This is a karakuri box in the shape of a beer mug.
The bubbles are about to overflow. 
In the original idea, there was only one beer mug, but we decided that two would be more appropriate. 
This doubled the number of pieces to be made and required a lot of ingenuity to make in a short time.
It is a very simple piece. 
Please use it as a communication tool rather than a puzzle.
Please note that it is not as strong as glass.
Now let’s have a mug…

◆Design grand prix　　”Amidakuji”

Original idea by Takeshi Iijima
Hand-crafted by Sho Sugimoto (Karakuri Creation Group)

Several types of wood are used on the surface of the box, and the ladder-like pattern is an amidakuji.
By moving the device, the lottery result will change greatly.
Can you find a combination that makes each line go to the correct destination from among the many patterns?

*What is Amidakuji?
It is a lottery that each person draws by writing on the edge of the line and hiding it.
A horizontal line is often inserted between parallel lines to form a ladder.
(From wikipedia)

◆Design grand prix　　”Say cheese!”

Original idea by Chiai Watanabe
Hand-crafted by Hiroshi Iwahara(Karakuri Creation Group)

You are trying to take a picture of a rabbit from among the bushes.
But you haven’t been able to capture it in the camera’s viewfinder yet.
How can you take a picture of a rabbit well?
Even if you press the shutter button in the initial state, you can’t unlock the drawer.
When you looked at it, you will find a carrot near the camera.
How do you use the carrot?

2023 Karakuri Box Idea Contest
Screening Report

Congratulations grand prix award winners!
Thank you for all applicants for 2023 Karakuri Box Idea Contest and all members of Karakuri Creation Group who converted the applicants’ ideas to real Karakuri boxes with excellent detailed design and fabrication technique. I also thank all supporters of this contest.
We are pleased to announce that there were 276 entries for this contest, that is an unprecedented big number in recent years.
The four jury members performed for the first-stage screening were Tadayuki Sakamoto, Tsutomu Onosawa, Hiroshi Iwahara and I. We gathered on April 10 at a room in the newly built factory of Karakuri Creation Group.
The entries of this contest submitted to us were shown not the concrete design of Karakuri box but only the idea which explain how the Karakuri box should work.
So, at the first-stage screening, each jury considered whether the proposed ideas will be fun to play or not when the idea become real, as well as whether they are innovative or not.
Ideas of Karakuri box screened as a result of the first-stage screening was sent to the members of the Karakuri Creation Group for performance of the second-stage screening. The feasibility of manufacturing of each idea of them were assessed by them. And finally three ideas (“Cheers!”, “Amidakuji”, and “Say cheese!”) were selected for detail design and manufacturing. The members of Karakuri Creation Group had converted the original ideas into concrete Karakuri boxes by close contact with the applicants who created the original ideas.
It should be noted that the name of grand prix given to each of the three selected ideas defind by the craftpeople who performed the second-stage screening does not mean the ranking of them. Each idea has its incomparable wonderful feature. Please enjoy each of them by manipulating with your own hands.
After the first stage screening, we four visited a room in the factory where works of past Idea Contests and professional works of the members of Karakuri Creation Group were exhibited. I felt that there are certainly differences between the professional and amateur works, though I couldn’t point out exactly where the differences lie. But I believe that the works by these amateurs continue to provide fresh stimulation for the professional works of the members of the Karakuri Creation Group.

August 1, 2023
Naoaki Takashima

Watch the other annual winners   Click here