KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2025
2025 Theme: “prototype”
We have received 1,448 works from in and out of Japan (716 from Japan and 732 from overseas).
The 9 designs that passed the second round judging will undergo final judging on March 15, 2025.
One Grand Prix winner and three Merit Award winners have been selected.
Grand Prix
- title
- NEWRON
- creator
- Toshiyuki Kawada
Description
Many nerves are concentrated in the human fingertips, and brain function is activated by stimulating the fingertips. “NEWRON” is a pen with variously shaped protrusions on its grip section. It is a “pen for generating ideas” that supports creative activities by stimulating brain activity from the fingertips while “drawing” at the same time.
Merit Award
title
spinning
creator
Haruki Ichijo
Description
Spin, a string attached to a book.
A thin little string that you play with and twirl while reading a book, and before you know it end becomes frayed.
By adding a core material to the Spin, we open up the possibility for it to become "something" else, something a little freer.
It could be a sticky note that crosses the page.
It could be a gift for the next reader.
It could be the shape of the mind when you read it.
It could be a creation independent from the book.
It could be something that does not yet have a name.
This is how such small possibilities exist.
title
KAKONET
creator
Yoshihiro Matsumura
Description
The "" emphasizes the word and leaves a strong impression on our minds.
Words and lines enclosed in "" in books and movies sometimes move us to tears, make us smile, give us happiness and courage, and strongly affect our emotions.
When we hold something in place with a magnet, we may also be holding something inside our minds that we don't want to forget, something we are aware of, or a thought that we don't want to forget.
KAKONET is a magnet to further visualize, strongly impress, and hold your inner thoughts, consciousness, and memories through "".
title
Secret
creator
weiweichen (Gaowei Liu, Cheng Chen)
Description
What is a diary? I think the best answer is the “secret words” hidden in our hearts.
By shrinking the horizontal lines of the diary toward the center, it feels as if the “secret words” are hidden deep within it.
Finalist
title
Universal sticker
creator
Yasuyuki Yamada
Description
Stickers that can be easily attached to small protrusions. The moment one feels a slight discomfort or dissatisfaction with a familiar ready-made product, thinking, "This is hard to use, or maybe it would be easier to use if I did this," or the moment one makes an improvement, may be the start of an idea. Universal stickers are stickers with various shapes of protrusions that are easy to grip, easy to stick, and non-slip. Anyone can easily try them out by sticking them on equipment or tools in front of them or changing their position, creating ease of use by allowing trial and error.
title
Color-it
creator
8000000studio (Tomoki Batori, Yuze Chen)
Description
I love reading books and carry them with me everywhere I go.
Whenever I encountered a beautiful phrase or a useful word, I would put a post-it on it, but unfortunately it would fall apart in my bag.
"-FUSEN-" is a new product to keep your precious books beautiful.
Its slim body has a clip so it can be carried on the spine of a book, and by sliding it over the edge of the page you are interested in, the ink dyes and colors the edge of the paper.
When the ink runs out, it can be used repeatedly simply by replacing the cartridge.
title
6°note
creator
Shingo Iwasa, Atsushi Tanaka
Description
Unconsciously, your letters will become beautiful.
Letters show a person's unique "habit" of writing.
While it is considered to be an individual characteristic, many people suffer from a lack of confidence in their own handwriting.
This notebook takes the commonly known principle that beautiful letters "slant up 6°" and incorporates it into a square grid.
The 6° tilted grid subconsciously encourages letters to rise to the right, creating beautiful, unified letters.
This proposal has the potential to reconsider the uniformity of the "grid" and to create a new "Prototype."
title
Campus Cardboardpad
creator
HASNICCA (Shunya Kokubo, Keishiro Nakahira, Ryunosuke Taketomi)
Description
When I was a child, I used cardboard as a material for crafts, and it was tough and responsive to all kinds of ideas.
I believe that this experience of repeatedly cutting and pasting was an original experience of prototyping.
Campus Cardboardpad is a book that brings together such "cardboard" as a material for making things.
Children's inspiration spreads wildly at will.
Designers' inspiration through repeated trial and error.
Campus Cardboardpad is designed to be tough and responsive to all kinds of inspirations.
title
material tag punch
creator
Yukiko Iwasaki, Ryo Matsuoka
Description
Material Tag Punch is a product for tagging and storing materials found in everyday life.
Examples include leaves you picked up in the park, wrapping paper you found fascinating, or favorite clothes you can no longer wear.
By punching in a variety of objects, you can stockpile tips for new ideas.
Trophy
Shogo Kishino, one of the judges, worked on the key visuals and art direction of the trophy and award certificate. KOKUYO’s representative designers Chise Sumida and Yume Goto, also had a part.
Left: Trophies Right: Certificates
NEW GENERATION AWARD
The NEW GENERATION AWARD was established to encourage the young generation who will lead the next age to challenge themselves. Works submitted by students to the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2025 are judged based not on whether they can be commercialized, but on whether they have appealing ideas and viewpoints.
