"KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2026" will begin accepting entries on July 25
KOKUYO Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka/President: Hidekuni Kuroda) announces the "KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2026," an international product design competition aimed at supporting and co-creating with talented designers. Entries will be accepted from July 25.
1. What is the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD?
The KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD is one of the most renowned and historic product design competitions in Japan. It was established by KOKUYO back in 2002, and this year's competition marks its 23th outing. Besides setting themes that mirror the times and then selecting the most outstanding product designs among all those entered in response every year, we have also been productizing the winning designs through co-creation between the award winners themselves and KOKUYO's product developers. So far, over 20 product designs have been productized. By taking designs that breathe new life into tools that are a familiar part of our lives at home and at work, and offering them to the world as soundly developed products, we aim to give their designers a boost for their future activities, and at the same time, achieve our purpose, "Bringing you a tomorrow you can't wait for."
2. KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2026 will be held
The KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2026 is accepting submissions with the theme of "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.
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.
3.Main application guidelines for KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2026
(1) Theme: HAMON Design that Resonates
"It all begins with someone's experience.
There are things you can understand--and social issues you can perceive--precisely because of who you are.
When you create a design by examining an idea born from your unique, lived experience from various angles and digging deeper, it can spread through society by rippling outward and resonating with others.
What we seek to discover this year is the "future standard" born through that kind of spirit.
A design that emerges from the micro self toward the macro society.
We look forward to the ripple your unique stone might create.."
(2) Eligible Entries: Any stationery, furniture or tool used in working, learning and living scenes
(3) Registration & Submission: July 25 (Fri) - October 8 (Wed), 2025
(4) Judges:
Shogo Kishino (Representative of 6D-K / Art Director and Graphic Designer)
Nao Tamura (Designer)
Kunihiko Morinaga (ANREALAGE / Designer)
Teruhiro Yanagihara (TERUHIRO YANAGIHARA STUDIO / Designer)
Satoshi Yoshiizumi (Founder of TAKT PROJECT Inc. / Designer)
Hidekuni Kuroda (Representative Corporate Officer and President of KOKUYO Co., Ltd.)
(5) Prizes:
Grand Prix (one winner) ¥2,000,000 (about $14,000)
Merit Award (three winners) ¥500,000 (about $3,500) per winner
NEW GENERATION Award (max ten winners) \30,000 (about $210) per winner
*Prize money will be paid net of withholding tax, surtax for reconstruction funding, and other applicable deductions.
*The prize money will be paid in Japanese yen.
*Not all Prizes may be awarded for all categories if there is no winner selected.
(6) Judging Points:
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
(7) Announcement of the Winners : March 14 (Sat), 2026 (tentative)
(8) KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2026 information session for applicants
An online information session will be held on Wednesday, July 25 at 7:00 p.m. with last year's Grand Prix winners as guests. Only available in Japanese.
In addition, a video of the information session will be available (in Japanese and English) on the official YouTube channel from mid-August 2025.
For more information, please visit the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD website.
[For further information]
Announcements regarding the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2026 will be available on the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD website.
https://www.kokuyo.com/en/award/
* Detailed application guidelines will be posted on Friday, July 25, 2025
Information regarding the application will also be posted on the following social media and video sharing website.
Facebook (Japanese/English): https://www.facebook.com/KokuyoDesignAward.japan/
Instagram (Japanese/English): https://www.instagram.com/kokuyo_designaward/
X (Japanese): https://x.com/kokuyo_DA
LINE (Japanese) account name: @kokuyo_da
YouTube (Japanese/English): https://www.youtube.com/c/KOKUYODESIGNAWARD
Contact for inquiries about entering:
https://www.kokuyo.com/en/award/contact/
