Japan Sign Design Award (as known as SDA Award) sponsored by Japan Sign Design Association (SDA) was established in 1966 for the purpose of promoting and educating the public about the sign design through presentation of signature design works to the wide society and it continues to be the only award program for sign design in Japan.
Sign Design is the creative act of arranging and shaping “information to be conveyed to people” in order to make the increasingly complex environment around us more comprehensible and attractive. Sign design is positioned as information that is indispensable for communication, and its design is expanding in a diverse range of ways. SDA’s mission is to evaluate high quality sign design through the selection of the Japan Sign Design Award, to share the value and role of sign design with as many people as possible, and to contribute to social activities.
We look forward to your active participation.
information
- 2022-09-15
- Announcement of the 56th Japan Sign Design Award Judging Results
- 2022-03-29
- The 56th Japan Sign Design Awards Call for Entries Begins
- 2021-11-06
- The 55th Japan Sign Design Award Ceremony Live Broadcast
The 56th Japan Sign Design Award Application Information
Please be sure to download and read the Application Information.Deadline for Application
Tuesday, May 31, 2022 24:00 JST
Annual schedule (currently reorganizing)
*The following is the initial schedule.Eligibility for Application
Awards
Japan SDA Grand Prize – Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award (Provisional): 1 winner (Certificate and trophy)SDA Award Gold Prize: 4 winners (Certificate and trophy)
SDA Award Silver Prize: 15 winners (Certificate and trophy)
SDA Award Bronze Prize: 30 winners (Certificate)
SDA Award Finalists: 100 winners (Certificate)
SDA Award Jury Selection: 7 winners (Certificate and trophy)
SDA Contribution Award – Chairman of Japan Institute of Design Promotion Award: maximum 2 winners (Certificate)
Jury
Jury President
SDA President
Takeuchi Design
SDA Jury: Juries of selected SDA members
Director
Emotional Space Design Inc. President
University of Toyama Executive Vice President
Editor in chief of Signs magazine
Graphic Designer
Environmental Graphic Designer
Shimazu Environmental Graphics
Designer
MED President
Regional jury(Primary screening only)
Director (Representative Secretary) from each region (Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa) and one SDA Award Selection Committee member from each region, nominated by regional representative secretary.
Secondary Selection Commissioned Jury (Tentative) (In no particular order, titles omitted)
Creative Director
Kontrapunkt
Creative Type Director
Monotype Imaging Inc.
loftwork President
Architect
Yuko Nagayama & Associates
Editor in chief of Discover Japan
Screening Dates
Primary Selection
- Web-based screening
- Monday, June 6, 2022 to Wednesday, June 15
Secondary Selection
- Secondary Selection Meeting
- 13:00 pm to 17:30 pm Saturday, July 2, 2022
Scheduled to be held in Tokyo
Selection Criteria
Sociality
Evaluation of the social significance and the effect of the project, such as the harmony with surrounding landscape or environment, and sustainability.Informativeness
Evaluation of the work if it properly conveys the originator’s intention and provides appropriate communication.Innovativeness
Evaluation of the work whether there is an unprecedented approach in the idea, the construction or the process.Aesthetics
Evaluation of the beauty in the form, the material selection and the expression.Application Fee
Application fee is ¥8,000 for each entry. The application fee includes the examination fee for design concept and one image data. If you wish to submit more than one image data, additional examination fee of ¥1,500 is required for each additional image. If you wish to submit video data, an additional examination fee of ¥15,000 is required for each entry.Publication in the Yearbook
The yearbook, “Annual of Spatial Design in Japan 2023 – Display, Sign and Commercial Environment” containing the works of award winners and the finalists will be published in December 2022 (scheduled) . The yearbook will be edited by Rikuyosha Inc. and the Yearbook Publication Committee formed by the members of the Kukan Design Organization, namely Japan Sign Design Association (SDA), The Japan Design Space Association (DSA) and Japan Commercial Environmental Design Association (JCD), and published by Rikuyosha Inc.Sponsor
Supporting Organizations
The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Nikkei Inc.
Federation of Japan Out-door Advertising Associations
Japan Design Space Association
Japan Commercial Environmental Design Association
Japan Sign Association
Japanese Technical Organization for Commercial Spaces
Japan Promotional Marketing Institute Inc.
Japan Advertisers Association Inc.
Japan Graphic Design Association Inc.
Japan Typography Association
(In no particular order)