Tomoko Ishiguro

NANA

Saga Agri Heroes

Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Department, Saga Prefectural Government

Introducing design to agriculture, supporting the producers to build their own brands... Saga Prefecture’s “Saga Agri Heroes” is generating new value in the local area through such highly original initiatives. In a context in which single-year subsidy programs are the norm, this initiative has instead adopted a four-year long-term support system in which farmers and designers work together to come up with ideas and develop products. A number of the brands created through collaboration between primary industries and design have attracted attention, and the project received a GOOD DESIGN BEST 100 award in 2022. In this article, we hear about it from its launch to the results of its first phase. We talked to Hiromi Ushijima of Saga Prefectural Government’s Agricultural Management Division and Issei Koga and Chika Sasaki of the prefecture’s Saga Design, producer Naoki Ezoe, Junichi Hayama of DEJIMAGRAPH, and Daiki Ito of Ito Egg Farm “picnic.”

Designing agricultural heroes (Part 1)

journal editorial department

On November 4, the GOOD DESIGN AWARD Celebration was held at Tokyo Garden Theater. In addition to a discussion between the chair and vice-chairs of the judging committee, this year’s various award winning objects were showcased： the GOOD DESIGN BEST 100 were introduced, the GRAND AWARD, GOLD AWARD, and other special awards were presented, and the results of “Our Favorite G Mark” were announced. Around 3,000 people involved in design gathered together in one place, and interactions between the winners and with the judges deepened, making it a true “design festa.”

A “Design Festa” at which around 3,000 people gathered! 2025 GOOD DESIGN AWARD Celebration

Maki Ohashi

The 2025 GOOD DESIGN AWARD winners were announced on October 15. This year, the GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD was announced on the same day as the GOOD DESIGN BEST 100 and GOLD AWARD. The winner of the Grand Award for the best design among the award-winning objects was DLT (Dowel Laminated Timber) Timber Temporary Housing by Shigeru Ban Architects, IEMOTO INC, and M.HASEGAWA & CO.,LTD (Haseman). At the awards press conference, architect Mr. Shigeru Ban took the stage to express his joy and thoughts on winning the award.

2025 GOOD DESIGN AWARD winners announced! The Grand Award went to architect Mr. Shigeru Ban and others for their DLT Timber Temporary Housing

Eri Kawamura

Live Clean series

Marna Inc.

GOOD LOCK CONTAINER Salt Sugar Container

Butter Dish with Slicer

Basic kitchen tools

We should not overlook the “minor inconveniences” in our daily lives, but rather solve them through our own ideas... Starting from this stance, Marna Inc. has created many hit products. The Shupatto Umbrella, which was selected as one of the GOOD DESIGN BEST 100 in 2023, is an epoch-making product that revolutionized the very structure of umbrellas. In Part 1, we listened to the story behind the development of this umbrella, which was born from the idea of being able to fold it without getting your hands wet. In Part 2, we will unravel “Marna’s design thinking” which lies behind its product development.

Umbrella innovation that changes our daily lives (Part 2)

Students studying design support the screening for the GOOD DESIGN AWARD. We held a survey of the students who participated in this year’s support team, asking them “What is needed to create good design?” and “What can design do?” In this article, we will introduce some of their answers to the question of what is needed for good design. We gathered candid opinions that are not bound by stereotypes, born from a sincere approach to design.

University students tell us what is needed for good design

Chieko Asakura

On September 19, the Special Awards Panel met to select the GOOD DESIGN SPECIAL AWARD winners from among several thousands of entries. At the panel, the winners of the GOOD DESIGN BEST 100 gave presentations, and after a lively discussion and careful screening by the judges, the winners of the SPECIAL AWARDS, including the GRAND AWARD and GOLD AWARDS, were decided! In this article, we introduce the proceedings of this important screening panel discussion as the announcement of the winners approaches.

Winners of the 2025 GOOD DESIGN SPECIAL AWARDS, including the GOOD DESIGN AWARD and GRAND AWARD, have been decided! The winners will be announced on October 15

Shupatto Umbrella

We should not overlook the “minor inconveniences” in our daily lives, but rather solve them through our own ideas... Starting from this stance, Marna Inc. has created many hit products. One of these, the Shupatto Umbrella, is an epoch-making product that has revolutionized the very structure of umbrellas. While folding umbrellas and design quality are the mainstream among the competition, this umbrella, which was born from the idea of being able to fold it without getting your hands wet, offers a new experience in which all the fabric comes together at once the moment you close it. And in 2023, it was selected as one of the GOOD DESIGN BEST 100. We interviewed Ryota Taniguchi, who led the development of this product, about the development process which spanned five years from the moment when the idea came into being, and the repeated trial and error which led to its commercialization.

Umbrella innovation that changes our daily lives (Part 1)

We carried out a survey in which we asked followers of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD official Instagram account, “Do you always choose coffee beans for your daily hot drink? Or do you prefer tea leaves?” The results showed that the majority of followers prefer coffee. In this article, we have chosen to focus instead on the minority who are tea aficionados! We have selected tea-related products that have won the GOOD DESIGN AWARD to enrich this moment to yourself even further, paying attention to the preferences of those who have this niche taste and to what you enjoy. Here are some recommended items for tea lovers.

Tea lovers, gather round! 4 items selected by the GOOD DESIGN AWARD

The Second Screening Panel for the 2025 GOOD DESIGN AWARD was held in an atmosphere full of enthusiasm. The thousands of entries were lined up in the vast hall, and the judges carefully screened them one by one, picking them up and trying them out for themselves. The selection process moved forward through repeated discussions based on an earnest gaze. At last, after a long screening, the subject entries that passed the second screening (considered as award finalists) were decided upon! Moreover, on the final day, a screening session for the GOOD DESIGN BEST 100 also took place.

Report from the 2025 GOOD DESIGN AWARD Second Screening Panel ＋ Best 100 Selection Committee： 3 days of interactions between diverse viewpoints and passions

Kazushi Abe

GarigariBOARD

Cross Clover Co., Ltd.

NekozukiNAtote

Cross Clover Japan Co., Ltd.

MofuMofuMask

Together with my cat

Yukako Futono turned her love of cats into a business by founding Cross Clover Japan. In Part 1, we asked her about developing products by thinking as a cat does, rather than prioritizing what suits humans. In recent years, the average lifespan of cats has increased dramatically, but at the same time, new issues have arisen. In Part 2, she tells us about the world which unfolds with cats as its starting point.

The cats are the designers. My role is communications. (Part 2)

The GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD supports young talent who will pioneer the design of the future. The program began in fiscal 2022 for students and newly working adults who have just graduated or completed their programs of study. Entrants have a free choice of theme, and can use their past efforts, such as work made for assignments or independently while studying, to apply. In this article, we introduce the attractive features of the NEW HOPE AWARD, which broadens entrants’ hands-on learning and networks as designers.

Applications for GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD 2025 are open until 1 p.m. on August 15!

A four–month–long GOOD DESIGN AWARD screening began on June 4! In the first screening (paper screening), the First Screening Session of about 100 judges active in Japan and overseas was held on June 23, and entries selected for the second screening were decided.

The First Screening for GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2025 has started! The results are announced on July 1

amma BOWL

CROSS CLOVER JAPAN Co.,Ltd.

Mamma DAI separate

Swaddle for cat lovers

The relationship between cats and humans is an old one. Cats are said to have first come to live in human settlements in ancient times to catch the rats that had increased due to the start of farming. In recent years, the average lifespan of cats has increased dramatically, but at the same time, new issues have arisen. Yukako Futono turned her love of cats into a business by founding Cross Clover Japan, and develops products from the cat’s viewpoint. What kind of viewpoint is the cat’s?! She told us about her activities, which even envisage the creation of a society with cats as its starting point.

The cats are the designers. My role is communications. (Part 1)

Here is the solution to a mystery behind a design familiar to us. Today, we talk about the design of the QR Code which we see in all kinds of everyday situations. We listened to the story behind the development of the black and white square patterns, which have been used not only in Japan but all over the world since their introduction in 1994.

Why does the QR Code have this pattern?

Ryo Hasegawa

Shunsuke Imai

Masaki Koike

GOOD DESIGN AWARD Focused Issues will capture the design “wave” behind the award-winning works and set a theme every year, with the vision of being a “think tank for design.” In the 2024 fiscal year, the report “Focused Issues 2024： A Small Step, Design Leaps” was published as a proposal after a process of several screenings. Three Focused Issues researchers who followed the screening process and developed this proposal from an external standpoint of “not being” judges for the award summarized the Focused Issues for FY2024 and looked ahead to the future.

The potential of designers as “modern-day activists”： reflections on the GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2024 by Naoki Ota, Yutaka Nakamura, and Aki Hayashi

Tomohiro Kurimura

Kazuyuki Koyama

The exhibition “A Small Step, Design Leaps” is being held at the Tokyo Midtown Design Hub as a 2024 Focused Issues initiative. Shigeo Usui of Panasonic and Kazuhisa Horikiri of Fujifilm were invited for a talk to mark the opening of the project. What is the first “small step” within a company which thinks about various trailblazing aspects of “design combined with management”?

How can designers take small steps within companies? — Shigeo Usui of Panasonic, Kazuhisa Horikiri of Fujifilm, and Seiichi Saito of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD

A “wave” of design became visible through the screening for the 2024 GOOD DESIGN AWARDS. And now, the exhibition “A Small Step, Design Leaps – GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2024 Focused Issues,” packed with many hints to connect this “wave” to the future, is being held at the Tokyo Midtown Design Hub! We also introduce the event held in collaboration between the Screening Perspectives Seminar and Focused Issues on Wednesday, April 9.

“Focused Issues,” the small steps leading to design’s future, is now on display until May 6!

The LONG LIFE DESIGN AWARD, which celebrates standard designs that have been widely supported over many years, is now accepting applications for 2025! We accept not only company’s product applications, but also recommendations for products that you have been using for a long time, and your favorite designs. This time, we hear from the judges and introduce the appeal of this award.

Your design will go down in history! What is the appeal of the LONG LIFE DESIGN AWARD?

The acceptance of applications for the GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2025 started on April 1! We introduce the message “A Small Step, Design Leaps” discussed at the kickoff seminar, including what we expect from this year’s entries and the continued evolution of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD to address a broader definition of design.

Acceptance of applications for the GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2025 has started! The deadline is May 22.

Six proposals and 18 awarded works are released to create the wave of design, “A Small Step, Design Leaps,” which we have been observing through the GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2024.

A Small Step, Design Leaps: 2024 Focused Issues Report Released

Here is your solution to a mystery behind the design familiar to us. The topic this time is FUJIFILM Corporation’s QuickSnap. The epoch-making product defied the common idea of photography. We learned about how it was born.

How does QuickSnap take pictures?

Kenji Masunaga

Moriyama Village

VUILD, inc.

NESTING Naoshima

Digital fabrication draws fully upon digital technologies to make innovative creations. The architectural group VUILD was selected for a GOOD DESIGN GOLD AWARD in 2020 for its House for Marebito, constructed by meticulously cutting wood using digital fabrication and assembling the pieces like a plastic model kit. The group’s founder, Koki Akiyoshi, is pursuing the democratization of architecture and continues to boldly implement this principle in order to bring about a society in which anyone can become a maker. This is also an innovation that seeks to change society.

Transforming the World of Architecture through Digital Fabrication (Part 2)

Akie Iriyama

Professor at Waseda University Business School(Graduate School of Business and Finance).

Aki Hayashi

Editor, writer, director | President of Brand Journalism, Inc.

Aki Hayashi, a Focused Issues Researcher, made the proposal “Start by questioning identity'” as a 2024 proposal for future design. It was Akie Iriyama, a professor at Waseda Business School (Graduate School of Business and Finance) and a management scholar, that Hayashi asked to talk with her in order to deepen the proposal further. Due to space limitations, some episodes could not be included in the report. However, we are releasing the full dialogue.

Design as “the formalization of tacit knowledge” in order to boost innovation ー Akie Iriyama and Aki Hayashi

Here is the solution to a mystery behind a design familiar to us. This time, we will explore the design of Shokutakuen (table salt) 100 g, well-known for its bright red screw-top. We heard about the story of the bottle design, which has kept a user-friendly shape since its debut in 1952.

Why is Shokutakuen easy to hold?

My Favorite Design is an established GOOD DESIGN AWARD’s regular project. Each judge steps outside their field of expertise and selects an award-winning design which is their personal favorite or caught their eye. In this article, we introduce the designs selected by four of the judges for the 2024 awards, active in research fields such as design, informatics, and preventive medicine, together with their comments.

Good Designs Selected by Researchers

Arturo Escobar

Yutaka Nakamura

Anthropologist｜Tama Art University Professor / Atelier Anthropology LLC CEO / KESIKI Inc. Design Anthropologist

Yutaka Nakamura, a Focused Issues Researcher, presented “Decolonizing the nature-culture-economy ecosystem with inner creativity” as his recommendations for FY2024. To further deepen the recommendations, we approached Arturo Escobar, an anthropologist and professor emeritus at the University of North Carolina, for a dialogue.

Decolonization of Design in the Context of “Pluriverse” — Arturo Escobar × Yutaka Nakamura

House for Marebito

Digital fabrication is attracting attention for accelerating the pace of manufacturing. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications defines digital fabrication as technology which produces creations based on digital data. There are many devices including 3D printers, 3D scanners, CNC milling machines, robotic arms, and sensors, and their expansion within the field of architecture is particularly impressive. The VUILD architectural group is producing cutting-edge examples of this. House for Marebito, an accommodation facility that was selected for the GOOD DESIGN GOLD AWARD in 2020, was an ambitious work created by meticulously cutting local wood with a digital milling machine and assembling the pieces like a plastic model kit. The company’s founder, Koki Akiyoshi, is pursuing the democratization of architecture and continues to boldly implement this principle in order to bring about a society in which anyone can become a maker. What he has in his sights is changing the Japanese construction industry. It was also an activity to propagate innovation.

Transforming the World of Architecture through Digital Fabrication (Part 1)

Audrey Tang

Naoki Ota

Co-creation Partner New Stories Ltd. CEO

The Focused Issues report, summarizing the proposals for 2024, will be released soon. Naoki Ota, a researcher involved in the project, presented the proposal “Create a chain of small challenges under a flexible vision.” To explore this idea further, he reached out to Audrey Tang, Taiwan's first Digital Minister, for a dialogue. Due to space limitations, some episodes could not be included in the report. However, we are releasing the full dialogue in advance.

Collaboration and Co-creation in Design from the Perspective of Plurality： Audrey Tang and Naoki Ota

The GOOD DESIGN AWARD aims to make our lives and society better through design. Its activities are not limited to “screening design.” One of the important roles of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD is to discover possibilities and issues for the coming society. Focused Issues is an initiative created to undertake this role. In this report, we delve into the significance and process of Focused Issues based on an interview with one of the people responsible for supporting its activities.

Why does the GOOD DESIGN AWARD address “proposals for design”? – The role of Focused Issues –

Here is your solution to a mystery behind the design familiar to us. Let’s take a look at Levi’s® 501® jeans. We asked about the origin of jeans, which have been loved for over 150 years.

Why are jeans blue?

606 entries were received for this year's GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD. 94 entries were selected after the preliminary screening and the first screening, and 8 of these were selected for awards for excellence. And then at the final presentations, held on December 7, the top prize winner was chosen! This year's top prize went to “Adventure BOX,” a play starter kit made by nursing students and others. We will introduce these enthusiastic presentations and the activities of the NEW HOPE AWARD, which are broadening year by year.

GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD 2024 top prize winner selected!

At the award ceremony held on November 5, the winner of the GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD, which is given to the best design among this year’s award winning objects, was announced! The award went to RESILIENCE PLAYGROUND, a project to develop play equipment on which anyone can play regardless of disability. This year’s celebration ceremony, held at Tokyo Garden Theater, was even more splendid than usual, and the announcement of the result of Our Favorite G Mark, which was voted on by visitors to the winners’ exhibition, also attracted attention.

The GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD for 2024 goes to the RESILIENCE PLAYGROUND play equipment research project!

GOOD DESIGN AWARD Focused Issues will capture the design “wave” behind the award-winning works and set a theme every year, with the vision of being a “think tank for design.” The 2024 theme “A Small Step, Design Leaps” was determined through a series of screening processes. What is the intention behind these words?

A Small Step, Design Leaps: Focused Issues theme decided

The GOOD DESIGN EXHIBITION 2024 will be held at Tokyo Midtown (Roppongi) over five days from November 1. The exhibition gathers together more than 1,500 designs from every field imaginable, including household appliances, stationery, and other daily items, as well as industrial machinery, architecture, apps, projects, and more! We introduce the highlights such as the voting for “EVERYONE’S CHOICE FOR GOOD DESIGN,” a new project which starts this year.

Know the “now” of design! GOOD DESIGN EXHIBITION 2024

Chieko Shiraishi

kudo

KaB DESIGN INC.

“I want to raise the value of resin!” The brand “9º” (Kudo) was born from these words, part of a conversation between a designer and an engineer who met at an exhibition. These containers, which can be used for cooking, were selected for the GOOD DESIGN BEST 100 in fiscal 2018. What underpinned this project was the desire for people to continue using plastic (resin) items, which are often thrown away, for all their usable life. How was the brand built? We asked Yoshiko Saito and Mikito Ichinohe of KaB DESIGN to give us some hints about how they developed their ideas from the smallest starting point into reality, despite twists and turns along the way.

Design Expands the Potential of Resin (Part 1)

These 9º (Kudo) containers, which can be used for cooking, were selected for the GOOD DESIGN BEST 100 in fiscal 2018. This project started from a desire to raise the value of resin (plastics), which are often thrown away. While making the most of resin’s functions, 9º brings out a new look for the material and has attracted fans. How was this possible? We asked Yoshiko Saito and Mikito Ichinohe of KaB DESIGN to talk about the source of their ideas and their design work.

Design Expands the Potential of Resin (Part 2)

The 2024 GOOD DESIGN AWARD winners were announced on October 16. At the same time, the winners of the special awards such as the “GOOD DESIGN BEST 100,”“GOOD FOCUS AWARDS,” and “GOOD DESIGN GOLD AWARDS” were also announced! We will also look at the GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD, which has been updated, and “EVERYONE'S CHOICE FOR GOOD DESIGN,” which starts this year.

2024 GOOD DESIGN AWARD winners announced! This year sees the start of “EVERYONE'S CHOICE FOR GOOD DESIGN”

A Special Awards Panel was held on September 27 to select 20 GOLD AWARD winners from more than 5,000 entries. At the Special Awards Panel, the winners of the GOOD DESIGN BEST 100 present their work, and a selection meeting takes place. In this article, we will introduce the discussion that led to the selection of the special awards and the final screening which takes place before the announcement of the winners.

The 20 winners of the 2024 GOOD DESIGN GOLD AWARD have been confirmed! The winners will be announced on October 16

Here is a little instructive story behind the design familiar to us. The topic for this time is the bottle design of Yakult, a dairy lactic acid bacteria beverage. The iconic Yakult bottle hasn't changed much in design since it was first developed in 1968. We heard about the story of its beginning.

How and why was the indentation of the Yakult bottle created?

About 100 interns come from design universities and graduate schools across the country to help in the GOOD DESIGN AWARD screening process. In this article, we will introduce some of the answers from the FY2024 student interns to the question “What can design do?”

What University Students Think Design Can Do

At the Second Screening Session, thousands of entries for screening were displayed at Makuhari Messe. The judges picked up each item, verifying application details, and had discussions from morning to evening. After a three-day-long screening, the items that passed the second screening (unofficial award) were finally determined! On the final day, a screening session for determining the GOOD DESIGN BEST100 also took place.

Report on GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2024 Second Screening Session and BEST 100 screening! Results to be announced on August 23

Johnson Town

Isono Shokai Co., Ltd. / Osamu Watanabe Architects

Johnson Town provides welfare services that would normally be handled by the government. It is a unique town where people who live, work, and create homes are integrated, and families with children, creators, people with disabilities, and the elderly live and work actively. In the first part, we asked about its history and design points. In the second part, Mr. Akio Isono of Isono Shokai Co., Ltd., the owner and manager of Johnson Town, and Mr. Osamu Watanabe, who planned and designed the town, talked about how they created an inclusive town.

A utopia can be created (Part 2)

The GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD is open to current students as well as new employees who have just graduated or completed their studies. Aiming to support the new generation to play a role in the field of design, this award has no designated theme, and allows applicants to challenge themselves with their assignments at school or their independent designs. Here we let you know about GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD, which enables you to improve skills and connect with people.

Applications for GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD
The deadline is August 15 at 1 p.m. (JST).

Anthropologist | Tama Art University Professor / Atelier Anthropology LLC CEO / KESIKI Inc. Design Anthropologist

Focused Issues researchers looked over all the screening subjects and explored the “ground swell” from the perspective of outside experts who were not judges. We asked three of them to each write based on their own expertise and from their own angles about what they noticed and saw as they accompanied the screening process.
In this essay, design anthropologist Yutaka Nakamura examines the “brave” required when faced with “social issues” that need to be resolved.
This article is also included in the 2023 Focused Issues Report.

We MUST NOT solve those social issues──Yutaka Nakamura

A five-month-long GOOD DESIGN AWARD screening began on June 6. The first screening is a paper screening. After an online vote from about 100 judges active in Japan and overseas, entries selected for the second screening were decided at the First Screening Session held on June 21.

The First Screening Report of GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2024! The results will be announced on July 2

Now that six months have passed since the earthquake, we can create a future. The exhibition “NOTO NEXT-Ideas beyond the Disaster-” is being held at GOOD DESIGN Marunouchi. It presents an attempt to design a new future by gathering wisdom not only from victims and supporters but also from everyone who has learned about the charm of Noto.

Wisdom and Design to Create a New Future of Noto

The GOOD DESIGN AWARD’s regular exhibition “My Favorite Design.” Each judge selects an awarded design that is their personal favorite or that caught their eye, outside the field of design in which they specialize. In this edition, we present designs selected by architects who served as judges for 2023, along with their comments.

Good Designs Selected by Architects

In recent years, a construction method called bricolage has been attracting attention. It is a method to collect what already exists and anything immediately at hand, and change them into something new. Johnson Town, which is a revitalized housing area for the U.S. forces in Japan in the Showa era, is a good example. It is a broad-minded ‘town’ that is open to anyone, which could not be achieved by deliberate design. It is a town with a community where various generations live, work, and interact. However, it used to be a run-down place. How was it capable of changing into an ideal environment? We heard from Mr. Tatsuo Isono and Mr. Akio Isono of Isono Shokai, the owner and manager of the town, and Mr. Osamu Watanabe, the planner and designer of the architecture firm.

A utopia can be created (Part 1)

Focused Issues researchers looked over all the screening subjects and explored the "ground swell" from the perspective of outside experts who were not judges. We asked three of them to each write based on their own expertise and from their own angles about what they noticed and saw as they accompanied the screening process. In this essay, Aki Hayashi, Focused Issuess Researchers, explains why, from a business perspective, she clearly states that all business people, not just designers, should aim for the GOOD DESIGN AWARD.

Why every new business should aim for the GOOD DESIGN AWARD──Aki Hayashi

This year’s GOOD DESIGN AWARD entries will come to a close soon. For possible applicants, we will introduce tips for applying to the award which were introduced in the Screening Perspectives Seminar.

GOOD DESIGN AWARD entries close May 23 13:00(JST)! What are the screening perspectives?

Yuki Uchida

Urban Designer | Senior Director, Re：public Inc. / President, YET / Co-Owner, A New Scale

Approximately 90 judges, including designers and experts from Japan and overseas, who are active at the forefront of each field, gathered for the screening of 2023 GOOD DESIGN AWARD. Three simple questions were asked to the judges about design. In this second installment, we will introduce the responses of various members, including Mr. Shigeki Hattori, Art Director, and Mr. Dominique Chen, information studies researcher.

Design 3 questions and 3 answers

Sakura Nomiyama

Design historian, design researcher | Curator of Igarashi Takenobu Archive at Kanazawa Institute of Technology

Focused Issues researchers looked over all the screening subjects and explored the "ground swell" from the perspective of outside experts who were not judges. We asked three of them to each write based on their own expertise and from their own angles about what they noticed and saw as they accompanied the screening process. In this essay, design historian Sakura Nomiyama discusses the significance of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD, an activity that evaluates present-day design, and its potential.

The GOOD DESIGN AWARD, a fixed point observation──Sakura Nomiyama

Applications for the 2024 GOOD DESIGN AWARD started on April 1! In this article, we will introduce topics discussed at the kickoff seminar, including what we expect from this year’s entries and the continued evolution of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD, considering this year’s theme, “Brave Attitude, Organic Design.”

Applications for the 2024 GOOD DESIGN AWARD open until May 23!

The “wave” of design seen through the 2023 GOOD DESIGN AWARD
Nine Perspectives and 23 Proposals for Creating “Brave Attitude, Organic Design” opened

Unraveling Brave Attitude, Organic Design: 2023 GOOD DESIGN AWARD Focused Issues Report Published

Rika Namiki

Tetsuhiro Ishida

Aki Hayashi, a researcher for the 2023 Focused Issues, picked GOOD DESIGN GOLD AWARD winner Social Good Market Kuradashi as an interesting example of good design that benefits society, the company, and individuals all at once. How did their business model come up? Hayashi interviewed Kohei Kawamura, the CEO of KURADASHI, about the background of Kuradashi’s almighty business model, which simultaneously achieves economic rationality, public benefit, and eco-friendliness.

Economic rationality, public benefit, eco-friendliness, all-in-one business model──Kuradashi: Kohei Kawamura x Aki Hayashi

Chiaki Murata

Product Designer, Design Producer | Representative Director, hers design inc. / Visiting Professor, Research Center for the 21st Century, Osaka Metropolitan University

Approximately 90 judges, including designers and experts from Japan and overseas, who are active at the forefront of each field, gathered for the screening of 2023 GOOD DESIGN AWARD. Three simple questions were asked to the judges about design. In this first installment, we will introduce the answers from various members, including Mr. Katsuo Mizuguchi, Art Director, and Mr. Tasuku Mizuno, Lawyer.

Mayu Sasaki

Yutaka Nakamura, a researcher for the 2023 Focused Issues, mentioned “One Thousand Names of Zeng-wen River, 2022 Mattauw Earth Triennial,” which won a GOOD DESIGN GOLD AWARD, as an intriguing work from the perspectives of design as well as anthropology. How did they produce the art festival, which reconstructed the communities of humans and non-humans in the basins? Nakamura asked Gong Jow-Jiun, the general curator of this festival, about the production process of the art festival.

Listening to non-human voices to reconstruct the communities along the river – Mattauw Earth Triennial “Gong Jow-Jiun x Yutaka Nakamura”

Koichi Takemura

Endo’s Gesoten

Endo / Suginoshita

An unexpected entry was included in the 2023 GOOD DESIGN GOLD AWARD. It was Endo’s Gesoten squid leg tempura. Community-based stores are disappearing with the emergence of large supermarkets and mass retailers. Endo, a local store in Yamagata, once struggled under such circumstances. The reason why it survived is the combination of design and local soul food Gesoten. The food has become popular, attracting people even from other prefectures. A client and creators work together to develop and expand innovation. We are getting closer to the secret.

Even squids want to be designed (Part 2)

Even squids want to be designed (Part 1)

At this year’s Good Design Award Exhibition, stage events such as “GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD Commemorative Talk” and “Design Talk Session on Initiative and Activity for Region” were held. In the grand award commemorative talk, the winner talked about the architecture and design concepts of Verandah with Length of 52 ken (94 m), which he could not talk about in the finalist presentation.

The Future Role of Design in “Day Service Center for Aged Persons ‘Verandah with Length of 52 ken’,” 2023 GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD

Aiming to open doors for a new generation of designers, the final screening of the GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD took place on November 18. Beyond Alternative Biomaterials―Sprouting Blocks MYMORI, this year’s grand award-winning work, proposed the future possibility of using biomaterials as a main material instead of seeing them as alternatives for existing materials. In this article, we will explore details of the grand award-winning work and the award winner’s presentation.

GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD for Students and New Graduates Mushroom-based Sprouting Blocks MYMORI Wins the Grand Award!

Kiyoto Wakabayashi

SONAENO cushion type multifunctional sleeping bag

Dream, Inc.

This time, we visited Dream, Inc., which is headquartered in Nagoya City, Aichi. Their product “SONAENO cushion type multifunctional sleeping bag” was selected for the GOOD DESIGN BEST 100 in 2021. The grab-and-go cushion-type sleeping bag was a big hit for its unparalleled viewpoint. The developer of this product, Momo Ishikawa, has always been extremely fond of emergency supplies. How did she channel her passion to engage in her favorite field into a successful process?

Giving shape to “what you love” (Part 2)

“Brave Attitude, Organic Design”—This year, GOOD DESIGN AWARD FOCUSED ISSUES has started afresh, with a renewed purpose and process. With a vision of being a “think tank of design,” Focused Issues will capture the “wave” of design behind award-winning works and determine a theme every year. The 2023 theme “Brave Attitude, Organic Design” was determined through a series of screening processes. This article will explore the intention of these words in detail.

Why design is expected to be “brave” and “organic” now—Background of the theme of 2023 FOCUSED ISSUES

The “GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD” was awarded to the most excellent design among this year’s award-winning objects at the Grand Award Selection on October 25! The winner is “Day Service Center for Aged Persons “Verandah with length of 52 ken (94 m)” by ALL FOR ONE Co.,Ltd. / YAMAZAKI KENTARO DESIGN WORKSHOP Co.,Ltd. This report will also introduce “GOOD DESIGN EXHIBITION 2023,” which started today!

The 2023 GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD goes to “Day Service Center for Aged Persons “Verandah with length of 52 ken ”

This time, we visited Dream, Inc., which is headquartered in Nagoya City, Aichi. Their product “SONAENO cushion type multifunctional sleeping bag” was selected for the GOOD DESIGN BEST 100 in 2021.  This cushion-type sleeping bag can be used in a lounge all the time, and is ready for emergency use. A disaster prevention item that can be used in everyday life is something that seems unlikely. How did you come up with this idea? We talked to Momo Ishikawa, the developer of this product.

Giving shape to “what you love” (Part 1)

This year, GOOD DESIGN AWARD FOCUSED ISSUES has started afresh, with a renewed purpose and process. With a vision of being a “think tank of design,” FOCUSED ISSUES will capture the “wave” of design behind award-winning works and determine a theme every year. The 2023 theme “Brave Attitude, Organic Design” was determined through a series of screening processes. What is the intention of this theme?

Brave Attitude, Organic Design: FOCUSED ISSUES theme decided

The results of the 2023 GOOD DESIGN AWARD were announced on October 5. This year, 1,548 awards were received. Among them, the GOOD DESIGN BEST 100, which received high praise, as well as individual special awards such as the GOOD DESIGN GOLD AWARD were announced. In this article, we will take a closer look at the five finalists that were selected from the GOOD DESIGN GOLD AWARD and nominated for the GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD.

2023 Award Winners announced!

After completing the first and second screenings, the GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2023 was presented in August. On September 15, the screening panel was held to choose winners of the special awards such as the GOOD DESIGN GOLD AWARD as well as the finalists for the GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD. What was discussed and evaluated in order to determine designs that represent the year 2023 and will lead to the future 10 or 20 years from now? We will look into the trends that have emerged this year through the screening process.

Finalists decided! Special Awards Panel for the Present and Future of Design

The 2023 GOOD DESIGN AWARD started in April. After the First Screening Panel on June 19 and the Second Screening Panel on August 2 to 4, this year’s screening has reached the interesting part. Now that the award announcement is due next month, we will take a look back on the screening process up to now in a video, along with an interview with the Chair and Vice Chairs.