NEWS

Registrations and submissions are now being accepted for the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2025 contest.

The theme for the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2025 is “prototype.”
In product design, the word “prototype” is generally used to mean a pre-finished product or a sample before completion, but for this project, we saw it as “an original idea that has the potential to lead to the next step.” A well-thought-out prototype will inspire others and serve as a catalyst for the future. The KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2025 is looking for product designs that will be the starting point for the future.

The panel of judges consists of six members, Shogo Kishino (Art Director and Graphic Designer), Tsuyoshi Tane (Architect), Nao Tamura (Designer), Teruhiro Yanagihara (Creative Director and Designer), Satoshi Yoshiizumi (Designer), and Hidekuni Kuroda (President of KOKUYO Co., Ltd.).

“Any stationery, furniture or tool used in working, learning and living scenes” is eligible to be entered. The judges will focus on the following points: “The idea’s clarity,” “The idea highlights social issues,” and “The design’s potential to become a product.”

In addition, the “NEW GENERATION AWARD” will be given just as last year. The NEW GENERATION AWARD encourages unique ideas and challenges that are not bound by existing concepts, and is open only to student applicants with the expectation of future success. Associating with KOKUYO’s purpose, “Bringing you a tomorrow you can’t wait for,” we will select up to 10 outstanding entries with appealing ideas and viewpoints as proposals that make us “feel that their futures will be exciting.” We hope this will encourage the young generation who will lead the next age to challenge themselves.

The deadline for entries and design submissions is 12:00 noon (Japan Standard Time) on Wednesday, October 9. We are eagerly awaiting your designs.