Miscellaneous goods designer and picture book author. Born in Kumamoto Prefecture. In his 50-year career as a designer, he has created over 15000 different product designs, including miscellaneous goods, shoes, clothes, picture books, and jewelry, both domestically and internationally.
There are also many collaborative works with famous characters such as Disney, Pokemon, Ultraman monsters, and Astro Boy.
Created "Sora Bear" with characters of polar bear brothers who are at the mercy of changes in the global environment.
In 2010, the activities of the NPO Sora Bear Fund won the Environment Minister's Award.
He has published over 30 picture books through Kodansha, Gakken, Iwasaki Shoten, Kokuyo, Tsuchiya Shoten, and Publishing Works.
Some of them have been translated and published.
Since 2014, the exhibition "Shinzi Katoh World - Designer of the Dream World" has been touring art museums around the country.
In 2016 and 2017, the first overseas exhibitions were held in Taipei and Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Their activities have spread around the world, including events at Harrods in London and Colette in Paris, as well as being adopted as novelty items at 7-Eleven in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
In 2018, he produced Kyuka Mura's "Traveling Picture Book" and pin collection.
In 2019, the picture book "Little Red Riding Hood" will be adapted into a stage play.
Created the 2020 TOYOTA 2021 wall calendar.
In 2021, MERRY GIFT-MAS will be held at life@KCC in Hong Kong to decorate the mall.
In 2022, he published "Literature Tracing with a Glass Pen: Miyazawa Kenji's Magic Lantern Museum" through Tsuchiyama Shoten.
In 2023, he published "Tracing the Path of Literature with a Glass Pen" through Tsuchiyama Shoten.
The "Kenji Miyazawa Magic Lantern Museum" exhibition is held at the Hanamaki Ihatov Hall.
In 2024, a performance entitled "Tracing the Works of Shinzi Katoh: Miyazawa Kenji's Magic Lantern Museum Through Readings" will be held to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Kasugai City's incorporation.
BOUL' MICH, whose flagship store is in Ginza in 2025, will be celebrating its sixth year with its Cheri Western confectionery collection.
Shinzi Katoh Instagram
1948 | Born in Kumamoto City |
1970 | 2 works displayed in exhibition. Honorable Mention and Fine Arts Council Award Winner |
1971 | Joined Towa Shoten as a designer. Mainly three-dimensional object designs exported to Europe. Make a prototype etc. |
1974 | Joined Tokai Kougei Art Company as a designer. stationery, cloth accessories, plastic, Designs so-called fancy miscellaneous goods such as canned goods. Cat's "NYANKY", penguin's "FUNNY" GROUP”, Witch’s “Witch World”, Character series such as ``Tsuppari'' became big hits. |
1988 | independent |
1989 | For about 20 years, we have been developing premium Christmas designs mainly for cosmetics companies such as Shiseido. Continued |
1996 | |
2003 | 2010 | |
2005 | Announced numerous tote bag designs.At the San Francisco MoMA Museum Shop handling |
2006 | Started overseas design licensing |
2007 | At "Maison & Objet" in Paris, “Kawaii Mon Handled at the long-established department store Bon Marche |
2008 | |
2009 | (Disney) collaboration design announced |
Monchhichi (Sekiguchi), "Anne of Green Gables" Announcement of collaboration design with (Japan Anime Planning) | |
Start Accessory Design | |
2010 | |
2011 | "Donald Duck" (Disney), "Hello Kitty" (Sanrio),"Paddington BearTM"Collaboration Announcing the design |
2012 | |
Sorabea's activities won the first Solar Award Award | |
2013 | |
2014 | |
2015 | |
2016 | |
Submitted his work to Kumanichi Charity Famous Shikishi Exhibition.continued | |
2017 | |
2018 | |
2019 | |
2020 | |
The picture book "That Lovely Tutu" was translated and published in South Korea. | |
2021 | |
2022 | |
2023 | |
Start clock design | |
2024 |
