Kotonoki (言の木)

Kotonoki is built on a simple conviction: the internet does not need another engagement treadmill, algorithmic feed, or creator economy.

It is a space where no one can judge anyone—to write something down, place it into a public branch, let others discover it purely chronologically, and leave it behind.

Our Principles

• Writing comes first: The interface focuses on clear, legible text without distractions.
• Zero Judgment (No Upvotes or Downvotes): Kotonoki is completely free of likes, upvotes, downvotes, or popularity metrics. No one can judge you, score you, or reduce your thoughts to a number.
• No follower economy: You cannot follow accounts, build audiences, or chase subscriber metrics.
• No recommendation algorithm: All dispatches appear in pure reverse-chronological order.
• Self-claimed pen names: No email, phone number, or real-world identity is required.
• No password recovery: With zero personal data stored, losing your password means that pen name is gone forever.
• Public shared branches: Categories belong to everyone. Anyone can publish to /cooking, /books, or create a new branch.
• One image at most: Dispatches are writing documents, not image carousels or galleries.
• Sticky Desk: Any dispatch can be experienced as a physical memo or printed cleanly as an index card.
• Deliberate Pacing (2000s Era Aesthetic): The subtle pacing and measured cadence throughout the interface are intentionally designed to evoke the tactile atmosphere of early-2000s websites and desktop software—an era where reading and writing were thoughtful and unhurried.