Tomoko Ishiguro

Chieko Shiraishi

Rebbur raw material

Kouhoku Rubber Co., Ltd.

Eggshells, tea, seaweed, wood, stone, iron. “Rebbur” incorporates materials that had never before been associated with rubber to create new looks. In the background to this is the blending technology that Kouhoku Rubber Co., Ltd. has cultivated over many years. So how is rubber made in the first place? As we walked through the factory, we could see a manufacturing process different from that of plastic： applying heat, causing chemical reactions, and molding. Following on from Part 1, we asked President and Representative Director Kenta Sugahara and designer Tomoki Doi about the characteristics of rubber as a material, the new encounters that Rebbur opened up, and Kouhoku Rubber’s aims for the future.

Creating possibilities from “black rubber” (Part 2)

Chieko Asakura

Students who study design support the screening for the GOOD DESIGN AWARD. We surveyed students who participated in this year’s support, asking them a variety of questions, including “What are your feelings about the changes to design caused by the advent of generative AI?” “Do you think design can change society?” and “What can design do?” Their answers were full of the free and imaginative perspectives that you would expect from students of design.

What students think about the potential of design

The G-TEN GOOD DESIGN EXHIBITION 2026 will be held at Tokyo Midtown (Roppongi) over five days from October 31. All the winning designs of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2026, which was held for the 70th time this year, will be on display in this exhibition. In addition, the "Hiroshima Good Design Award" exhibition and the sale of GOOD DESIGN AWARD winning products in a pop-up store will take place at the same time! We introduce the highlights, such as the voting for “Our Favorite G Mark,” the trail to enjoy while walking around the venue, and G-TEN Radio.

The G-TEN GOOD DESIGN EXHIBITION 2026 will be held from October 31!

The 2026 GOOD DESIGN AWARD winners were announced on October 15. In addition to the GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD, the winners of 19 GOLD AWARDS, the LONG LIFE DESIGN AWARDS, and the GOOD FOCUS AWARDS were this year again announced on the same day. Yamaha Corporation’s EAD50 Electronic Acoustic Drum Module was the winner of the GRAND AWARD, which is given to the single best design among this year's award winning items. At the winners’ press conference, the President and Representative Executive Officer, the Senior General Manager of Yamaha Design Laboratory, and the designer took to the stage and spoke of their joy at receiving the award.

2026 GOOD DESIGN AWARD winners announced! The GRAND AWARD goes to Yamaha Corporation’s EAD50 Electronic Acoustic Drum module

Kei Chen

For 12 years, Sanma has been communicating Japanese culture from a Taiwanese perspective. Each issue delves into a single topic, such as ramen, public baths, folk art, or music. The relationship with the GOOD DESIGN AWARD is also a deep one, and the scope of the initiative has expanded from features taking up an entire edition to events held in Taiwan and the launch of the podcast “MAMONAKU Design Arrival.” How has Sanma communicated design in Japan to Taiwan, and what kinds of exchange has it fostered? Kei, who is from Taiwan and a member of the editorial team for the “.g Good Design Journal,” spoke to Eva Chen, the editor-in-chief of Sanma.

Spreading GOOD DESIGN to Chinese-speaking regions： Sanma, a Japanese culture magazine beloved in Taiwan

What comes to mind when you hear the word “rubber”? Tires, rubber bands, gaskets...? In reality, rubber is used to support society even in places where we do not see it. Kouhoku Rubber Co., Ltd., which has been in business for more than 60 years, has continued to produce rubber products tailored to specific uses by blending raw materials according to the needs of its customers. Kenta Sugahara, the third-generation company president, began looking for new ways of using it, saying “Rubber has endless possibilities.” These experiments gave birth to Rebbur, which combines unused materials such as eggshells and tea with natural rubber. Do not make something because there is a large market. First of all, give it a try. Search for the possibilities for new work from there. We asked Sugahara and designer Tomoki Doi, who is developing it together with him, about the kind of manufacturing that a small company can do best.

Creating possibilities from “black rubber” (Part 1)

On September 17, the Special Awards Panel met to select the GOOD DESIGN SPECIAL AWARD winners from among several thousands of entries. At the panel meeting, the winners of the GOOD DESIGN BEST 100 gave presentations, after which the judges took time for a thorough exchange of views and careful, repeated consideration. At the end of this process, the winners of the SPECIAL AWARDS, including the GRAND AWARD and GOLD AWARDS, were decided. In this article, we will introduce the kinds of discussions that took place at the panel meeting in preparation for the announcements of the awards.

The winners of the 2026 GOOD DESIGN SPECIAL AWARDS, including the GRAND AWARD, have been decided! The winners will be announced on October 15

As the midsummer heat continued, the Second Screening Panel for the 2026 GOOD DESIGN AWARD was surrounded by an excitement to rival the outside temperature. Thousands of candidate designs were lined up in the large venue. The judges approached each design seriously, actually holding it in their hands, trying it out, and exchanging opinions as they screened it. 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, the selection and review session for the GOOD DESIGN BEST 100 also took place.

Report from the 2026 GOOD DESIGN AWARD Second Screening Panel + Best 100 Selection Committee： an intense screening lasting 3 days

Public toilet Infrastructure Stand

Ishiwa Plumbing Ltd./Shin Studio

“Infrastructure Stand” in Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture, is a public toilet as an extension of the showroom. Mr. Daigo Ozawa, CEO, Ishiwa Plumbing Ltd., says that he started with “a business strategy with an eye to the company’s future.” In the first part, we introduced the Infrastructure Stand as a gathering place for people, and the process in which the activities of the Infrastructure Stand spread to the community by involving companies and the government. What Mr. Ozawa is looking at next is disaster preparedness and toilet issues. The Infrastructure Stand is now not just a public toilet, but is about to become a testing ground for a closed-loop toilet that can function even in times of disaster.

Beyond the company’s activities is society（Part 2）

The GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD supports young talent who will pioneer the design of the future. This award is open to students attending universities and vocational colleges, as well as new members of the workforce who have just graduated or completed their courses. Applicants can make use of their work so far, such as pieces created for assignments or on their own initiative while studying, to apply for the award in free-thinking ways. In this article, we introduce the attractive features of the NEW HOPE AWARD, which acts as the impetus for applicants to take new steps as designers.

Applications for GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD 2026 are open until 1 p.m. on August 17!

A plumbing company that built public toilets – you may imagine that this is one aspect of contribution to the local community, or a corporate social responsibility project. However, the “Infrastructure Stand” developed by Ishiwa Plumbing Ltd. of Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture, is a bit of a different story. This project, which began with an extremely unique attempt to build a public toilet as an extension of their showroom, was also a business strategy with an eye to the company’s future： in the words of CEO Daigo Ozawa, “This is both a publicity tool and a recruitment tool.” After taking the company’s activities to their utmost limit, a place in which people come together is born, and the scope eventually broadens to encompass community and disaster preparedness, all while drawing in private enterprise and government. Rather than trumpeting their social contribution in a loud voice, the next step beyond the company’s activities is society. We asked about how this was put into practice.

Beyond the company’s activities is society (Part 1)

We surveyed followers of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD official Instagram account, asking them “Which time during the day do you want to spend pleasantly： morning or evening?” The results showed that the majority prefer the evening. In this article, based on your feedback, we introduce GOOD DESIGN AWARD winners that gently support you to spend your preferred time within your daily life pleasantly.

Embellish the time in which you want to indulge your preferences! 6 items selected by the GOOD DESIGN AWARD

Masashi Sasaki

Masaki Koike

Shunsuke Imai

The 2026 GOOD DESIGN AWARD marks the 70th year since the awards were set up. A new team of judges was announced in March, and Jun Nakagawa (Manager/Consultant; Representative of VISION to STRUCTURE, Representative of PARaDE) took up the post of Chair. The selection of Nakagawa, who is the former President of Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Co., Ltd. and has spent a long time in the world of business, to lead the screening for a design award can be seen as highly unusual, even from a historical perspective. On the occasion of his appointment, Nakagawa said that he would like to strengthen the aspect of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD as “a place where managers and designers work together.” How will we pass on the value that the GOOD DESIGN AWARD has built up to date, and what challenges will we take on in order to meet the next era? Together with Seiichi Saito, who served as Chair for 3 years from fiscal 2023 to fiscal 2025 before passing the baton to Nakagawa, he told us about where we are now and the future.

[Seiichi Saito and Jun Nakagawa] How can we join up design and management? As seen by the former and new Chairs of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD

Tomohiro Kurimura

Izumi Ono

Hiromichi Tanaka

Representative director of Oohito Agricultural Cooperative for Power Generation

Terukazu Yamashita

Director of River Village Ltd.

Tomoki Takebayashi

Landscape Architect, Founder CEO at Takebayashi Landscape Architects Ltd.

Yutaka Nakamura

Anthropologist, professor at Tama Art University, representative of Atelier Anthropology, KESIKI Inc., design anthropologist and cultural anthropologist

Yutaka Nakamura, Focused Issues Researcher, made a proposal in 2025: “Wild finance preserves the rhythm of indigenous life.” In the process of developing the proposal, he went to Oohito Subaru Micro Hydropower Plant in Hinokage Town, Nishiusuki Gun, Miyazaki Prefecture, to do fieldwork. Together with Hiromichi Tanaka of Oohito Agricultural Cooperative for Power Generation (which is the principal implementing business), Terukazu Yamashita, who was involved in the research design and commercialization of the power plant, and Tomoki Takebayashi, who designed the building and surrounding environment, I walked in the field and asked them how the power plant came to be; from the process of consensus building, a system created to raise funds, their experimental approaches, and the background of the design that blends in with the local landscape.

Oohito Subaru Micro Hydropower Plant: Design for the Future of the Village - Unanimous Consensus, Nearly 100 Million Yen in Funding, and Appearance that Blends in with the Community

Kazuto Yamaki

CEO, Sigma Corporation

Hanna Morita

Brand Strategy Section Chief, Global Marketing Division, Sigma Corporation

Aki Hayashi

Editor, director | President of Brand Journalism, Inc.

Aki Hayashi, Focused Issues Researcher, put forward “design centripetal force in the age of centrifugal force” as her 2025 proposal. The example which she cited as embodying this proposal was the Sigma BF, a full-size interchangeable lens mirrorless camera which won the 2025 GOOD DESIGN GOLD AWARD and the ECONOMY, TRADE AND INDUSTRY MINISTER'S AWARD. Through a dialogue with Kazuto Yamaki, CEO, Sigma Corporation, and Hanna Morita, Manager, Brand Strategy Section, International Marketing Department, we explored the source of the centripetal force that was born by "carrying through" a concept.

Exploring “centripetal force” design from the Sigma BF, which is pervaded by a return to the roots

Takeyoshi Maruyama

Yuki Yamada

CEO, Tetor inc., Co-Principal, Fukeikobo inc.

Naoki Ota

Co-creation Partner | New Stories Ltd. CEO

Focused Issues Researcher Naoki Ota made “overwriting the operating system of society” a keyword in his 2025 proposal. He focused on the “Chiyoda City Park Development Plan 2025,” which reimagines the 58 parks in Chiyoda City as a whole, as a real-life example embodying this phrase. Yuki Yamada (CEO of Tetor inc.), a landscape and civil engineering designer, took charge of the overall design. Ota spoke with Yamada to explore the possibility that this thought and method of park development which looks to the next 100 years could “spread” nationwide.

Design which “overwrites the operating system of society,” spreading out from “city center parks” – Yuki Yamada with Naoki Ota

The LONG LIFE DESIGN AWARD is given to standard-setting designs which have been supported by many people over a long time. Applications for the 2026 awards are being accepted from April 1. We accept not only applications from companies on behalf of their own products, but also nominations from you, the users, for the products that you have been using regularly for a long time, or the designs that you particularly like. In this article, we introduce the LONG LIFE DESIGN AWARD and award winning objects throughout its history.

What is the “LONG LIFE DESIGN AWARD,” for designs which have taken root in our lives and continue to be loved?

Ryo Hasegawa

Misa Shinshi

Shingo Torii

Aki Hayashi, Focused Issues Researcher, made the proposal “design centripetal force in the age of centrifugal force” in 2025. She asked Shingo Torii, Chairperson of the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Representative Director, Vice Chairman of the Board of Suntory Holdings Limited, for dialogue to deepen the proposal. The full text of the dialogue is presented, including episodes that could not be included in the report due to space constraints.

What is the happy relationship between design and management? – Shingo Torii and Aki Hayashi

Kazuyuki Koyama

A “wave” of design, “Free Design, Unleash Design,” seen through the GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2025, and six proposals for society to address

Free Design, Unleash Design: 2025 Focused Issues Report Released

Sachiyo Oya

Daisuke Nagano

Focused Issues is an activity that considers and recommends new possibilities for design through the Good Design Award screening process. In advance of the announcement of the 2025 GOOD DESIGN AWARD Focused Issues, this article gives a sneak peek at the conversations which took place as part of this process.

Design of “blank space” given shape in Ginza - Daisuke Nagano of Ginza Sony Park Project talks with anthropologist Yutaka Nakamura

Takashi Yoshidada

Educator, designer, musician.

Daisuke Sakamoto

Creative Director

Naoki Ota, a 2025 Focused Issues researcher, follows the journey of Magical Dagashiya Tyrol-Do, winner of the GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD three years ago. Through conversations with co-representatives Takashi Yoshidada and Daisuke Sakamoto, the research explores how new systems take root in communities and gradually transform everyday behavior, ultimately reshaping social values.

Tyrol-Do, Design to Alter Our Consciousness” - Three Years after Winning GOOD DESIGN GRAND AWARD： Takashi Yoshidada × Daisuke Sakamoto × Naoki Ota

GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2025 came alive with stories of diverse ideas and challenges. And there were many happy moments of change and growth beyond the stories. This time, we will provide content that gently supports the first step of those who are about to take on the challenge, based on the real voices that were revealed through the questionnaire to the winners.

New Perspectives after Winning the GOOD DESIGN AWARD

Among the 668 entries submitted, 115 were selected for this year’s GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD. After the preliminary and first-round screenings, eight projects were chosen for the Excellence Award. Then, during the final presentation held on December 20, the Grand Prize was announced. This year’s Grand Prize went to Sound Stargazing, a project that listens to the stars through sound. Here, we introduce the students’ diverse presentations and the ever-evolving NEW HOPE AWARD.

GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD 2025 top prize winner selected!

NANA

Saga Agri Heroes

Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Department, Saga Prefectural Government

“Saga Agri Heroes”： introducing design to agriculture, supporting the producers to build their own brands. This original initiative won a GOOD DESIGN BEST 100 award in 2022. In Part 1, we introduced Saga Prefecture’s mechanism for incorporating design into local government and supporting the brand development of farmers by accompanying them over a long-term period of four years. In Part 2, we explore the challenges faced in the second phase, which is currently underway （2023-2026）, the differences from the first phase, and the ways in which design is changing people and local communities.

Designing agricultural heroes (Part 2)

journal editorial department

Students who study 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 for good design?” and “What can design do?” In the previous article, we introduced what is needed for good design. In this article, we summarize the opinions we received about what design can do. The results allow us to feel the true nature of design from the students’ straightforward gaze upon it.

What university students think about what design can do

The “GOOD DESIGN MEETUPS： a forum for applicants and judges to talk about design together” were held during the 2025 GOOD DESIGN AWARD to serve as a venue for interaction between applicants, judges, and other participants, alongside reflection on this year’s screening. Through open dialogue with the judges, the participants learned about the key points in terms of applying and further deepened their understanding of the screening process. Participants gained many insights by talking directly with the judges, and lively interactions spread throughout the venue.

“GOOD DESIGN MEETUPS： a forum for applicants and judges to talk about design together,” expanding the future of design by speaking in our own words

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)

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

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?

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

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).

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

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

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

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.