Looking for Product Design Ideas from Japan and Overseas With the Theme of “dialogue”
The KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2027 will begin accepting entries on Friday, July 24
KOKUYO CO., LTD. (head office: Osaka City, president: Hidekuni Kuroda) has decided to hold the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2027, an international competition for product design with the aim of supporting talented designers and co-creating with them, and will begin accepting entries on Friday, July 24.
KOKUYO CO., LTD. (head office: Osaka City, president: Hidekuni Kuroda) has decided to hold the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2027, an international competition for product design with the aim of supporting talented designers and co-creating with them, and will begin accepting entries on Friday, July 24.
1. Overview of the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2027
The KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2027 will accept submissions based on the theme of “dialogue.” This theme focuses on the reciprocal relationships that lie behind excellent design, specifically between “the people who create objects, and the users,” “the users and the objects,” and “the objects and their surrounding environment.” Under this year’s theme, “dialogue,” we are seeking designs that explore unknown ideas and insights within this new “space” and expand the possibilities of living, learning, and working.
We will also be giving the “NEW GENERATION AWARD” again this year. The NEW GENERATION AWARD is selected by KOKUYO from all submitted works by students (elementary school to graduate students), with the hope that they will achieve great things in the future.KOKUYO believes that curiosity is essential for enriching one’s life. In addition to proposals related to the theme, we will select up to 10 excellent designs from the submitted presentation sheets that spark the curiosity of users and evoke a sense of an “exciting future” (no model review).
We will also be giving the “NEW GENERATION AWARD” again this year. The NEW GENERATION AWARD is selected by KOKUYO from all submitted works by students (elementary school to graduate students), with the hope that they will achieve great things in the future.KOKUYO believes that curiosity is essential for enriching one’s life. In addition to proposals related to the theme, we will select up to 10 excellent designs from the submitted presentation sheets that spark the curiosity of users and evoke a sense of an “exciting future” (no model review).
2. “KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2027” Application Guidelines
(1) Theme: dialogue
Between those who create an object and those who use it;
between the user and the object;
or between an object and its surrounding environment.
Behind every excellent design lies a two-way relationship.
When we reexamine the relationships surrounding an object,
the creator's care and the user's imagination resonate with one another.
Seek out hidden possibilities and fresh insight
in the new "maai" —the space between— that emerges from this exchange.
Taking "dialogue" as your starting point,
expand the possibilities in how we live, learn, and work.
We look forward to the design that emerges from you.
(2) Target works: All stationery, furniture, and tools used in working, studying, and living situations in general
(3) Application period: July 24, 2026 (Fri.) to October 7, 2026 (Wed.)
(4) Judges (in Japanese alphabetical order):
Shogo Kishino (Art Director / Graphic Designer)
Gen Suzuki (Product Designer)
Nao Tamura (Designer)
Kunihiko Morinaga (ANREALAGE / Designer)
Satoshi Yoshiizumi (Principal of TAKT PROJECT Inc. / Designer)
Hidekuni Kuroda (Representative Corporate Officer and President of KOKUYO CO., LTD.)
(5) Prizes and supplementary prizes:
Grand Prix (one winner) ¥2,000,000 (about $13,000)
Merit Award (three winners) ¥500,000 (about $3,200) per winner
NEW GENERATION AWARD (max ten winners) ¥30,000 (about $200) per winner
*The prize money is the amount remaining after deducting taxes such as withholding tax and special income tax for reconstruction.
*The prize money will be paid in Japanese yen.
*Some awards may have no winners.
(6) Key points of judging:
-The idea reflects an interpretation of the theme.
-The idea engages with a social issue.
-The idea has potential for real-world production.
(7) Results announcement: Scheduled for March 13, 2027 (Sat.)
(8) KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2027 application explanation video:
An online application video (in Japanese and English) featuring last year's Grand Prix winner as a guest is scheduled to be released on the official YouTube channel on Friday, July 24.
Further details will be available on the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD website.
Between those who create an object and those who use it;
between the user and the object;
or between an object and its surrounding environment.
Behind every excellent design lies a two-way relationship.
When we reexamine the relationships surrounding an object,
the creator's care and the user's imagination resonate with one another.
Seek out hidden possibilities and fresh insight
in the new "maai" —the space between— that emerges from this exchange.
Taking "dialogue" as your starting point,
expand the possibilities in how we live, learn, and work.
We look forward to the design that emerges from you.
(2) Target works: All stationery, furniture, and tools used in working, studying, and living situations in general
(3) Application period: July 24, 2026 (Fri.) to October 7, 2026 (Wed.)
(4) Judges (in Japanese alphabetical order):
Shogo Kishino (Art Director / Graphic Designer)
Gen Suzuki (Product Designer)
Nao Tamura (Designer)
Kunihiko Morinaga (ANREALAGE / Designer)
Satoshi Yoshiizumi (Principal of TAKT PROJECT Inc. / Designer)
Hidekuni Kuroda (Representative Corporate Officer and President of KOKUYO CO., LTD.)
(5) Prizes and supplementary prizes:
Grand Prix (one winner) ¥2,000,000 (about $13,000)
Merit Award (three winners) ¥500,000 (about $3,200) per winner
NEW GENERATION AWARD (max ten winners) ¥30,000 (about $200) per winner
*The prize money is the amount remaining after deducting taxes such as withholding tax and special income tax for reconstruction.
*The prize money will be paid in Japanese yen.
*Some awards may have no winners.
(6) Key points of judging:
-The idea reflects an interpretation of the theme.
-The idea engages with a social issue.
-The idea has potential for real-world production.
(7) Results announcement: Scheduled for March 13, 2027 (Sat.)
(8) KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2027 application explanation video:
An online application video (in Japanese and English) featuring last year's Grand Prix winner as a guest is scheduled to be released on the official YouTube channel on Friday, July 24.
Further details will be available on the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD website.
3. What is the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD?
The KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD is an international competition for product design that aims to co-create with talented designers and support their activities. This year marks its 25th anniversary. Each year, we invite submissions based on themes that reflect current social trends, and for winning entries, we explore the possibility of productizing them through collaboration between the winners and KOKUYO’s product developers. We take excellent designs that breathe new life into tools that are a familiar part of our lives at home and at work and offer them to the world as soundly developed products.
To date, 26 product designs have been productized. It continues to evolve as a project that goes beyond simply selecting and awarding prizes, and communicates values that reflect the times.
To date, 26 product designs have been productized. It continues to evolve as a project that goes beyond simply selecting and awarding prizes, and communicates values that reflect the times.
We redesigned our logo as part of the corporate identity renewal we carried out last year.
Examples of products developed under the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD
[For further information]
Announcements regarding the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2027 will be posted on the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD website.
https://www.kokuyo.com/en/award/
*Detailed application guidelines will be posted on Friday, July 24, 2026.
[Contact information for application inquiries]
https://kokuyo.jp/award/en/contact/
*The information contained herein is current as of the date of publication. The information is subject to change without notice. Please note this in advance.
*The company names, service names, and product names mentioned are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies.
Announcements regarding the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2027 will be posted on the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD website.
https://www.kokuyo.com/en/award/
*Detailed application guidelines will be posted on Friday, July 24, 2026.
[Contact information for application inquiries]
https://kokuyo.jp/award/en/contact/
*The information contained herein is current as of the date of publication. The information is subject to change without notice. Please note this in advance.
*The company names, service names, and product names mentioned are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies.