MAHO SEKIZUKA

I didn’t have any exceptionally outstanding talent, but in school my art grades were consistently strong, and that made me think, “Maybe I could make a living by giving form to ideas.” Once I decided that for myself, I never looked back. I resolved to pursue work that would leverage my artistic foundation, moved to Tokyo without hesitation, and embarked on the path of design. From that moment on, becoming a designer was my sincere and unwavering goal.

I’m part of Prograf, a small printing company based in Sanjō City, Niigata Prefecture. Although Sanjō is renowned as one of Japan’s premier manufacturing towns, we’ve redefined printing under our philosophy of “making printing captivating.” We regard printing not merely as a technical process but as a powerful means of communication. Rather than just producing beautiful prints, we dive into experience design—asking “Why this structure?” and “What tactile sensation suits best?”—to craft proposals that fuse printing with design. In packaging and brand development especially, we engage from the very first concept phase, building value through both advanced printing technologies and creative strategy. Our lean, elite team’s agility and close collaboration bring the power of “captivating” printing to life every day.

For me, design is an act that inspires people’s lives. It’s not simply about arranging forms or information; it’s about uncovering the unspoken desires and aesthetic sensibilities within a client and weaving them into visuals and words so that their ideas and actions can move forward more powerfully and gracefully. I firmly believe design possesses this power. At times, a single design can change how someone exists or tells their story, and even reshape their relationships with others and society. That is why I see design as an indispensable practice for creating a better human society.

I’m most drawn to packaging design—especially when it does more than simply wrap a product, instead embracing intangible values like a person’s character or a region’s story. I love designs that leave a subtle question or moment of pause in the viewer’s mind, and whose very act of opening becomes a memorable experience through thoughtful structure and playful mechanisms. To me, packaging’s greatest allure is its power to convey warmth and a sense of time that words alone cannot capture.

One of the designs that moved me most deeply is Peter Saville’s artwork for music releases. In particular, the floppy-disk–shaped sleeves for Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures and New Order’s Blue Monday are outstanding in their balance of expression and clever mechanism. I’m drawn to the poetic intersection of information and mystery. On Blue Monday, the colored stripes correspond to letters of the alphabet and, when decoded, reveal the catalog number and title—a playful fusion of visual impact and hidden meaning that fascinates me. In product design, I deeply resonate with Shiro Kuramata’s Miss Blanche and Cabinet de Curiosités for their liberated, floating presence. Using transparent materials and unique structures, these pieces drift between dream and reality, teaching me the beauty of leaving the inexpressible lingering in the mind. I’m also strongly inspired by Rei Kawakubo’s work for Comme des Garçons and Yohji Yamamoto. Their radical silhouettes, deconstruct-and-reconstruct techniques, asymmetric draping in black, and the way each garment offers a fresh perspective with every wear all speak to me. From these designers, I’ve learned that true depth often resides in the unseen, and that clever structural devices can invite the viewer into an active, participatory experience. In my own projects, I strive to anchor my work in this poetic whitespace and structural playfulness as I pursue new forms of expression.

My first corporate project was page design for a fashion magazine. I began my career as an editorial designer, always mindful of how to give visible form to the magazine’s overall atmosphere and tone so that the curated world would reach readers comfortably. I loved those moments when a brand’s or feature’s presence would emerge through the careful arrangement of typography, white space, and the flow of the eye. I feel that this sensibility still lives on in my packaging and branding work today.

My favorite materials are twofold. The first is synthetic resin—acrylic in particular—whose transparency and sense of levity create a unique poetry that subtly shifts an object’s contours. Inspired by Shiro Kuramata’s work, I’m deeply moved by how it seems to float free from gravity and physical constraints. The second is Kamo’s traditional washi paper. Its handmade process yields a delicate warmth, and its texture deepens with use, offering a gentle embrace only a natural material can provide. Both the artificial and the traditional, with their contrasting charms, endlessly fuel my creative drive.

Each day flows without pause—between raising my child, caring for our home, and my full-time design work. Even in that chaos, there are fleeting pockets of silence when I’m alone, and in those moments the seeds of creativity suddenly sprout. Wrapped in music, touched by Niigata’s austere yet beautiful nature, or lifted by the shifting colors of the sky, I feel the contours of an idea gently take shape. Another precious source of inspiration comes when I hit a wall. The time I spend probing for solutions deepens my thinking, unveiling structures and essences that were hidden at the surface. Before I know it, those insights become the starting point for my next design—moments I’ve experienced again and again.

What I value above all in design is paring away the nonessentials to let the core essence emerge. By removing unnecessary ornamentation and explanation—and deliberately leaving just enough mystery for viewers to ask, “What is this?”—I create space for imagination and spark a quiet, two‐way dialogue. I also believe design should be more than merely beautiful; it must be honest, logical, and capable of fostering a natural exchange with whoever holds it. I’m always drawn to expressions in which information and emotion don’t flow one-way, but instead seep through as the design’s very presence.

When I tackle a design project, I pour in everything I’ve got and set ever-higher challenges for myself, which inevitably brings moments of hardship and impatience. When I hit a tough problem, I’m beset by frustration and restlessness—but I also recognize that this very struggle becomes the fuel for my next idea. At the same time, when I’m deeply immersed, I lose all sense of time and place, entering a state of total focus and experiencing a surge of exhilaration from the depths of my being. It’s precisely this wide spectrum of emotions that sharpens my expression and drives my creative work forward.

When a design finally takes shape and is released into the world, I feel much like a parent watching their child leave the nest and grow independent. After nurturing an idea for so long, it at last slips from my hands and passes into someone else’s—and the pride and relief I feel in that moment carry a warmth beyond words.

To guide a design to success, the first indispensable step is to achieve a resonance of hearts with the client. By aligning my sensibility with the values and vision they cherish, and moving forward on the same wavelength through open dialogue, truly essential ideas—rather than superficial ones—begin to emerge. It’s equally important to look to the future. Rather than being constrained by fleeting trends or instant results, I weave into my designs a vision that anticipates the client’s long‐term growth and the shifts in society. This approach allows the work to cultivate value over time. - Heart Resonance: Deeply understand the client’s aspirations and share nuances that go beyond words. - Future Focus: Design from a sustainable perspective so that it continues to be loved for years to come. Only when these two elements coexist can a design truly be called “successful.”

When evaluating a design, the first thing I look for is whether it takes a slightly unconventional but still logical approach. Deliberately breaking the rules while ensuring the core function and message remain solid creates a balance of freshness and conviction. By contrast, I’m not a fan of overly explanatory, ego-driven expressions. I believe the key to success lies in avoiding information overload and preserving just enough mystery for the viewer’s imagination—inviting a quiet, ongoing dialogue.

I believe designers hold the key to creating a better human society. First and foremost, it’s essential to connect people and foster comfortable communication through design. By crafting beautiful scenes and spaces that move people and spark their imagination, designers fulfill a vital social responsibility. Moreover, a designer’s work must inspire life and give people the strength to look forward. That moment of emotional impact can ignite new actions and ways of thinking, ultimately driving positive change throughout society.

In Japan, the population decline is becoming critical, and creating a social environment where women can feel secure about having and raising children has grown increasingly difficult. As a result, the field of design is evolving beyond products, graphics, and UI/UX into a macro perspective that rethinks the very structure of nations, regions, and cities. Going forward, design will play an ever more vital role in shaping social infrastructure itself—whether by planning “compact cities” where everyone can live safely and prosperously even with a smaller population; revitalizing communities through the reuse of vacant homes and fallow land; or updating public spaces that seamlessly bridge the digital and real worlds. I believe the future of design will expand into the “design of societal structures” aimed at enhancing people’s well-being in a world where declining birthrates, an aging population, growing diversity, and advancing technologies coexist.

My most recent exhibition was a group show at the NIIGATA ADC DESIGN AWARD 2022, where I presented “UTSUROI” at the Niitsu Museum of Art in Niigata City. It wasn’t a solo exhibition but a curated space shared with a diverse lineup of creators. I haven’t settled on a specific date for my next show yet, but I aim to unveil a cohesive body of work focused on a single theme—either in a solo or group exhibition—by the time I’m around 45.

My design inspiration is fundamentally rooted in the philosophy of minimalism and the serene stillness of Japanese Zen. The beauty of empty space in a karesansui garden and the crisp atmosphere created by stones and sand always serve as the starting point for my creations. Even amid the daily “chaos” of parenting and full-time design work, those fleeting moments of silence alone become an invaluable source of creativity. Wrapped in music, touched by Niigata’s austere yet beautiful nature, or uplifted by the ever-changing colors of the sky, I feel extraneous noise wash away and the contours of an idea quietly emerge from the turmoil. Hitting a wall and diving deep into the essence of a problem is another vital moment that sharpens my inspiration. Through trial and error, hidden structures and core truths surface, becoming the seeds that sprout into my next design—a cycle I repeat again and again. This Zen-inspired aesthetic of whitespace, the fragments of everyday life, and the iterative process of trial and error—these three pillars sustain and nourish my creativity.

I believe designers hold the key to creating a better human society. First and foremost, it’s essential to connect people and foster comfortable communication through design. By crafting beautiful scenes and spaces that move people and spark their imagination, designers fulfill a vital social responsibility. Moreover, a designer’s work must inspire life and give people the strength to look forward. That moment of emotional impact can ignite new actions and ways of thinking, ultimately driving positive change throughout society.

I believe designers hold the key to creating a better human society. First and foremost, it’s essential to connect people and foster comfortable communication through design. By crafting beautiful scenes and spaces that move people and spark their imagination, designers fulfill a vital social responsibility. Moreover, a designer’s work must inspire life and give people the strength to look forward. That moment of emotional impact can ignite new actions and ways of thinking, ultimately driving positive change throughout society.

I place the highest priority on dialogue with my clients. Even when I never meet distant customers face to face, I lean on Zoom, phone calls, and chat to dive deeply into their business goals, the story behind their brand, their target audience’s lifestyle, and so on. Armed with that background, I share rough sketches and prototypes at an early stage and fold their feedback into the design in real time. When presenting ideas, I value not only the client’s viewpoint but also an outside perspective, always aiming for that “Ah—so that’s how we do it!” moment of surprise. While in-person workshops are ideal, I believe that as long as our communication remains genuine, we can co-create designs that hit the essence of the project—even if we never see one another’s faces.

When a company brings a designer on board as a partner, the most important thing is to build a relationship where you can jointly ask, “Why are we creating this?” Designers aren’t just visual producers—they’re thinkers who deliberate on how to engage society. That’s why you shouldn’t select them based solely on internal preferences or tastes; instead, listen closely to the societal perspectives and vision they bring. By sometimes exchanging views that differ from your own, you unlock more universal, core value. To spot a great designer, look beyond the surface beauty of their work and pay attention to the underlying problem awareness and thought process. When reviewing their portfolio, ask them to articulate: - What problem is this design trying to solve? - For whom does it function, and how? Digging into the research, hypothesis testing, and decision-making logic behind each piece will reveal whether they’re the right partner for your journey. It’s also essential to establish a mechanism for direct dialogue between your organization’s leadership and the designer. Going through intermediaries tends to dilute enthusiasm and intent. By enabling honest, early-stage conversations between executives and designers, you can align visions and achieve results that exceed expectations. Even without face-to-face meetings, I believe that high-quality dialogue makes true, essence-driven co-creation possible.

My design process begins with dialogue. I start by delving deeply into the client’s goals, project background, and challenges, then crystallize those insights into clear objectives. The understanding gained here becomes the compass for every idea that follows. Next, I remove all initial constraints and freely generate concepts. By producing rapid sketches and rough prototypes in volume, I explore possibilities from multiple angles and uncover unexpected sparks of inspiration. The bulk of my time—about eighty percent—goes into the “elimination” phase. From the ideas generated, I rigorously strip away superfluous decorations and elements, sharpening only the core message. Repeating this refinement brings the design’s essential power into focus. Finally, I fine-tune details like color, typography, and material choices. At this stage, whitespace and contrast are already balanced, allowing the minimal elements to convey the maximum possible impact.

My favorite design items at home are: 1. “Sun Book,” the monograph by Japanese graphic artist Yoshirotten 2. A LE KLINT pendant light 3. A LE KLINT table lamp 4. A Karimoku New Standard low table with a polygonal top 5. A sofa-and-table set by Isamu Noguchi All of these share a minimal form stripped of superfluous ornamentation and a deep focus on materials and the interplay of light. The vivid color arrangements in Sun Book teach me about visual rhythm, while the LE KLINT lamps let me experiment with the soft atmospheres created by shadow and light. The Karimoku low table’s polygonal top creates a striking silhouette, and Noguchi’s sofa-and-table set offers daily inspiration through its organic curves and structural contrasts. Surrounded by these pieces, I find the foundation for exploring “stillness and movement,” “light and shadow,” and “form and space” in my own design practice.

I wake at 6:30, help my child get ready, and see them off to school. In the morning’s quiet, I swiftly clear the floors and tables—mindful not to leave anything out—and restore a sense of spaciousness to our home. Once I settle into my home office, I check email and chat messages as they come in, then dive into design work. At noon, I carve out a moment for myself: I prepare a simple lunch, flick through interior- and architecture-focused YouTube channels, and then take a short nap to reset my mind. In the afternoon, I immerse myself in tasks again, working steadily until 7 p.m. As evening flows in, I prepare dinner, clean up, and wrap up any remaining work. At 10 p.m., it’s my personal time once more—I research design and music, watch self-development videos—and before I know it, it’s past midnight and I often find myself dozing off on my Isamu Noguchi sofa.

What matters most when you’re young is stoking your curiosity without fear of failure. The ideas born from hands-on work may be rough at first, but by daring to try them out—and then reflecting on what didn’t work—you give your creative voice real depth. Don’t limit yourself to familiar techniques: leap into unknown methods and cross-disciplinary fields, and watch your thinking expand in unexpected directions. Equally vital is the power of perseverance. When your energy flags, break your ambitions into small, manageable goals and move forward one step at a time. By practicing daily and steadily increasing your output, you’ll build both skill and confidence—and that breathing room will become fertile ground for fresh ideas. Finally, refuse to be confined by your current surroundings or settle for second-best learning opportunities. Immersing yourself in cutting-edge cities or culturally vibrant communities will hone your perspective and give you the tools to keep updating yourself—no matter where you are. Youth is your greatest weapon: turn your mistakes and doubts into fuel, and pursue both action and learning with unrelenting passion.

The best thing about being a designer is that, in striving to solve every challenge in front of me—thinking hard and keeping my hands busy—I continuously sharpen my problem-solving skills. Whenever I hit a wall, the reservoir of ideas I’ve accumulated proves invaluable, and with each project I complete, I gain another bit of “know-how” about how to overcome obstacles. As a result, I build what I think of as creative resilience: the ability to bounce back and adapt, generating flexible thinking and outputs no matter the circumstances. At the same time, living in the countryside and being part of a child-rearing generation sometimes brings a subtle cultural gap between my professional awareness as a designer and the local community’s sensibilities. Yet that very discomfort becomes a seed for fresh perspectives. I turn the small frictions that arise where local values and my work ethos intersect into clues for honing my own expression. In this way, the cultural and generational gaps that present a challenge also spark new ideas—and I cherish that duality as a driving force in my creativity.

The golden rule of design is to create a sense of harmony that makes viewers feel comfortable almost unconsciously. When elements like proportion, rhythm, and color are balanced, the eye is guided smoothly without any stress. True harmony arises when a logical structure and free imagination coexist. It’s crucial to construct the relationships between elements with reason, while also suggesting a beauty that goes beyond those constraints. Whitespace is the space that allows a design to breathe. By avoiding information overload and preserving a generous layout, you emphasize the key points without ever feeling intrusive. On top of that, deliberately introducing twists or unexpected surprises—stepping just outside predictable harmony—creates fresh, memorable experiences. It’s the balance between harmony and subtle dissonance that forms the golden rule of the most satisfying design.

I believe the two most essential skills for a designer are: - Future Vision The ability to read shifts in markets, technology, and society—and to imagine needs and possibilities that haven’t yet taken shape. Design isn’t only about making the “here and now” better; it’s about crafting the experiences of “what’s next.” By always holding a forward-looking vision, you create solutions that truly matter to users. - Courage to Transcend Preconceptions The boldness to break free from the norms and assumptions of “how things should be,” deliberately choosing paths that might feel off-kilter. By questioning past successes and industry conventions and daring to experiment with unknown methods and ideas, you unlock fresh, high-impact expressions. These two may seem at odds, but together they form the twin engines of creativity. By envisioning the future and then leaping into it—iterating through trial and error—you uncover discoveries only possible through that journey. Those discoveries become the seeds of the next big idea.

I use Adobe’s graphic design software. The book I’m reading is Keiichiro Fujisaki’s Don’t Design—a biography of Draft’s founder, Satoru Miyata.

Design is a process where thinking and hands-on work are tightly intertwined, so once I dive in, I often lose track of time. It’s not uncommon for tasks to spill over beyond standard business hours. Since I work in my living room, I carry out my daily tasks fluidly—juggling parenting and housework without a clear on/off switch.

The time required for object design varies widely depending on the project’s scale and objectives. Logo design, in particular, demands the most time because it becomes the “face” of a company or brand. We dive deep into the brand’s story, conduct market research, and develop concepts; sketch and refine dozens of rough drafts; and iterate closely with client feedback. Thanks to this thorough process, the quickest turnaround is about three weeks, while a more typical timeline spans one to two months.

My most significant professional experience has been the UTSUROI project. Having it receive top honors at both the Asia Design Prize and the Niigata Design Award was an unrivaled joy for me as a designer. Through this journey, I came to truly appreciate the power of using design to add value to regional resources and to create genuine empathy among people. Moving forward, I plan to leverage what I learned from UTSUROI to tackle further challenges in regional branding and product development.

My clients tend to be those who cherish their region’s and culture’s unique character and want to explore their brand’s core together. From local sake breweries to regionally born startups, what they share is a view of design not as mere decoration but as a language for expressing their own values. With clients who resonate with that, deep conversations begin on day one, and by aligning our visions, projects proceed smoothly. I also work with clients who aren’t afraid to say, “This should be done this way,” or who reach out for guidance when they’re uncertain. That trust lets me propose ideas with confidence, and they, in turn, engage actively with the final deliverables. As a result, long-term partnerships form naturally, and new commissions and referrals continue flowing in even after a project wraps up.

Above all, designing labels for Japanese sake is the most enjoyable work for me. Packaging that visualizes the local terroir and the brewery’s history—and conveys emotion to the drinker—becomes a medium that tells culture rather than merely decorating it. I take great pleasure in the process of refining colors and motifs, imagining the first impression and tactile feel the moment someone picks up the bottle, and weaving together that narrative. What’s more, one of the true delights of this work is combining our company’s proud printing techniques with specifications never tried before. By boldly experimenting with foil stamping, embossing, gradients in specialty inks, and more, each “label” yields a completely different expression. Those moments when technology and design spark a chemical reaction to deliver fresh surprises are what most powerfully ignite my creative drive as a designer.

In the future, I plan to leverage the paper and printing–technique insights I’ve developed to take on product design that incorporates local materials and traditional crafts. By creating objects imbued with gentle narratives that blend seamlessly into daily life, I hope to bring new value to people’s everyday experiences. At the same time, I’ll pursue products that enable entirely new musical experiences. My goal is to design mechanisms where sound resonance, tactile feedback, and the joy of interaction intersect—providing a space not only for listening but also for active “performance” and “creation.”

I generally develop my designs entirely on my own. From initial sketches to rough drafts, refinement, and final files, I find that thinking through every step in my head and carrying it out by hand ensures conceptual consistency and produces a deeply satisfying result. That said, design can easily become self-indulgent. For that reason, I actively seek feedback from trusted colleagues, mentors, and clients. Bringing in these different perspectives uncovers issues I might have overlooked on my own and sparks the seeds of new ideas—striking this balance, I believe, is the key to marrying originality with objectivity.

At this point, I can’t share the project details yet, but I’m currently refining the core concept while experimenting with new materials, printing techniques, and structural combinations. Working by hand and iterating prototypes every day has been a tremendous learning experience in itself. As soon as the design takes shape, I’d love to reveal it—so I’d greatly appreciate your feedback when the time comes.

Although these questions haven’t covered this, I’m always striving to break through new barriers with my designs. I want to continue creating innovative, emotionally moving works that aren’t confined by existing boundaries. And when an exciting idea takes shape, I’d love to enter it in competitions and exhibitions so that many people can share in the experience.