Celebrating Kenji Ekuan - the visionary who shaped the look and feel of modern Japan. From the iconic Kikkoman soy sauce dispenser - introduced in 1961, inspired by his childhood memory of his mother pouring soy sauce from a large bottle, and still a global design mainstay - to the sleek Komachi Shinkansen bullet train (E3 Series, 1997) and the robust Yamaha VMAX motorcycle, Ekuan’s creations bridged traditional inspiration with modern innovation. He championed the democratisation of goods and beauty, believing design should not just serve function, but also uplift daily life - a philosophy he summed up as 'design is a source of life enhancement'. Driven by the trauma he witnessed in Hiroshima, Ekuan infused his work with a deep humanity and sense of shared experience. Born in 1929, Ekuan founded the design studio GK Industrial Design Associates in 1957. Over his career, he became one of Japan’s most celebrated designers, earning international recognition for his lasting influence on everyday life. Through his designs, Ekuan transformed everyday objects into vessels of joy and connection.