Privacy Notice

1. What we collect

Information you provide

When you use the contact form, we collect your name, selected topic, message, and—only if you provide it—your reply email. Please do not send sensitive personal information, passwords, financial details, health information, government identifiers, or information about another person unless necessary and authorized.

Information collected automatically

Our hosting and security provider may process limited technical information needed to deliver and protect the site, such as IP address, request time, requested page, browser or device information, and security signals. The contact form stores a shortened user-agent string with the message to help prevent abuse. We do not use this information to build advertising profiles.

Cookies and similar technologies

Hikari Studio does not set analytics or advertising cookies on this website. Our infrastructure provider may use strictly necessary security mechanisms. Links to Microsoft Store, X, Instagram, Hikari Path, or Ctrl Alt Amen lead to other services with their own privacy practices.

2. How and why we use information

We use personal information to receive and respond to inquiries; provide support; consider project, feature, or partnership requests; secure and troubleshoot the site; prevent spam, fraud, or abuse; maintain necessary records; and comply with legal obligations. Where a legal basis is required, we rely on your request and consent, our legitimate interests in operating and securing the site, performance of a requested agreement, and legal obligations, as applicable.

3. When we disclose information

We may disclose information to service providers that host, secure, or maintain the site and contact inbox; to professional advisers where necessary; or to authorities when required by law or needed to protect rights and safety. These parties receive only what is reasonably necessary for their role. We do not sell personal information, share it for cross-context behavioral advertising, or use it for targeted advertising. We have not done so in the preceding 12 months.

4. Retention and security

Contact messages are normally kept for up to 24 months after the last meaningful interaction, then deleted or de-identified, unless a longer period is reasonably needed for an active project, support history, dispute, security investigation, or legal obligation. Short-lived infrastructure and security logs are retained according to our provider’s operational settings. We use access controls, encrypted transport, request-size limits, rate limiting, input validation, and security headers. No online system is completely secure.

5. Your privacy rights and choices

Depending on where you live, you may ask us to confirm whether we process your information; access or obtain a copy; correct it; delete it; restrict or object to processing; withdraw consent; or appeal a denied request. You will not be discriminated against for making a request. Because this site does not sell personal information or use it for targeted advertising, there is no sale or targeted-advertising opt-out needed. We honor legally applicable browser-based opt-out signals, including Global Privacy Control, for any processing to which they apply.

To make a request, use the contact form, choose “Something else,” and include a reply email so we can respond. We may ask for limited information to verify that the request concerns you. Authorized agents may submit requests where local law allows, subject to authorization and identity verification.

6. Japan — APPI information

For individuals in Japan, we handle personal information in accordance with Japan’s Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI) where it applies. The purposes of use are listed in section 2. You may request notice of purpose, disclosure of retained personal data or certain transfer records, correction, addition, deletion, suspension of use, erasure, or suspension of third-party provision as provided by the APPI. Submit a request through the method in section 5. We respond without unreasonable delay after appropriate identity verification.

If personal information is processed outside Japan through a hosting or service provider, we use reasonable safeguards and oversee the provider as applicable. Hikari Studio does not provide contact-form data to third parties for their own marketing.

7. United States state disclosures

In the preceding 12 months, the categories collected were identifiers (name, optional email, IP address), internet or electronic activity (request and device data), and correspondence or support content. Sources are you and your browser or device. Purposes and recipients are described in sections 2 and 3. We do not knowingly collect sensitive personal information through this site and ask you not to submit it.

Residents of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and other states with applicable privacy laws may have rights described in section 5, subject to legal scope, thresholds, and exceptions. California residents may also request the categories and specific pieces of personal information collected, sources, business purposes, and categories of recipients. We do not offer financial incentives for personal information. California’s “Shine the Light” law permits certain requests about disclosure for third-party direct marketing; we do not make those disclosures.

8. Children

This site and its contact form are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect their personal information. If you believe a child submitted information, please contact us so we can delete it. Users under the age required to consent in their location should involve a parent or guardian.

9. International transfers

Information may be processed in countries other than your own, including where our service providers operate. Those countries may have different privacy laws. Where required, we use appropriate contractual, organizational, and technical safeguards.

10. Changes to this notice

We may update this notice as our services or legal obligations change. We will post the new date here and provide additional notice if a change materially affects how we use previously collected information.

11. Contact Hikari Studio

Hikari Studio is the operator responsible for this website’s personal information practices. For privacy questions, requests, complaints, or to request the operator’s mailing details where legally required, use our contact form and include a reply email. You may also complain to the privacy or data-protection authority where you live, including Japan’s Personal Information Protection Commission or the relevant U.S. state regulator.