Series: IDEA (Japan)

Idea is a Japanese design magazine that has been published since 1953, covering typography, visual identity, and contemporary graphics.

Idea is a Japanese graphic design magazine published in Tokyo since 1953, making it one of the longest-running design publications in the world. It has consistently provided comprehensive international coverage of graphic design, typography, and visual communication. The archive holds the full run of Idea’s publication, documenting the magazine’s unique position as a bridge between Japanese and international design culture. Individual issues focus on significant designers, movements, and themes, including poster design, type history, and editorial design. See also Japanese Modernism and Japanese graphic design history.

Articles Related to IDEA (Japan)

Key Designers Associated with Series: IDEA (Japan)

Idea was founded with Hiroshi Ohchi as its first art director. It documented the work of leading designers including Yusaku Kamekura, Ikko Tanaka, and Josef Müller-Brockmann. See also Japanese graphic design history and Magazines in the archive.

Design artefacts related with Series: IDEA (Japan)

Idea 412, 2026

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 412, 2026

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2026
Idea 413, 2026

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 413, 2026

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2026
Idea 414, 2026

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 414, 2026

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2026
Idea 411, 2025/09/10

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 411, 2025/09/10

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2025
Idea 349, 2011-11

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 349, 2011-11

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2011
Idea 409, 2025/4

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 409, 2025/4

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2025
Idea 317, 2006/7

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 317, 2006/7

  • Format: Magazine
  • Designer/s: Kazunari Hattori
  • Year: 2006
Idea 408, 2024

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 408, 2024

  • Format: Magazine
Idea 379, 2017-10

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 379, 2017-10

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2017
Idea 382, 2018-07

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 382, 2018-07

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2018
Idea 390, 2020-07

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 390, 2020-07

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2020
Idea 384, 2019-01

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 384, 2019-01

  • Format: Magazine
  • Designer/s: Yui Takada
  • Year: 2019
Idea 387, 2019-10

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 387, 2019-10

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2019
Idea 375, 2016-10

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 375, 2016-10

  • Format: Magazine
  • Designer/s: Koichi Sato
  • Year: 2016
Idea 369, 2015-04

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 369, 2015-04

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2015
Idea 364, 2014-05

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 364, 2014-05

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2014
Idea 360, 2013-09

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 360, 2013-09

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2013
Idea 346, 2011-05

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 346, 2011-05

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2011
Idea 297, 2003-03

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 297, 2003-03

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2003
Idea 295, 2002-11

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 295, 2002-11

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2002
Idea 289, 2001-11

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 289, 2001-11

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 2001
Idea 277, 1999-11

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 277, 1999-11

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 1999
Idea 267, 1998-03

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 267, 1998-03

  • Format: Magazine
  • Designer/s: Ralph Schraivogel
  • Year: 1998
Idea 263, 1997-07

From the graphic design archive:

Idea 263, 1997-07

  • Format: Magazine
  • Designer/s: Ichiro Tanida
  • Year: 1997

More from Design Reviewed

Walter Frank Bomar, scanned from The Inland Printer, Vol 104, No. 03, 1939

Members Only Content, Designer Profiles

Walter Frank Bomar, scanned from The Inland Printer, Vol 104, No. 03, 1939

A 1939 article on American designer, Walter Frank Bomar, published in The Inland Printer, Vol 104, No. 03, 1939.

Read Article
Stamps, Dick Bruna and the Making of Miffy

Design Archive Feature, Designer Profiles, Ephemera, Illustration, Members Only Content

Stamps, Dick Bruna and the Making of Miffy

Beyond his books, Dick Bruna's vivid colour and simplified forms found their way onto posters, packaging, murals and stamps, many of which feature in my growing collection.

Read Article
Valentin Zietara, by H K Frenzel translated by E. T. Scheffauer

Members Only Content, Design Archive Feature, Designer Profiles

Valentin Zietara, by H K Frenzel translated by E. T. Scheffauer

An article on Valentin Zietara , originally in German, published in Gebrauchsgraphik, 10, 1930, written by H K Frenzel translated by E. T. Scheffauer

Read Article
The Steglitz Workshop by Dr. J. Loubier

Members Only Content, Designer Profiles, Studios & Collectives

The Steglitz Workshop by Dr. J. Loubier

A 1903-1904 article on Die Steglitzer Werkstatt, originally in German, published in Deutsche Kunst und Dekoration, Vol. XIII, October 1903–March 1904.

Read Article
130 Kantō, Chūbu and Tōhoku Lottery Tickets, 1966 – 1971

Regional Histories, Ephemera, Illustration, Members Only Content

130 Kantō, Chūbu and Tōhoku Lottery Tickets, 1966 – 1971

A collected visual record of the Kanto, Chubu and Tohoku Lottery tickets.

Read Article
April Greiman and her Hybrid Imagery

Designer Profiles, Members Only Content, Movements

April Greiman and her Hybrid Imagery

April Greiman is known for her experimental approach to graphic design,  her role in the development of Californian New Wave and being one of the first designers to fully embrace the computer in her work.

Read Article