Accessibility Statement

Kiyomi Design Studios is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for everyone. We are continually improving the user experience for all visitors and applying the relevant accessibility standards. We believe our website should be accessible to people of all abilities.

Our Commitment

We strive to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA, as well as complying with the South African National Standard (SANS) 508 and Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) X 8341-3:2016 for older adults and people with disabilities. These guidelines outline four main principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.

Measures to Support Accessibility

Kiyomi Design Studios takes the following measures to ensure accessibility:

• Including accessibility as part of our mission statement.
• Integrating accessibility into our design and development workflows.
• Providing accessibility training for our staff.
• Employing formal accessibility quality assurance methods.

Conformance Status

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) defines requirements for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. It defines three levels of conformance: Level A, Level AA, and Level AAA. Kiyomi Design Studios is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 level AA. Partially conformant means that some parts of the content do not fully conform to the accessibility standard.

Specific Accessibility Features Implemented

• Alternative Text: We provide descriptive alternative text for all images and other non-text elements. This allows screen readers and other assistive technologies to convey the meaning of the image to users. For example, an image of a traditional Japanese house in Kyoto will have the alt text: "Traditional Machiya house in Kyoto, featuring a wooden lattice facade and shoji screens."
• Keyboard Navigation: Our website is fully navigable using a keyboard, ensuring users who cannot use a mouse can access all content and functionality.
• Clear and Consistent Navigation: We maintain a clear and consistent navigation structure throughout the website to help users easily find the information they need.
• Sufficient Color Contrast: We ensure sufficient color contrast between text and background colors to make the content readable for users with low vision or color blindness. We use a monochrome color palette with warm wood accents, carefully selecting shades that provide adequate contrast while maintaining our aesthetic.
• Resizable Text: Users can easily resize the text on our website without losing content or functionality. This can be achieved through browser settings or assistive technologies.
• Form Labels and Instructions: All form fields are clearly labeled, and instructions are provided to help users understand how to complete the forms.
• Semantic HTML: We use semantic HTML elements to structure our content, making it easier for assistive technologies to understand and interpret the content. This includes using proper heading levels, lists, and other semantic elements.
• ARIA Attributes: We use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes where necessary to enhance the accessibility of dynamic content and interactive elements.
• Video Captions and Transcripts: All video content includes captions and transcripts to make it accessible to users who are deaf or hard of hearing. We ensure the captions are synchronized with the audio and that transcripts are accurate and comprehensive.

Accessibility Audits and Testing

We regularly conduct accessibility audits and testing to identify and address any accessibility issues. These audits include automated testing using tools like WAVE and manual testing by accessibility experts and users with disabilities.

Known Issues

Despite our best efforts to ensure accessibility, there may be some limitations. Below is a description of known issues:

Some older PDF documents may not be fully accessible. We are working to replace these with accessible versions.

Technical Specifications

Accessibility of Kiyomi Design Studios relies on the following technologies to work with the particular combination of web browser and any assistive technologies or plugins installed on your computer:

• HTML
• CSS
• JavaScript
• ARIA

Feedback

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of Kiyomi Design Studios. Please let us know if you encounter any accessibility barriers on our website.

Contact Information

You can contact us regarding accessibility issues using the following methods:

• Email: accessibility@kiyomidesignstudios.com
• Phone: +81 54-134-2607 (Japan) or +27 12 292 6061 (South Africa)
• Postal Address: Kiyomi Design Studios, 2-14-5 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0002, Japan

Formal Complaints Procedure

If you are not satisfied with our response, you can escalate your complaint to:

• Japan: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications - Information Accessibility Guidance (accessible-guidance@soumu.go.jp)
• South Africa: Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA)

Assessment Approach

Kiyomi Design Studios assessed the accessibility of Kiyomi Design Studios by the following approaches:

• Self-evaluation: the company self-assessed the website to conform with WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
• External evaluation: a third-party accessibility consultant conducted a comprehensive audit of the website.

Date of Statement

This statement was created on 20 October 2026 and last updated on 20 October 2026.

Table of Accessibility Conformance

The following table summarizes the conformance status of the Kiyomi Design Studios website with WCAG 2.1 Level AA guidelines: