Tomohiro Kaji

Specialized in Graphic Design.

Tomohiro Kaji

About Tomohiro Kaji

Tomohiro Kaji is a former creative director for UNIQLO Co., Ltd. He graduated from Academy of Art University, San Francisco and joined UNIQLO Co., Ltd. in 2008 as the first graphic designer in its communications field. He’s built and managed an in-house creative team contributing global branding projects including HEATTECH and Ultra Light Down product branding, product marketing and digital integraded campaigns. He founded TOMODACHI Ltd. (https://tomodachiltd.com) in 2019, an independent creative agency to create art + strategy for branding, and became its representative director. Tomohiro has opened Kishu-Ann, a renovated villa built in Edo period – about 200 years ago to provide a private stay of classic Japanese experience. (kishu-ann.com)

  • Winner of the A' Design Award.
  • Specialized in Graphic Design.
  • Original Design.
  • Creative, Diligent and Innovative.
  • All Designs
  • Graphic
Dotline Corporate Identity

Dotline Corporate Identity

Graphic Design

Good Design Deserves Great Recognition

Nominate Your Work for the A' Design Award.

Sign-Up

Interview with Tomohiro Kaji

Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
I have 3 huge inspirations in my life. The first one is by my grandfather who was a calligrapher. He had been drawing calligraphies mixing letters and any shape by painting or paper material. Often he had made sculptures. The second one is some advertisings created by John C Jay. He has been a huge inspiration for me, always. Lastly, El Lissitzky. His graphic designs shocked me out from a ob of typical poster design. Their art inspired me to become a designer.
Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
TMDCH Ltd is an independent creative agency focusing in branding started from 2019. Our uniqueness is we are a hybrid of an award wining design studio and a branding agency which builds a creative strategy committing on business growth.
What is "design" for you?
Design means an inevitable and inspirational result from a creative process based on a rational choice with clients.
What kinds of works do you like designing most?
Building and designing brand strategy and identity system including launching program for a good client to become a great brand.
What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
Producing an all sustainable restaurant, called Nœud. TOKYO. It is one of a remarkable project I had been led at the beginning of my company building from strategy, team and its execution with a great result to the client as well as they have been earning the Michelin Star for 3 years after the launch.
What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
Material—Physical materials such as wood, rock, paper and soil used for space design, especially relevant ones with its business and its location.
When do you feel the most creative?
Finding a better solution than before, especially facing any complicated issue / challenge.
What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
Never leave a client or their business’ growth behind especially the design fells great.
From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
Work and contribute to a good client for society and environment. If not, educate them to be so. Or leave from the project.
How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
Wether we like it or not, AI and new technology push us out from existing roll like steam power or computer have done. The more technology evolving, the more our creativity become important for making a better world.
How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
What's your approach to design? Inspirational design that contributes a business growth. We bridge business strategy and creative strategy so the design works for them.
Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
In Japan, there are so many cultural, historical aspects behind us. It inspires a lot as well as new technology and digital solutions. There are also a critical issues are in front of us. Especially, aging and luck of human resources are really critical. Some of Japanese don’t realize, or don’t want realize it.
How do you work with companies?
I will be a CEO counterpart to discuss their business strategy and creative strategy with building an appropriate creative team to execute their creative programs.
What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
Please produce a good product and be a good client. And good designers will come to the company.
Can you talk a little about your design process?
Discussing product or business model to understand how unique and how good enough in a market or a society with unique. If it is not yet, we start improving it before design.
What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
A book designed by John C Jay. A kitchen knife shaped by MASAMUNE. A calligraphy by my grand father. A Russian poster designed by Stenberg brothers. A jacket and pants designed by Keizo Shimizu. Rolex Date Just.
From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
You will inspire the world with good clients, or you will just make garbages.
Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
Sketchbook, a fountain pen, laptop PC, some white copy paper, and EarPods.
Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
Work as a team with people, and with a good project manager to identify what I am supposed to do by when.

Designer of the Day Interview with Tomohiro Kaji

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?
I started my career as a graphic designer, and became an internal-creative team leader as well as senior marketing manager.
How did you become a designer?
I have 3 huge inspirations in my life. The first one is by my grandfather who was a calligrapher. He had been drawing calligraphies mixing letters and any shape by painting or paper material. Often he had made sculptures. The second one is some advertisings created by John C Jay. He has been a huge inspiration for me, always. Lastly, El Lissitzky. His graphic designs shocked me out from a ob of typical poster design. Their art inspired me to become a designer. And I learned a graphic design at Academy of Art University in San Francisco, US.
What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?
Trying help making a good product or business for client. And design how good they are to the world.
What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?
An experience as a creative director and marketing manager as a in-house creator so I learned how to bridge good creative and business.
What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?
Business growth of my company as a creative agency for global good clients.
You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?
There is no success or failure. It is just a part of a process and just keep going to where you really want to go.
How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?
Design is in a matter of process. Good design always comes at the end of result.
What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?
Educating clients to be a good for their customers as well as for society.

Stay Updated with Latest Design News

By clicking Sign-Up, you are opting to receive promotional emails from A' Design Awards, World Design Rankings, World Design Consortium and Designers.Org You can update your preferences or unsubscribe any time.

You are now at the right step

Join Designers.org & Start Promoting Your Design Worldwide.

Create an Account