Koji Iyama

Art Director / Graphic Designer
iyamadesign
Japan

Following his successful years at Nippon Design Centre, Koji founded iyamadesign in 2000.Koji conducts a creative direction that unifies the entire brand, including product planning and development, event planning, space and graphic design. He has received numerous awards, including the D&AD Black Pencil, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity Gold Lion, the SPIKES ASIA Grand Prix, the CLIO AWARDS Gold Award, and the One Show Design Gold Award.

Koichi Kosugi

Art Director
onehappy
Japan

Japan Uncovering his character through the “personification” design, Kosugi works in the fields of creative direction and art direction. Major works include NHK television serial drama “Chimudondon”, SUNTORY “Tokucha”, Japan Post “Tegami no heya”, Chubu Yakuhin “Vdrug”, Shiseido “50 selfies of Lady Gaga”, book design for “TIMELESS Eiko Ishioka and her era”, SUZUKI “HUSTLER”, STARFLYER “Kagayaku hito e”, Nippon Television “Gaki no tsukai ya arahende” and Yellow Magic Orchestra “YMO40”. Kosugi has received a number of domestic and international awards, including the Tokyo ADC Award, JAGDA New Designer Award, D&AD, NY ADC, ONE SHOW and ACC Award. A member of Tokyo ADC, JAGDA and JIFE. A part-time lecturer at the Department of Integrated Design, Tama Art University and Associate Professor at the Department of Visual Communication Design, Musashino Art University.

Takafumi Kusagaya

Art director / Graphic Designer / Artist
Kusagaya Design
Japan

Born in Shizuoka in 1963. After working at Hiromura Design Office, Founded Kusagaya Design in 1996. Won many awards including JAGDA New Designer Award, Good Design Award, Nikkei Advertising Award runner-up, and Asahi Advertising Award Grand Prix. His collection of works is "p+d: A Book of Special Printing and Processing." In parallel with his design work, he creates graphic art works and holds regular exhibitions. He participated as an invited artist in the "MADE IN JAPAN" exhibition, which introduces Japanese graphic design in France.Published in "Japanese Illustration" (China) and "L'Arte del Manifesto Giapponese" (Italy).

Takeo Nakano

Art director / Graphic Designer
Nakano Design Office
Japan

Born in 1977. Graduated from Musashino Art University and worked at Katsui Design Office. He is currently the Director of Nakano Design Office. With his core theme of structuring information and visualizing context, Nakano explores the possibilities of graphic design in various domains. Major works include: comprehensive renewal project at Printing Museum; special exhibition “Visionary Resonance - Mitsuo Katsui” at Utsunomiya Museum of Art; architectural magazine “Kenchiku Zasshi” (2012-2013); and New Elementary School Japanese Dictionary and Kanji Dictionary from Mitsumura Educationals. Awards include: Grand Prix, Japan Typography Annual; and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award, Japan Book Design Award. Selected for: Brno International Graphic Biennial, Lahti International Poster Biennial, and Moscow International Graphic Design Biennial, among others. Nakano’s work is included in the permanent collection of Seoul Calligraphy Art Museum (South Korea). Professor at Musashino Art University.

Chiharu Shimizu

Art Director / Designer / Illustrator
Hakuhodo
Japan

Born in 1983 in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Graduated from the Department of Design, Tokyo University of the Arts in 2006 and joined Hakuhodo. Winner of CANNES LIONS Silver, NYADC Gold, D&AD Bronze, ONE SHOW Gold, ADFEST Grand Prix, AD STRAS Grand Prix and Good Design Award, among others.

Norito Shinmura

Graphic Designer
garden
Japan

Born in Yamaguchi in 1960. Established Shinmura Design Office in 1995. Major works include design for Shiseido and art direction for MUJI’s camp site. Won the Mainichi Advertising Design Award Grand Prix, NY ADC Silver Prize, the Warsaw International Poster Biennale Silver Prize, the International Biennial of Graphic Design Brno Gold Prize, the JAGDA New Designer Award, the Tokyo ADC Award, etc.

Seri Tanaka

Art director / Graphic Designer
Dentsu
Japan

Born in Ibaraki Prefecture in 1987. Graduated from Musashino Art University in 2010 with a degree in Visual Communication Design, and joined Dentsu the same year. With a focus on graphic design that combines universality and flexible expandability, Tanaka is engaged in corporate identity, visual identity development, and art direction for brands. Major design works include logo design: Senkin (Japanese sake); Koumi-machi Kougen Museum of Art; Ao-Hata Bookstore; and Amnient Kyoto. Advertising art for exhibition “Another Energy” at Mori Art Museum and “Color Fields” at Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art. Artwork for “unpeople” by Shuta Hasunuma, and graphic design for Hitsujibungaku, among others. Tanaka also presents personal works concerning contingency through photography. Awards include: JAGDA New Designer Award 2020, Cannes Lions, and NY ADC.

Agata Yamaguchi

Art director / Graphic Designer
Collé
Japan

Born in 1988. Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts with a degree in Design from the Faculty of Fine Arts. After working at 10 inc., Yamaguchi established collé inc. in 2021. With te has received the motto of “positive graphic design”, Yamaguchi is engaged in corporate and visual identity development, branding, package design, signage planning, and commission artworks. Through his original brand, “published by collé”, Yamaguchi explores ways of expression across a variety of fields. Recipient of the JAGDA New Designer Award 2024.

Kazufumi Nagai

Art director
HAKUHODO DESIGN
Japan

Graduated from Tama Art University with a degree in Graphic Design and joined Hakuhodo. Established Hakuhodo Design in 2003, a branding company with a focus in design. Nagai is engaged in supporting various management reforms for both public and private sectors, as well as branding for businesses, products, and services. Recipient of numerous domestic and international awards, including Creator of the Year, ADC Award Grand Prix, and Mainichi Design Prize. The president of Japan Graphic Design Association Inc. (JAGDA).

Kodue Hibino

Costume Artist
Japan

Born in Shizuoka Prefecture. Graduated from the Department of Design, Tokyo University of the Arts. Received the Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix Newcomer Award, Shiseido Encouragement Award, and the Kinokuniya Theatre Award for Individual Achievement. As a costume artist, Hibino has designed costumes for a wide range of fields including advertising, theatre, dance, ballet, films, and TV programmes. She has been currently designing the costumes for the NHK E-Tele programme “Nihongo de Asobo”. She has worked as a stage costume designer for many theatre and dance productions, including the Kabuki performances “Noda-ban, Togitatsu no Utare” and “Noda-ban, Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita”; the contemporary theatre productions written and directed by Hideki Noda, including “Usagi, Nami wo Hashiru,” “Fake Spear,” and “Sei Sankaku Kankei”; Kaiji Moriyama's dance performance “Circus” at the New National Theatre, Tokyo; and “Alice in Wonderland” and “The Little Prince - Letters from Saint-Exupéry” at KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre. She has produced and presented her performing arts works titled “WONDER WATER,” “FLY, FLY, FLY,” “Rinne,” “Piece to Peace,” “MAMMOTH,” “RYU,” “ROOT,” “UP AND DOWN,” “TWO ALICES,” and “The Ant and the Grasshopper and…” Her solo exhibitions include “60 (rokujuu)” at Ichihara Lakeside Museum (2018); “DANCE THE IFUKU” at Dazaifu Tenmangu and Kyushu National Museum (2019); and “Forest Closet” at Sogo Museum of Art, Yokohama (2021). “Wonder Forest Closet” at Contemporary Art Museum, Kumamoto (2022). She has participated in Oku-Noto Triennale, Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale and Setouchi Triennale. She has started and is currently active in the Noto Peninsula Earthquake Reconstruction Support and Suzu city Support Dance Project.
http://www.haction.co.jp/kodue/
https://kodue.myportfolio.com/work

Atsuki Kikuchi

Graphic Designer / Art Director
菊地敦己事務所
Japan

Born in Tokyo in 1974. Began working as a graphic designer while still in school in 1995, and withdrew from the Department of Sculpture, Musashino Art University before graduation. In 2000, Kikuchi co-founded a multi-faceted design office Blue Mark, engaging in graphic, web, and product design, publishing art books, as well as managing restaurants. In 2011, after closing Blue Mark, Kikuchi established his own design office. Major works include: visual identity and signage planning for Aomori Museum of Art (2006) and Play! Museum (2020); spacial design and signage planning for Yokohama Museum of Art (2024); art direction for Minä Perhonen (1995-2004) and Sally Scott (2002-20); editorial design for “Shun ga Marugoto” (2007-12) and ”So-en” (2013); and package design for Kamenoko Sponge (2015). Major awards include: the Yusaku Kamekura Award, Kodansha Publishing Culture Award, Japan Package Design Award, and Hiromu Hara Award.

Tiger Pan

Designer / Artsit
Tiger Pan Design Lab
China

Tiger Pan is one of the most influential and sought-after designers in contemporary China and the designer of the newly released China Post Year of the Snake Zodiac Stamp. With nearly 30 years of continuous practice and research in product and packaging design, Pan has earned widespread recognition. At the intersection of design and art, his work spans numerous groundbreaking designs and public art projects, making him a key creative partner for institutions and global brands such as the United Nations, Bulgari, AB InBev, China Post, and Luckin Coffee. In 2012, he founded Tiger Pan Design Lab. From his early packaging design for "Chu Orange", to the viral sensation "Luckin Moutai Latte", and the high-profile crossover collaboration "Bulgari Lunar New Year – Year of the Dragon", his design style is characterized by high desirability and a bold, aggressive aesthetic, aiming to accentuate the unique personality of every product. Pan advocates for the concept of "Modernity in Chinese Design", using commercial insight and practice to drive the elevation of consumer aesthetics in China. Beyond product packaging, Pan has also made a significant impact in the field of stamp design. In 2024 alone, he led the creation of the "United Nations Zodiac Stamp Series (Snake)", the "China Post Year of the Snake Special Stamp", and the "Liechtenstein Year of the Snake Zodiac Stamp". He has served as Chairman of the Packaging Design Jury for the D&AD Awards (Design & Art Direction, UK) and currently holds positions as Vice Chairman of the Shenzhen Illustration Association and Guest Professor or External Graduate Advisor at 18 design schools across China. His work has been recognized with over 300 international design awards, including Red Dot Best of Best, iF Gold Award, D&AD, ADC, and Pentawards.

John Warwicker

Art Director / Graphic Designer
Tomato
Australia / UK

Co-founding member of the multi-award winning UK creative collective ’tomato’, 1991-present. Elected member of: Royal Designer for Industry (UK); Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts (UK); The Tokyo Type Directors Club and the AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale). Also Professor and head of Graphic Design at the VCA, University of Melbourne, Australia and Visiting Professor, Tokyo Zokei University & Kuwasawa Design School.