[Kojuten Kundo Co., Ltd.] Nine winning entries announced for the “Incense Ware Design Contest” celebrating the 450th anniversary of Nippon Kodo Group’s “Koju”! Image
URL: Kojuten Kundo Co., Ltd. Press release: October 30, 2025 To Members of the Press Nine winning entries announced in the “Incense Ware Design Contest” celebrating the 450th anniversary of Nippon Kodo Group’s “Koju”! The award-winning works have been selected. Enjoy the new world of incense burners that aim to combine tradition and innovation.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/43168/31/43168-31-0f1344e8c4ed33a711a754bc40246ec4-1910×2700.jpg
submissions for incense vessels (incense plates and diffusers) that evoke the climate, culture, and techniques of Japan’s regions and evoke a sense of spiritual relaxation and relaxation.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/43168/31/43168-31-556ffa2aa2e016ffd1cdc707e555bd5f-2160×2700.jpg Scenes from the final selection meeting
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/43168/31/43168-31-94f677028390f946b98ea85e254be0c7-2025×2700.jpg Scenes from the Final Selection The final selection was held in September 2025. The judging panel included prominent individuals active in various fields, including special judges. The judges, faced with actual works, evaluated the entries from various angles. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/43168/31/43168-31-0b9ba9defa278a5cdbb215351dfa5399-3857×2516.jpg With the winning works. From left, judges Konaka, Terauchi, Nakahara, Takahashi, Obara, and Yamada. Of the 113 entries, 33 outstanding works were selected in the first round of selection, with one Grand Prize, three Excellence Prizes, and nine jury awards: the Conran Shop Japan Nakahara Shinichiro Award, the Discover Japan Takahashi Toshihiro Award, the Risogama Terauchi Shinji Award, the Wataya Besso Ohara Yoshimoto Award, and the Koju Award. Background of the Incense Ware Design Contest The “Nippon Kodo Group 450th Anniversary Incense Ware Design Contest” is sponsored by Kojuten Kundo Co., Ltd. (President and CEO) Co-hosted by Nippon Kodo Holdings Co., Ltd. (CEO Masahiko Yamada) and Nippon Kodo Holdings Co., Ltd. (President and CEO Masakatsu Konaka). This special edition of the Koju Incense Plate Design Contest, which has been held five times to date, celebrates its 450th anniversary with an expanded program. In addition to incense plates, the contest now also includes diffuser containers, which are used to diffuse fragrance. Award-winning works Grand Prize
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/43168/31/43168-31-2571eb5d1277426e287bca4b5b6007a4-3900×2600.jpg Grand Prize “SUI” Grand Prize Title: Incense burner “SUI” by Takayuki Matsuhashi Details: This incense burner consists of two conical parts: the burner and the base. Excellence Award
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/43168/31/43168-31-296943bf3ca000d78d78269247b2bb9a-3900×2600.jpg Excellence Award “Kayuki”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/43168/31/43168-31-10b350cdf4ff4fb1857f4639916a1a74-1800×2700.jpg Excellence Award “Green Wind Ring”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/43168/31/43168-31-4d345952064d6181e20b5261533744bb-3900×2600.jpg Excellence Award “ORI” Jury Award
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/43168/31/43168-31-ebe0e253fd39efd79edea4573e4efba5-1800×2700.jpg Conran Shop Japan Nakahara Shinichiro Award “OVER Q”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/43168/31/43168-31-1fe2958ca7b44e633914afa35a302120-1800×2700.jpg Discover Japan Toshihiro Takahashi Award “bloom”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/43168/31/43168-31-c262d9254283a350750f1eede00fc95e-3900×2600.jpg Lishuang kiln Terauchi Shinji Award “Evening Glory and Haguro Dragonfly”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/43168/31/43168-31-ba77be696d553110914caf6684276e6d-1600×1066.jpg Wataya Bessou Yoshimoto Ohara Award “Kozhu” Koju Award
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/43168/31/43168-31-a4d7d503db9bac921fd23d915e6cc952-3900×2600.jpg Koju Award “Koikoro” [Award-winning work] Best award Incense plate “SUI” Mr. Takayuki Matsuhashi Excellence Award Incense plate “Kosetsu” Ryoko Takahashi Diffuser “Midorikazekan” by Yoriko Sawai Incense burner “ORI” by Shingo Iwasa Judge’s Award Conran Shop Japan Nakahara Shinichiro Award: Diffuser “OVER Q” by Hidehiko Nagasawa Discover Japan Takahashi Toshihiro Award: Diffuser “bloom” by Shoma Furui Riso Kiln Terauchi Shinji Award: Incense Plate “Evening Glory with Haguro Dragonfly” Yukika Shibata Wataya Villa Ohara Yoshimoto Award: Incense Plate “Kouju” by Hidehiko Nagasawa Kouju Award: Incense Plate “Koigokoro” by Shion Watanabe Upcoming Schedule The winning works will be exhibited at the Koju Ginza Main Store from November 18, 2025, and will be available for sale at the same time as the exhibition at the Koju Ninenzaka Store. [Scheduled to display award-winning works] November 18, 2025 – January 9, 2026: Koju Ginza Main Store January 15th to February 26th, 2026: Kojuni Neizaka store [Sales of works] Sales will begin in conjunction with the exhibition at the
Kojuninenzaka store. Please come and see these moving works in store. WEB page https://www.koju.co.jp/contest/ View
details
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/43168/31/43168-31-53debd4ff99dc485638fd64069fc8ba7-1259×2700.jpg Kojuten Kundo Co., Ltd. The ancient incense culture is now new. The beauty of the past is brought to new creations. We carry on the tradition and create new things for the times, delivering a variety of valuable incense products that meet modern demands, from the traditional Kojutenko “Kurokata” to incense and Japanese fragrant wood named after master incense master Takai Juemon.
