editorial

Playfair Display and Noto Sans JP font pairing

Serif headings with a sans serif body.

Background
Issue 07 · Field notes
The future of small business

Good pairings feel inevitable. Great ones set the tone before a single word is read.

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A strong pairing creates clear hierarchy while feeling like one consistent voice across every page. This paragraph is set in Noto Sans JP, while the headline uses Playfair Display. Numbers like 0123456789, punctuation “quotes” — and ampersands & — reveal a lot about how two typefaces get along.

Contrast, then harmony

Look for contrast in structure and harmony in proportion: similar x-heights, compatible widths and a shared sense of rhythm. Bold text and italic text should feel natural, too.

Why this pairing works

A classic contrast: Playfair Display's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Noto Sans JP's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Noto Sans JP ships in 9 weights, so you can build captions, buttons and emphasis without adding another family.

HPlayfair Display

Playfair Display is a free serif typeface designed by Claus Eggers Sørensen, added to Google Fonts in 2011. It comes in 6 weights with matching italics, and is a variable font with a weight axis.

More pairings for Playfair Display →

BNoto Sans JP

Noto Sans JP is a free sans serif typeface designed by Google, added to Google Fonts in 2015. It comes in 9 weights, and is a variable font with a weight axis.

More pairings for Noto Sans JP →

Use this pairing on your website

HTML — paste in <head>
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com">
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin>
<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Playfair+Display:wght@700&family=Noto+Sans+JP:wght@400;700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">
CSS
h1, h2, h3 {
  font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif;
  font-weight: 700;
}

body {
  font-family: 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif;
  font-weight: 400;
  line-height: 1.6;
}

More pairings with Playfair Display

A field guide to good ideas

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HPlayfair DisplayBOswaldeditorial→

A classic contrast: Playfair Display's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Oswald's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Make something people love

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HPlayfair DisplayBDM Sanseditorial→

A classic contrast: Playfair Display's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while DM Sans's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

More pairings with Noto Sans JP

Notes from the studio

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HBodoni ModaBNoto Sans JPeditorial→

A classic contrast: Bodoni Moda's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Noto Sans JP's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Design is how it works

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HNewsreaderBNoto Sans JPeditorial→

A classic contrast: Newsreader's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Noto Sans JP's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Ideas that travel well

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HNoto Sans JPBRoboto Slabmoderneditorial→

A modern twist on the classic: Noto Sans JP keeps headings crisp and contemporary, while Roboto Slab's serifs guide the eye along longer lines of text.

Frequently asked questions

Do Playfair Display and Noto Sans JP go well together?

A classic contrast: Playfair Display's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Noto Sans JP's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Noto Sans JP ships in 9 weights, so you can build captions, buttons and emphasis without adding another family.

Which font should be used for headings?

Use Playfair Display for headings at weight 700, and Noto Sans JP for body text at weight 400. You can swap them in the pairing tool to compare.

Are Playfair Display and Noto Sans JP free?

Yes — both are open-source fonts on Google Fonts and free for personal and commercial use.