NEWS
July. 25, 2025
Registrations and submissions are now being accepted for the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2026 contest.
The theme for the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2026 is “HAMON —Design that Resonates.”
This theme focuses on the power of design, where an idea born from one person's real experiences can resonate with others, creating a chain of resonance and spreading throughout society. By digging deeper into ideas born from personal experiences and examining them from various angles, we envision the standards of the future. We look forward to the ripple your unique stone might create.
Kunihiko Morinaga (ANREALAGE / Designer) will be invited to participate as the sixth judge alongside the other five judges, Shogo Kishino (Representative of 6D-K / Art Director and Graphic Designer), Nao Tamura (Designer), Teruhiro Yanagihara (Designer), Satoshi Yoshiizumi (Designer), and Hidekuni Kuroda (Representative Corporate Officer and 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 is inspired by your unique perspective,” “The idea must be born from your own unique perspective” “The work should demonstrate engagement with a social issue,” “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 8.
We are eagerly awaiting your designs.
