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
- 2024-09-04
- 58th Japan Sign Design Award Judging Results Announced
- 2024-06-04
- The 58th Japan Sign Design Award Application Ends
- 2024-04-01
- The 58th Japan Sign Design Awards Call for Entries Begins
58th Japan Sign Design Award Judging Results Announced
58th Japan Sign Design Award Judging Results *Sorry Japanese onlyThe 58th Japan Sign Design Award Application Information *Applications are no longer being accepted.
Please be sure to download and read the Application Information.
Deadline for Application
Friday, May 31, 2024 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)
Number of the Grand Prize, Gold Prize, Silver Prize, Bronze Prize and selected entries will be determined by the final judging panel.
Jury
Jury President
President, Takeuchi Design Inc.
President, Japan Sign Design Association
SDA Jury: Juries of selected SDA members (In alphabetical order, titles omitted)
Representative, Emotional Space Design Inc.
Art Director
Vice President, Japan Sign Design Association
Representative, Tsukikage Design Consulting
Design Consultant
Vice President, Japan Sign Design Association
Director and Vice President, University of Toyama
Executive Director, Japan Sign Design Association
President, Hiromura Design Office
Graphic Designer
Representative Director, KMD Inc.
Creative Director
Regional jury(Primary screening only)
Secondary Selection Commissioned Jury (Tentative) (In no particular order, titles omitted)
Kontrapunkt
Partner and Chairman of Kontrapunkt Japan
Creative Director
Monotype KK
Creative Director
Iijima Design
Interior Designer
Representative Director, Tezuka Architects
Editorial board member, Nikkei Design
Principal, TAKT PROJECT
Screening Dates
Primary Selection
- Web-based screening
- Thursday, June 6, 2024 to Thursday, June 13
Secondary Selection
- Secondary Selection Meeting
- Monday, June 24, 2024
Finmal Selection
- Final Review Session
- Saturday, July 6, 2024
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.*In addition to the 4 items above, the entries should include safety into consideration.
Application Fee
Application fee is ¥11,000 (¥10,000 + consumption tax ¥1,000) for each entry. The application fee includes the examination fee for design concept and two image data. If you wish to submit more than one image data, additional examination fee of ¥1,650 (¥1,500 + consumption tax ¥150) is required for each additional image. If you wish to submit video data, an additional examination fee of ¥16,500 (¥15,000 + consumption tax ¥1,500) is required for each entry.Publication in the Yearbook
The yearbook, “Annual of Spatial Design in Japan 2025 – Display, Sign and Commercial Environment” containing the works of award winners and the finalists will be published in December 2024 (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 (scheduled)
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
Japan Industrial Design Association
(In no particular order)