Since its founding in 1959, the Japan Society of Design (Isho-Gakkai) has been active in the promotion of design research in the broadest sense of the term. The Society focuses on the history of design, the philosophy of design, and the practice of design, including architecture, painting, sculpture, crafts and media arts. The Japan Society of Design has been holding various research conferences and has sponsored international conferences. Through the conferences, research meetings, and publication of journals, members of the Society can improve the quality of their research and publish their results, as well as interact with researchers from different disciplines and fields. The Japan Society of Design will continue its academic activities to advance and broaden the world of design as a culture. The Japan Society of Design also plays an important role in building an international network of researchers in design-related fields by organizing the biennial international conference ACDHT: Asian Conference of Design History and Theory (https://acdht.com).

The Annual Japan Society of Design Conference is held in August or September each year hosted by a different university or institution that works closely with the Society to organize the conference. The members of the Society may give “in person” oral presentations or poster presentations, depending on their field of study and methodology. Poster presentations may also exhibit the presenter's design work. A symposium on a hot topic of the field of design research takes place during the annual Japan Society of Design Conference. Past topics include: Yase Toyo Kiln (2023), Postwar Design in Osaka (2022), and Design for Diversity and Social Inclusion (2021). Presenters of oral presentations may submit academic papers based on their presentations for peer review by the Journal of the Japan Society of Design.

Regular Research Meetings are held three times a year (May, November, and February), where members present and discuss the findings of their research. Presenters of oral presentations may submit academic papers based on their presentations for peer review by the journal.

The William Morris Study Group is a research division of the Japan Society of Design with a focus on promoting research related to William Morris. It meets once a year. Presentations that examine global perceptions of Morris or explore any topic related to Morris are highly encouraged. 800-word abstracts submitted by presenters will be reviewed by the standing committee of the Japan Society of Design to determine the acceptance of presentations.

Asian Conference for Design History and Theory (ACDHT) is a biennial international conference supported by the Japan Society of Design and the Design History Workshop Japan. Since the first conference in 2015 at Osaka University, ACDHT has featured a specific theme and relatively small number of presenters (20 to 30) to allow for lively discussions on a variety of design and architecture topics.
https://acdht.com

The Journal of the Japan Society of Design is published twice a year (Summer and Winter). Since its first publication in 1962, the journal has been playing a major role in the development of design research in Japan. Articles in the journal include the members’ academic papers based on their presentations in the Society’s annual conference and regular meetings, book reviews, and reports of investigation etc. The members of the Society receive the hard copy of the journal. The journal can also be accessed online https://ir.library.osaka-u.ac.jp

To promote design research and design activities, the Journal of the Japan Society of Design offers three awards every year: Society Award, Essay Award and Best Design Award.

The Society Award is presented to the individual or organization that has played a central role in the most outstanding achievement in a wide range of recent design-related achievements, including works, writings, and various activities.

The Essay Award is given to the author(s) of the most outstanding paper or report published in the Journal of the Japan Society of Design.

The Best Design Award is presented to the work judged to be the most appropriate and outstanding poster presentation at the Annual Japan Society of Design Conference.

The Japan Society of Design brings together researchers, designers and architects interested in all areas of design. and new members are always welcomed. New members must have recommendations from a member and approval of the Standing Committee. For more information, contact our office.

Office of The Japan Society of Design