In the heart of a city where tradition meets innovation, the Tokyo Design Awards celebrates creativity across a wide range of design disciplines — while honoring the brilliant minds behind the work. It brings together the world’s leading designers and creative professionals on an internationally recognized stage, connecting visionaries across industries and categories.
Driven by imagination, originality, and forward-thinking ideas, this prestigious international design competition honors designers, studios, and creative professionals who are transforming the way we live, move, and experience the world through exceptional design.
In its inaugural year, the Tokyo Design Awards welcomes participants from all backgrounds to help shape a new legacy in global design. From Architectural Design, Interior Design, and Product Design to the exciting new Character & Pop Design category, the awards spotlight work that inspires, connects, and drives innovation across disciplines.
Submit now and be part of the Tokyo Design Awards — where design becomes legend.
The Tokyo Design Awards proudly introduces its first official collaboration with The Lumis — creative companions brought to life to celebrate the imagination and diversity of design. This milestone strengthens the awards’ mission of honoring excellence while unveiling the Lumis as lasting emblems of creativity.
Through this collaboration, the Tokyo Design Awards unites designers worldwide, where every entry becomes part of a collective story, guided by the Lumis and inspired by the expanding horizons of design.
The Lumis are more than mascots. Each brings its own spark, and together, they transform the awards into something bigger than a competition. Your design is their spark. Be part of their journey, and unfold your story with the Lumis.
The Tokyo Design Awards showcases a diverse selection of design categories that reflect the evolving landscape of global creativity and innovation. From timeless disciplines like Architectural Design, Interior Design, and Product Design to specialized fields such as Lighting Design, Furniture Design, Packaging Design, and Transportation Design, the awards celebrate excellence across every facet of the design industry.
This year’s highlights include the debut of the Character & Pop Design category — honoring collectible, story-driven, and personality-based creations — and the introduction of Emerging Designer Categories, which spotlight bold, unconventional approaches shaping the future of design. The prestigious Honorary Designer category recognizes individuals whose contributions have made a significant impact on the global creative community.
Choose the category that speaks to your soul — and let your vision take root.
Oct 23 - Nov 26, 2025
Nov 27, 2025 - Jan 7, 2026
Jan 8 - Feb 11, 2026
Feb 12 - Mar 12, 2026
The Tokyo Design Awards statuette represents the very essence of design—the spark that ignites every remarkable creation. Featuring Kira, the mystical nine-tailed fox, this trophy becomes a companion to the designer throughout their journey of creativity, from the initial spark of inspiration to the ultimate achievement.
Each of Kira’s nine tails symbolizes a vital stage in the design process: inspiration, expression, experimentation, refinement, evolution, transformation, collaboration, mastery, and achievement. With every step, Kira’s presence guides the designer, unlocking the secrets of creation and pushing boundaries at each phase of the journey.
At the heart of Kira lies a crystal, representing the beginning of every great design, where the moment of inspiration evolves into something groundbreaking. The swirling tails around the base mirror the continuous flow of creation, where ideas evolve and transform into exceptional design. Let Kira accompany you through your success, and forever become a part of your creative legacy.
At the heart of the Tokyo Design Awards is a distinguished panel of jurors — globally respected leaders in architecture, interior design, product innovation, visual communication, and other key creative fields. Carefully selected for their industry expertise, global influence, and unwavering commitment to design excellence, these experts ensure that each submission is reviewed with fairness, depth, and a keen eye for originality and impact.
Submit your most outstanding work to be evaluated by a world-class design jury. Gain international recognition, industry credibility, and exposure from the very professionals shaping the future of global design. Your work deserves to be seen — ignite the beginning, and let the world see your brilliance.
If you are an experienced design professional, creative director, industry leader, or know someone who is, we invite you to submit a nomination for future jury consideration. Contribute your expertise to a transparent, merit-based judging process that upholds the highest standards of international design excellence.
While the Tokyo Design Awards celebrates its inaugural year, the voices of past winners and participants from other International Awards Associate (IAA) programs speak volumes. These testimonials reflect the global trust, professional recognition, and impactful experience that creatives around the world have come to expect from IAA's award platforms.
“This recognition represents a pivotal moment, not only for me personally, but for the entire OSTUDIO team. It confirms that the creative work coming from our region is capable of competing globally and leaving an impact. ”
Omar Almoteq, Co-Founder and Creative Director at OSTUDIO
“Being recognized in this awards is both an honor and a powerful affirmation of my work. International awards hold a special place in my heart because they signal that what I create resonates beyond borders — that my design solutions can stand alongside global benchmarks and compete on international markets. ”
Veronika Uravic Colak, Founder and Creative Director of Reedesign Studio
“I’m honored to be among the winners of this awards. Having my work recognized by an international jury of experts is deeply meaningful and affirms the vision and values I bring to my practice.”
Maja Stamenković, Founder of MA_ST_AR Studio
“It's a tremendous honour that validates the dedication and hard work our team put into every branding project. Such recognition motivates us to push boundaries, inspire others, and continue evolving as designers.”
Joseph Hedges, Creative Director of Branding by Garden
“Being recognized by this awards is an incredible honor. It validates our commitment to creativity, quality, and thoughtful innovation. It’s also a sign that our work resonates globally, and that fuels our drive to keep pushing boundaries and crafting designs that truly matter to people.”
Ronny Gobbo, CEO at Mobili Fiver
“It’s incredibly meaningful to be recognized alongside so many talented designers. For us, this award validates our belief that architectural elements—like a fireplace mantel—can be both functional and sculptural. It’s a reminder that thoughtful, well-crafted design has a place at every scale.”
Eddie Maestri, Founder and Principal of Maestri Studio
The International Awards Associate (IAA) is a group of industry innovators, creators, designers and communications professionals whose commitment is to move the industry forward through discovery and recognition of new and existing talent.
