temple activities for solving poverty problems wins 2018 japan GOOD DESIGN grand award

the japan institute of design promotion has announced the result of the GOOD DESIGN grand award 2018. the otera oyatsu club for its ‘temple activities for solving poverty problems’ has been chosen out of 6 grand award finalists to become the 2018 design of the year. the project addresses one of the serious social problems in modern japan — child poverty — where reports indicate one in seven children live in relative poverty. otera oyatsu club indicates that relative poverty in japan is often a combination of economic and social distress, making it difficult to identify. many households — particularly those with single parents — are not able to afford the expenses that support childhood life, including the participation in educational activities, entertainment costs, and food.

image © otera oyatsu club (also main image)

led by a monk and working in partnership with a team of volunteers, the GOOD DESIGN grand award 2018 winner otera oyatsu club receives various foods donations to temples in japan, which are often considered to be gifts from buddha. often times, temples collect a surplus of food. the otera oyatsu club’s mission is to distribute the gathered goods to families, offering sweets, fruits, snacks, canned items, and other daily necessities. ‘we aim to solve the problem of poverty by connecting the surplus of the temple to the lack of society,’ the team at otera oyatsu club say.

image © otera oyatsu club

by engaging with local community groups, other temples, and partner organizations, otera oyatsu club is able to provide food, social support, and well-being services to those in need. the cultural project embodies the message of the GOOD DESIGN awards: enriching our lives and society through design, and broadening the fields where design can play a role — ultimately leading to the creation of the society where everyone can lead a full, and creative life.

image © otera oyatsu club

good design award best 100 exhibition at tokyo midtown
image © designboom

image © designboom

vice chair seiichi saito, chair fumie shibata, the winner seirou matsushima, and president, japan institute of design promotion atsushi oi
image © designboom

the GOOD DESIGN award was founded in 1957 by the japanese ministry of international trade and industry and is hosted by the japan institute for design promotion. the ‘g mark’ emblem reflects comprehensive design values and principles that aim to enrich lives, industries and society.