Hello👋 I’m Kyoko, a Visual Designer
and Design Researcher.
I grew up in a family of biologists, drawing on the backs of research printouts and folding them into tiny handmade books. This early connection between science and making continues to shape my work today.
After studying product design, I worked as a design researcher at Takram before studying graphic design at ArtCenter College of Design. Now, I explore how complex ideas can be translated into visual and experiential forms, inviting people to play with knowledge and discover new ways of seeing the world.
EDUCATION
09. 2022 – Anticipated 12. 2026
ArtCenter College of Design | Pasadena, CA
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design
09. 2013 – 03. 2016
Keio University | Kanagawa, Japan
Master of Media and Governance
04. 2009 – 03. 2013
Keio University | Kanagawa, Japan
Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Information
WORK EXPERIENCE
09.2024 – Present
ArtCenter College of Design | Pasadena, CA
Peer Coach
01. 2023 – Present
ArtCenter College of Design | Pasadena, CA
Teaching Assistant
09. 2022 – Present
Freelance
Graphic Designer, Illustrator
06.2025 – 09.2025
Conservation International
Designmatters Fellowship
02. 2016 – 07. 2022
Takram | Tokyo, Japan
Design Researcher
RECOGNITION
KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2015
Grand Prix | wordblock (Stationary)
Good Design Award
2019 | AEON Bank, Ltd. Digital channel User Interface
2020 | J-WAVE Corporate Rebranding
New Talent Awards 2024
Silver | Scratching the Surface: The Hidden Beauty of Japanese Bodysuit Tattooing (Book Design)
Core77 Design Awards 2025
Student Winner, Visual Communication Category | Incomplete Encyclopedia of Memory (Book Design)
ArtCenter Student Gallery
- Grains of Eraser (3D object, Woodworking)
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9 Sequences (Photography)
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Music Album, Valtari (Poster)
- TIPO 2023 (Brand Identity, Poster)
- Scratching the Surface (Book, Poster)
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Slow Flow (Typography Design, Poster)
- Incomplete Encyclopedia of Memory (Book, Poster)
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Quantum Entanglement (Illustration, Sculpture)
- Japanese American National History Museum Rebranding (VI System)
- Onomatopee Rebranding (VI System)
Scholarship
- ArtCenter Entrance Scholarships
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Patricia Howell Endowed Scholarship
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Honda Endowed Scholarship
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Julian & Joanna Ryder Endowed Scholarship
- Fletcher Jones Scholarship
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Siras Greiner Memorial Endowed Scholarship
- Kanter Memorial Scholarship for Excellence in Typography and Book Design
- Clive Piercy Endowed Scholarship
- Jo Torrelli Thomas Endowed Scholarship
- Jerry V Johnson Endowed Scholarship
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Elise Mudd Marvin Mem End Scholarship
ArtCenter College of Design Provost’s List 2022 – Present
SKILLS
SoftwareInDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Procreate, Figma, Keynote, Slack, Miro, Final Cut Pro, AfterEffects, Glyphs, p5.js, Google Workspace
Design & Presentation
Collaboration with people in other professions, Visualization of research results and process, Time management, Critical thinking
Languages
Japanese, English
Research
User Interview, Focus Group Interview, Ethnographic Research, Surveys, Concept Make, Concept Testing, Journey Map, User Targeting, Desk Research