I recommend the free font "Shippori Mincho," which features old-style kana that rivals paid fonts
A typeface created by a font enthusiast who knows everything about fonts
The creator of the Shippori Mincho typeface is a true font enthusiast, which is evident if you look at the article linked below.
This article compares a typeface called "Ishii Mincho OKL," which was highly regarded during the phototypesetting era for its old-style kana, with other typefaces that also feature old-style kana.
Mincho fonts with old-style kana are beautiful
My favorite Mincho typefaces are Bunyu Mincho Suimen Kana, followed by Ryumin KO, both of which are typefaces that feature old-style kana. Personally, while I look for a geometric beauty similar to humanistic sans-serifs in sans-serif typefaces, I seek elegance, loveliness, and delicacy in Mincho typefaces. Furthermore, because this typeface was also created by someone who knows old-style kana inside and out, it was made with the dedication to create a flowing kana typeface that mimics those styles, while borrowing the kanji portions from other typefaces.
A beauty that thrives in printed materials, the opposite of Note Serif
To be honest, Mincho typefaces are not used very often on websites, and Shippori Mincho is inferior to Note Serif in terms of readability on displays. Because the font-weight site setting is often set to 400, the organic, beautiful flow of the kana parts with their thin elements becomes difficult to see on a display. The beauty of this font truly shines when used as a typeface for text and the like.
It is amazing that it does not look inferior even when compared to my favorite old-style kana typefaces that normally cost 30,000 to 40,000 yen
I was surprised when I actually lined it up with my favorite Bunyu Mincho R Suimen Kana and Ryumin KO-R. It is so beautiful that it does not look inferior at all. If you are a true font lover, you might notice that one has a stronger quirk or that the other is more refined, but it has that much potential. I have posted the experimental results below.
Fonts with old-style kana are honestly expensive, so this can be a substitute
For example, Morisawa's A1 Mincho is famous for having an elegance different from Ryumin, but I believe it cost about 25,000 yen per weight. When comparing Shippori Mincho with representative Morisawa typefaces like Ryumin KO or A1 Mincho, Morisawa's refined design still takes the prize. However, there are quite a few people who want to publish their own doujinshi or create pamphlets using old-style kana. Shippori Mincho is the perfect typeface for those who do not want to spend that kind of money. Why not start by taking a look at the sample text on the font download site and experiencing for yourself the elegant flavor created by the flowing kana of a typeface composed with old-style kana?
Summary
The creator of this typeface is not a professional font designer. Although they are not a font designer, they are overflowing with the love of wanting to create a font that makes the most of the charm of a typeface they have fallen in love with. That is why, even among old-style kana typefaces, it has its own quirks, which have become its charm. For general PC users who cannot easily afford fonts costing tens of thousands of yen, why not try giving your writing a flowing kana expression by using this typeface, which is imbued with the creator's own taste, to make the most of a charm that cannot be tasted with refined Mincho typefaces?