use random radii such as 8px, 12px, or 20px.
imagery
summary
Umbra tenebrist chiaroscuro: one warm low light rakes matte imperfect material (lime plaster, washi, unglazed clay, weathered cedar) out of deep warm shadow, with a single luminous amber seam. Contemplative, wabi-sabi, film-photographic scenes of lanterns, alcoves, and quiet interiors.
pairs with

umbra

katagami spec
# Andon

## Philosophy

Andon keeps the soul of Ma Wabi-Sabi Spatial Minimalism — Japanese ma (the meaningful interval), wabi-sabi imperfection, quiet affordance, and MUJI no-brand restraint — and reconceives its expression around one physical truth the parent only named in passing: light as hierarchy. A single warm lamp falls across the interface; the surfaces it reaches sit forward, the rest recede into warm shadow, and the one active element catches a thin amber seam. Emptiness is no longer a labelled blank bay but the unlit interval between pools of light. There are no borders; light and shadow do the structural work. An andon — the paper-and-cedar lantern — names the language and sets its behaviour: paper glows, wood frames, shadow holds the room, and one warm amber is the only saturated colour.

### Values

- {"name":"Light as hierarchy","explanation":"Priority is luminance — the most important surface is the one the lamp has reached; the rest waits in warm shadow."}
- {"name":"Active emptiness","explanation":"The dark interval between lit elements is structure; ma survives as the shadow gutter the light does not fill."}
- {"name":"Material restraint","explanation":"Surfaces read as lime plaster, washi, unglazed clay, and cedar through soft directional shadow and faint grain, never illustration."}
- {"name":"Quiet affordance","explanation":"A control is legible because the light models it — a raised plane, a recessed well — not because it is boxed or coloured."}
- {"name":"Weathered precision","explanation":"The grid is measured and rigorous; imperfection lives in the grain and the warmth of the light."}
- {"name":"No-brand neutrality","explanation":"The interface recedes behind the work — one warm accent, quiet type, sparse labels."}

### Anti-Values

- {"name":"Ornamental Japanism","explanation":"No cherry blossoms, faux calligraphy, red sun discs, or motif wallpaper; the aesthetic is carried by light, interval, and material."}
- {"name":"Luxury-spa softness","explanation":"No beige-on-beige wash, no pillowy oversized controls; the warmth is lamplight on matte material."}
- {"name":"Tech-showroom gloss","explanation":"No glassmorphism, neon, gradient buttons, or SaaS-hero effects; the glow is a wick, not a screen."}
- {"name":"Over-compression","explanation":"The screen is never packed to prove efficiency; the shadow between objects is part of the content."}

### Visual Character

- A warm directional lamplight falls across every screen from one side; lit surfaces sit forward, unlit surfaces recede.
- Lit paper planes carry a soft warm top gradient and a matching soft shadow, with no borders.
- The active element catches a single 2px luminous amber seam on its lit edge; nothing else gets an edge.
- The ma interval is an unlit shadow gutter — a column or band the light does not reach — separating regions without a rule.
- Warm amber is the only saturated colour, used like the glow of a wick — on the seam, on selection, on one call to action.

## Tokens

### Colors

| Name | Value |
|------|-------|
| bg | `#F5F0E7` |
| surface | `#FBF8F1` |
| surface_solid | `#FFFFFF` |
| text | `#1C1712` |
| muted | `#6A6154` |
| border | `#E4DCCC` |
| accent | `#C07A2B` |
| accent_2 | `#9A5A2A` |
| accent_soft | `#EFDFC4` |
| on_accent | `#F7EFDF` |
| success | `#5E6B3C` |
| warning | `#9A6B22` |
| error | `#8C3A2B` |
| info | `#456068` |

### Typography

- **Base Size**: 17px
- **Body Font**: IBM Plex Sans
- **Heading Font**: Shippori Mincho
- **Mono Font**: IBM Plex Mono
- **Heading Weight**: 700
- **Heading Transform**: none
- **Letter Spacing**: -0.02em
- **Line Height**: 1.6
- **Scale Ratio**: 1.25
- **Google Fonts Url**: https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=IBM+Plex+Mono:wght@400;500&family=IBM+Plex+Sans:wght@400;500;600&family=Shippori+Mincho:wght@500;600;700;800&display=swap

### Radii

- **None**: 0px
- **Md**: 16px
- **Lg**: 24px
- **Full**: 9999px

### Shadows

- **Sm**: 0 1px 2px rgba(28,23,18,.06), 0 2px 8px rgba(28,23,18,.045)
- **Md**: 0 10px 34px rgba(28,23,18,.10), 0 2px 8px rgba(28,23,18,.06)
- **Lg**: 0 26px 74px rgba(28,23,18,.15), 0 6px 20px rgba(28,23,18,.085)

### Spacing

- **Base**: 8px
- **Scale**: ["4px","8px","12px","16px","24px","32px","48px","64px","96px","128px"]

### Surfaces

- **Treatment**: paper-plaster under lamplight
- **Card Style**: Lit paper planes modelled by a soft warm directional light and shadow; elevation is depth into the light; no borders.
- **Bg Pattern**: warm directional light-fall gradient with a faint material grain

### Borders

- **Default Width**: 0px
- **Accent Width**: 2px
- **Style**: luminous-seam
- **Character**: No borders. Structure is read from light and soft shadow; the only edge is a single 2px warm amber seam that marks the active/lit element.

### Motion

- **Duration**: 260ms
- **Easing**: cubic-bezier(0.22,0.61,0.18,1)
- **Philosophy**: A lamp brightening — elements warm into presence and recede into shadow; deliberate settle, no bounce, no celebration.

## Rules

### Composition

Model a quiet asymmetrical grid with one unlit shadow gutter as the ma interval; place primary work in the pool of light slightly off-centre; separate major regions with 48-96px of interval. Hierarchy is luminance before type or colour.

### Hierarchy

Priority is how much light a surface catches: lit paper planes sit forward with a soft warm shadow; the single active element carries a 2px amber seam. Display type is Shippori Mincho; micro labels are IBM Plex Mono; amber appears only on the seam, selection, and one call to action.

### Density

Medium-low with deliberate pauses; lists compact but never crowded; forms full-height; the screen feels edited, the shadow between objects part of the content.

### Signature Patterns

- Lampfall pool: a soft warm luminance gradient plus a matching drop shadow models every raised plane; elevation is depth into the light.
- The seam: a single 2px luminous amber line marks the one active/lit element and nothing else.
- Shadow gutter: the ma interval rendered as an unlit column or band — structure by absence of light.
- Lantern-body primary: the primary button is a dark warm cedar-ink panel with a bright amber top seam and cream label.
- Recessed well: inputs are soft inset shadow wells with no border; on focus the well brightens and the amber seam appears at its lit edge.

## Layout

### Density

Medium-low; every cluster gets enough shadow to read as a deliberate pause.

### Grid

12-column field, max width ~1360px; one column is left as an unlit shadow gutter (ma); content offset into the remaining columns.

### Whitespace

Active structure: 48px minimum between regions, 64px around decision areas, 96px where the reader should slow.

### Breakpoints

- **Desktop**: 1200px and above: 12 columns with the shadow gutter
- **Tablet**: 768-1199px: 8 columns, gutter becomes a top interval
- **Mobile**: 0-767px: single column, intervals reduce to 32px but stay visible

### Responsive

Collapse side rails beneath the main panel on tablet; stack panels on mobile; keep controls 44px; let tables become card rows rather than overflow.

## Guidance

### Do

- Model hierarchy with light and shadow first; reach for the amber seam only to mark the one active element.
- Keep one warm directional light across a whole screen so the modelling is coherent.
- Let the ma interval be a genuine unlit gutter; leave it empty.
- Use warm cream labels on the dark lantern-body primary button for high contrast.
- Keep body text at 17px and letter-spacing at -0.02em on display type.
- Reserve #FFFFFF for the brightest lit surfaces and warm off-white for paper planes.

### Don't

- Do not draw boxes or grey borders; the seam and the shadow do the work.
- Do not give a card a decorative accent edge — the seam only marks the active element.
- Do not use gradients as decoration, glassmorphism, neon, or gloss.
- Do not decorate with literal Japanese motifs.
- Do not centre every section or pack the screen.
- Do not use random radii such as 8px, 12px, or 20px.

### Usage Context

Editorial desks and archives, calm operations dashboards, material libraries and catalogues, focused planning and reading tools — anywhere reduction, placing, and careful reading matter.

### Accessibility

Maintain WCAG AA contrast (cream on warm shadow, ink on lit paper); focus states raise a visible amber seam plus ring; never encode status by colour alone (status dots plus labels); keep touch targets at least 44px; keep grain behind content at low opacity.

## Imagery Direction

### Summary

Umbra tenebrist chiaroscuro: one warm low light rakes matte imperfect material (lime plaster, washi, unglazed clay, weathered cedar) out of deep warm shadow, with a single luminous amber seam. Contemplative, wabi-sabi, film-photographic scenes of lanterns, alcoves, and quiet interiors.

### Pairs With

umbra
DESIGN.md
---
version: "alpha"
name: "Andon"
description: "Agent-curated design language exported from Katagami as DESIGN.md."
colors:
  bg: "#F5F0E7"
  surface: "#FBF8F1"
  surface_solid: "#FFFFFF"
  text: "#1C1712"
  muted: "#6A6154"
  border: "#E4DCCC"
  accent: "#C07A2B"
  accent_2: "#9A5A2A"
  accent_soft: "#EFDFC4"
  on_accent: "#F7EFDF"
  success: "#5E6B3C"
  warning: "#9A6B22"
  error: "#8C3A2B"
  info: "#456068"
typography:
  headline-lg:
    fontFamily: "Shippori Mincho"
    fontSize: "2.075rem"
    fontWeight: 700
    lineHeight: 1.1
    letterSpacing: "-0.02em"
  headline-md:
    fontFamily: "Shippori Mincho"
    fontSize: "1.66rem"
    fontWeight: 600
    lineHeight: 1.15
    letterSpacing: "-0.02em"
  body-md:
    fontFamily: "IBM Plex Sans"
    fontSize: "17px"
    fontWeight: 400
    lineHeight: 1.6
    letterSpacing: "-0.02em"
  label-md:
    fontFamily: "IBM Plex Mono"
    fontSize: "0.75rem"
    fontWeight: 600
    lineHeight: 1
    letterSpacing: "0.08em"
rounded:
  none: "0px"
  md: "16px"
  lg: "24px"
  full: "9999px"
spacing:
  base: "8px"
  xs: "4px"
  sm: "8px"
  md: "12px"
  lg: "16px"
  xl: "24px"
  2xl: "32px"
  3xl: "48px"
  4xl: "64px"
  step-8: "96px"
  step-9: "128px"
components:
  color-reference-bg:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.bg}"
  color-reference-surface:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.surface}"
  color-reference-surface_solid:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.surface_solid}"
  color-reference-text:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.text}"
  color-reference-muted:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.muted}"
  color-reference-border:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.border}"
  color-reference-accent:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.accent}"
  color-reference-accent_2:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.accent_2}"
  color-reference-accent_soft:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.accent_soft}"
  color-reference-on_accent:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.on_accent}"
  color-reference-success:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.success}"
  color-reference-warning:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.warning}"
  color-reference-error:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.error}"
  color-reference-info:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.info}"
  button-primary:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.accent}"
    textColor: "#000000"
    typography: "{typography.label-md}"
    rounded: "{rounded.md}"
    padding: "{spacing.md}"
  card-surface:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.surface}"
    textColor: "{colors.text}"
    rounded: "{rounded.md}"
    padding: "{spacing.md}"
  input-default:
    backgroundColor: "{colors.surface}"
    textColor: "{colors.text}"
    rounded: "{rounded.md}"
    height: "44px"
---

# Andon

## Overview

Andon keeps the soul of Ma Wabi-Sabi Spatial Minimalism — Japanese ma (the meaningful interval), wabi-sabi imperfection, quiet affordance, and MUJI no-brand restraint — and reconceives its expression around one physical truth the parent only named in passing: light as hierarchy. A single warm lamp falls across the interface; the surfaces it reaches sit forward, the rest recede into warm shadow, and the one active element catches a thin amber seam. Emptiness is no longer a labelled blank bay but the unlit interval between pools of light. There are no borders; light and shadow do the structural work. An andon — the paper-and-cedar lantern — names the language and sets its behaviour: paper glows, wood frames, shadow holds the room, and one warm amber is the only saturated colour.

### Values

- {"name":"Light as hierarchy","explanation":"Priority is luminance — the most important surface is the one the lamp has reached; the rest waits in warm shadow."}
- {"name":"Active emptiness","explanation":"The dark interval between lit elements is structure; ma survives as the shadow gutter the light does not fill."}
- {"name":"Material restraint","explanation":"Surfaces read as lime plaster, washi, unglazed clay, and cedar through soft directional shadow and faint grain, never illustration."}
- {"name":"Quiet affordance","explanation":"A control is legible because the light models it — a raised plane, a recessed well — not because it is boxed or coloured."}
- {"name":"Weathered precision","explanation":"The grid is measured and rigorous; imperfection lives in the grain and the warmth of the light."}
- {"name":"No-brand neutrality","explanation":"The interface recedes behind the work — one warm accent, quiet type, sparse labels."}

### Anti-Values

- {"name":"Ornamental Japanism","explanation":"No cherry blossoms, faux calligraphy, red sun discs, or motif wallpaper; the aesthetic is carried by light, interval, and material."}
- {"name":"Luxury-spa softness","explanation":"No beige-on-beige wash, no pillowy oversized controls; the warmth is lamplight on matte material."}
- {"name":"Tech-showroom gloss","explanation":"No glassmorphism, neon, gradient buttons, or SaaS-hero effects; the glow is a wick, not a screen."}
- {"name":"Over-compression","explanation":"The screen is never packed to prove efficiency; the shadow between objects is part of the content."}

### Visual Character

- A warm directional lamplight falls across every screen from one side; lit surfaces sit forward, unlit surfaces recede.
- Lit paper planes carry a soft warm top gradient and a matching soft shadow, with no borders.
- The active element catches a single 2px luminous amber seam on its lit edge; nothing else gets an edge.
- The ma interval is an unlit shadow gutter — a column or band the light does not reach — separating regions without a rule.
- Warm amber is the only saturated colour, used like the glow of a wick — on the seam, on selection, on one call to action.

## Colors

Use the YAML color tokens as the normative palette. The prose below names the roles agents should preserve when generating UI.

| Token | Value |
|-------|-------|
| bg | `#F5F0E7` |
| surface | `#FBF8F1` |
| surface_solid | `#FFFFFF` |
| text | `#1C1712` |
| muted | `#6A6154` |
| border | `#E4DCCC` |
| accent | `#C07A2B` |
| accent_2 | `#9A5A2A` |
| accent_soft | `#EFDFC4` |
| on_accent | `#F7EFDF` |
| success | `#5E6B3C` |
| warning | `#9A6B22` |
| error | `#8C3A2B` |
| info | `#456068` |

## Typography

- **Headline-Lg**: Shippori Mincho, 2.075rem, weight 700, line-height 1.1.
- **Headline-Md**: Shippori Mincho, 1.66rem, weight 600, line-height 1.15.
- **Body-Md**: IBM Plex Sans, 17px, weight 400, line-height 1.6.
- **Label-Md**: IBM Plex Mono, 0.75rem, weight 600, line-height 1.

## Layout

### Spacing Tokens

- **Base**: `8px`
- **Xs**: `4px`
- **Sm**: `8px`
- **Md**: `12px`
- **Lg**: `16px`
- **Xl**: `24px`
- **2xl**: `32px`
- **3xl**: `48px`
- **4xl**: `64px`
- **Step-8**: `96px`
- **Step-9**: `128px`

### Density

Medium-low; every cluster gets enough shadow to read as a deliberate pause.

### Grid

12-column field, max width ~1360px; one column is left as an unlit shadow gutter (ma); content offset into the remaining columns.

### Whitespace

Active structure: 48px minimum between regions, 64px around decision areas, 96px where the reader should slow.

### Breakpoints

- **Desktop**: 1200px and above: 12 columns with the shadow gutter
- **Tablet**: 768-1199px: 8 columns, gutter becomes a top interval
- **Mobile**: 0-767px: single column, intervals reduce to 32px but stay visible

### Responsive

Collapse side rails beneath the main panel on tablet; stack panels on mobile; keep controls 44px; let tables become card rows rather than overflow.

## Elevation & Depth

### Shadows

- **Sm**: 0 1px 2px rgba(28,23,18,.06), 0 2px 8px rgba(28,23,18,.045)
- **Md**: 0 10px 34px rgba(28,23,18,.10), 0 2px 8px rgba(28,23,18,.06)
- **Lg**: 0 26px 74px rgba(28,23,18,.15), 0 6px 20px rgba(28,23,18,.085)

## Shapes

### Rounded

- **None**: `0px`
- **Md**: `16px`
- **Lg**: `24px`
- **Full**: `9999px`

### Surfaces

- **Treatment**: paper-plaster under lamplight
- **Card Style**: Lit paper planes modelled by a soft warm directional light and shadow; elevation is depth into the light; no borders.
- **Bg Pattern**: warm directional light-fall gradient with a faint material grain

### Borders

- **Default Width**: 0px
- **Accent Width**: 2px
- **Style**: luminous-seam
- **Character**: No borders. Structure is read from light and soft shadow; the only edge is a single 2px warm amber seam that marks the active/lit element.

## Components

### Composition

Model a quiet asymmetrical grid with one unlit shadow gutter as the ma interval; place primary work in the pool of light slightly off-centre; separate major regions with 48-96px of interval. Hierarchy is luminance before type or colour.

### Hierarchy

Priority is how much light a surface catches: lit paper planes sit forward with a soft warm shadow; the single active element carries a 2px amber seam. Display type is Shippori Mincho; micro labels are IBM Plex Mono; amber appears only on the seam, selection, and one call to action.

### Density

Medium-low with deliberate pauses; lists compact but never crowded; forms full-height; the screen feels edited, the shadow between objects part of the content.

### Signature Patterns

- Lampfall pool: a soft warm luminance gradient plus a matching drop shadow models every raised plane; elevation is depth into the light.
- The seam: a single 2px luminous amber line marks the one active/lit element and nothing else.
- Shadow gutter: the ma interval rendered as an unlit column or band — structure by absence of light.
- Lantern-body primary: the primary button is a dark warm cedar-ink panel with a bright amber top seam and cream label.
- Recessed well: inputs are soft inset shadow wells with no border; on focus the well brightens and the amber seam appears at its lit edge.

## shadcn/ui Usage

When the target app uses shadcn/ui, copy DESIGN.md with shadcn instead of the plain DESIGN.md. It contains the same Katagami design-language source plus the shadcn/ui primitives, imports, theme variables, component recipes, and preview-shot guidance.

DESIGN.md with shadcn: `/language/en-019f8af8-d1d6-7501-8b46-e22c51f016bd/DESIGN.with-shadcn.md`.

The shadcn page also exposes optional machine-readable files for automation, but the human-facing handoff is DESIGN.md with shadcn.

Install recommended primitives with `npx shadcn@latest add button card input textarea select dialog sheet tabs badge separator checkbox switch slider tooltip dropdown-menu table`.

Use these primitives in shadcn apps:
- button
- card
- input
- textarea
- select
- dialog
- sheet
- tabs
- badge
- separator
- checkbox
- switch
- slider
- tooltip
- dropdown-menu
- table

Implementation rule for agents: import shadcn primitives from `@/components/ui/*`, apply the generated CSS variables first, then compose the language-specific recipes from the companion MD. Katagami remains the source of truth; shadcn names are the implementation surface.

## Do's and Don'ts

- Do Model hierarchy with light and shadow first; reach for the amber seam only to mark the one active element.
- Do Keep one warm directional light across a whole screen so the modelling is coherent.
- Do Let the ma interval be a genuine unlit gutter; leave it empty.
- Do Use warm cream labels on the dark lantern-body primary button for high contrast.
- Do Keep body text at 17px and letter-spacing at -0.02em on display type.
- Do Reserve #FFFFFF for the brightest lit surfaces and warm off-white for paper planes.
- Don't Do not draw boxes or grey borders; the seam and the shadow do the work.
- Don't Do not give a card a decorative accent edge — the seam only marks the active element.
- Don't Do not use gradients as decoration, glassmorphism, neon, or gloss.
- Don't Do not decorate with literal Japanese motifs.
- Don't Do not centre every section or pack the screen.
- Don't Do not use random radii such as 8px, 12px, or 20px.

### Usage Context

Editorial desks and archives, calm operations dashboards, material libraries and catalogues, focused planning and reading tools — anywhere reduction, placing, and careful reading matter.

### Accessibility

Maintain WCAG AA contrast (cream on warm shadow, ink on lit paper); focus states raise a visible amber seam plus ring; never encode status by colour alone (status dots plus labels); keep touch targets at least 44px; keep grain behind content at low opacity.

## Imagery Direction

### Summary

Umbra tenebrist chiaroscuro: one warm low light rakes matte imperfect material (lime plaster, washi, unglazed clay, weathered cedar) out of deep warm shadow, with a single luminous amber seam. Contemplative, wabi-sabi, film-photographic scenes of lanterns, alcoves, and quiet interiors.

### Pairs With

umbra
shadcn/ui theme
```json
{
  "$schema": "https://ui.shadcn.com/schema/registry-item.json",
  "name": "andon",
  "type": "registry:theme",
  "title": "Andon shadcn Theme",
  "cssVars": {
    "theme": {},
    "light": {
      "background": "#F5F0E7",
      "foreground": "#1C1712",
      "card": "#FBF8F1",
      "card-foreground": "#1C1712",
      "popover": "#FBF8F1",
      "popover-foreground": "#1C1712",
      "primary": "#1C1712",
      "primary-foreground": "#ffffff",
      "secondary": "#f4f4f5",
      "secondary-foreground": "#111111",
      "muted": "#6A6154",
      "muted-foreground": "#1C1712",
      "accent": "#C07A2B",
      "accent-foreground": "#ffffff",
      "destructive": "#8C3A2B",
      "border": "#E4DCCC",
      "input": "#E4DCCC",
      "ring": "#C07A2B",
      "chart-1": "#1C1712",
      "chart-2": "#f4f4f5",
      "chart-3": "#C07A2B",
      "chart-4": "#5E6B3C",
      "chart-5": "#9A6B22",
      "sidebar": "#FBF8F1",
      "sidebar-foreground": "#1C1712",
      "sidebar-primary": "#1C1712",
      "sidebar-primary-foreground": "#ffffff",
      "sidebar-accent": "#456068",
      "sidebar-accent-foreground": "#ffffff",
      "sidebar-border": "#E4DCCC",
      "sidebar-ring": "#C07A2B",
      "radius": "16px"
    },
    "dark": {
      "background": "#0f1115",
      "foreground": "#f8fafc",
      "card": "#181b22",
      "card-foreground": "#f8fafc",
      "popover": "#181b22",
      "popover-foreground": "#f8fafc",
      "primary": "#1C1712",
      "primary-foreground": "#ffffff",
      "secondary": "#252a33",
      "secondary-foreground": "#f8fafc",
      "muted": "#252a33",
      "muted-foreground": "#a1a1aa",
      "accent": "#C07A2B",
      "accent-foreground": "#ffffff",
      "destructive": "#8C3A2B",
      "border": "#303642",
      "input": "#303642",
      "ring": "#C07A2B",
      "chart-1": "#1C1712",
      "chart-2": "#f4f4f5",
      "chart-3": "#C07A2B",
      "chart-4": "#5E6B3C",
      "chart-5": "#9A6B22",
      "sidebar": "#181b22",
      "sidebar-foreground": "#f8fafc",
      "sidebar-primary": "#1C1712",
      "sidebar-primary-foreground": "#ffffff",
      "sidebar-accent": "#C07A2B",
      "sidebar-accent-foreground": "#ffffff",
      "sidebar-border": "#303642",
      "sidebar-ring": "#C07A2B",
      "radius": "16px"
    }
  },
  "meta": {
    "source": "katagami",
    "languageId": "en-019f8af8-d1d6-7501-8b46-e22c51f016bd",
    "slug": "andon",
    "componentManifest": [
      "button",
      "card",
      "input",
      "textarea",
      "select",
      "dialog",
      "sheet",
      "tabs",
      "badge",
      "separator",
      "checkbox",
      "switch",
      "slider",
      "tooltip",
      "dropdown-menu",
      "table"
    ],
    "installCommand": "npx shadcn@latest add button card input textarea select dialog sheet tabs badge separator checkbox switch slider tooltip dropdown-menu table",
    "nativeTokenNames": {
      "colors": [
        "accent",
        "accent_2",
        "accent_soft",
        "bg",
        "border",
        "error",
        "info",
        "muted",
        "on_accent",
        "success",
        "surface",
        "surface_solid",
        "text",
        "warning"
      ],
      "typography": [
        "base_size",
        "body_font",
        "google_fonts_url",
        "heading_font",
        "heading_transform",
        "heading_weight",
        "letter_spacing",
        "line_height",
        "mono_font",
        "scale_ratio"
      ],
      "radii": [
        "full",
        "lg",
        "md",
        "none"
      ],
      "shadows": [
        "lg",
        "md",
        "sm"
      ],
      "spacing": [
        "base",
        "scale"
      ],
      "surfaces": [
        "bg_pattern",
        "card_style",
        "treatment"
      ],
      "borders": [
        "accent_width",
        "character",
        "default_width",
        "style"
      ],
      "motion": [
        "duration",
        "easing",
        "philosophy"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```
in the wild

embodiments

DESIGN.md

at a glance

Typography

headline-lgShippori Mincho · 33px · 700

The quick brown fox jumps

headline-mdShippori Mincho · 27px · 600

The quick brown fox jumps

body-mdIBM Plex Sans · 17px · 400

The quick brown fox jumps

label-mdIBM Plex Mono · 12px · 600

The quick brown fox jumps

shadcn/ui

implementation kit

built with
Palette
remix lane

try a remix

Keep Andon and swap a palette and an art style onto it. The landing & dashboard recolor live.

UI language · fixed
Andon
Palette
Art style
Landing Page
live preview · recolored + filled
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