First 'Kids Mirai Awards' Winners Announced; Yuno Nagao's 'Judge's Special Award' Also Revealed
Asahi Gakken Thinquest has announced the winners of the inaugural 'Kids Mirai Awards,' which recognize products and services that support children's learning and growth. The awards were determined through 3,500 public votes cast online and at a hands-on event held at Gotenyama Elementary School in Tokyo.
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- 📰 Published: March 28, 2026 at 16:08
- 🔍 Collected: March 28, 2026 at 21:59 (5h 51m after Published)
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On March 22, 2026, Asahi Gakken Thinquest Co., Ltd. (Shinagawa, Tokyo; President: Hiroshi Maruyama), a group company of Gakken Holdings Co., Ltd., announced the winning companies and products for the 'Kids Mirai Awards,' which recognize 'people, things, and events' that support children's learning and growth across seven categories. The award aims to raise social momentum for supporting children's futures and sharing that value. Public voting was held on a special website from February 6 to March 1, and a real-world 'touch-and-try' voting event was held at Gotenyama Elementary School in Tokyo on March 1, gathering a total of 3,500 votes. As a result, in addition to the Grand Prize and Excellence Award, seven category awards, Judge's Special Awards (including one from actor Yuno Nagao), the Kids Net Award, and the Asahi Elementary School Newspaper Award were decided.
Special website: https://kids.gakken.co.jp/mirai-award2026/
■ Winning Companies and Products
[Grand Prize]
Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. 'New Yakult'
This is a FOSHU (Food for Specified Health Uses) fermented milk drink containing 20 billion 'Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota' that reach the intestines alive. Lactobacillus Shirota strain is reported to improve the intestinal environment and regulate stomach conditions by increasing beneficial bacteria and decreasing harmful bacteria. It gathered many votes and won the 'Grand Prize' as a reliable ally for children, with a volume (65ml per bottle) and taste that are easy for children to finish.
[Excellence Award]
Kokuyo Co., Ltd. 'Shukudai Yaruki Pen' (Homework Motivation Pen)
This is a popular item that stimulates children's motivation to learn. Simply by attaching it to a pencil, the sensor detects the time spent writing and the amount of work done, visualizing the accumulated 'motivation power' in a dedicated app. Because their efforts can be visually confirmed, children become motivated to learn while feeling their own growth. Inside the app, characters and content progress according to learning, creating a mechanism that naturally instills study habits while playing. For children standing at the gateway of learning, the 'Shukudai Yaruki Pen' gathered many votes and won the 'Excellence Award' as a 'learning partner' that acknowledges their efforts and makes growth fun.
[Category Awards (7 categories in total)]
- Learning Book Category Award: Shogakukan 'Dai-Pinch Zukan Series' (Big Pinch Picture Book Series)
- Experiential Learning Category Award: Kodomo no Kuni Association 'Kodomo no Kuni'
- Learning Item Category Award: Kokuyo 'Shukudai Yaruki Pen'
- Corporate Learning Category Award: Suntory Holdings 'Yattemiyo! Mizu no Jiyū Kenkyū' (Let's Try! Water Independent Research)
- Digital Learning Category Award: Kokuyo 'Manabi Recipe'
- Children's Health Category Award: Yakult Honsha 'New Yakult'
- Person You Want to Be Your Teacher Category Award: QuizKnock 'Takuji Izawa'
[Judge's Special Awards]
- Judge's Special Award (Actor Yuno Nagao): JTB Publishing '47 Prefectures Master Card'
- Judge's Special Award (Kids Net Editor-in-Chief Takuya Kaneno): Yokohama City/CTC Joint Venture 'Hamagin Children's Science Center'
- Judge's Special Award (Kansai University Professor Haruo Kurokami): Hobonichi 'Hobonichi Earth Ball Journey'
- Judge's Special Award (Keio University Professor Nanako Ishido): NTT Group 'NTT Dream Kids'
- Judge's Special Award (Asahi Student Newspaper General Editorial Center Chief Yuki Yoshida): Saraya 'Shiomaru'
- Judge's Special Award (Gakken Educational Research Institute Director Natsuko Kawada): Sekisui House 'JUNOPARK'
Media Special Awards
- Kids Net Special Award: NTT Docomo 'Docomo Mirai Project'
- Asahi Elementary School Newspaper Award: Kirin Beverage 'Kirin Tsuyoizo! Mutekids'
■ What is the 'Kids Mirai Awards'?
This initiative honors 'things, events, and people' that support children's learning and growth. Nominees are selected from a diverse range of fields, including books, teaching materials, digital services, experience spots, products that support daily life and health, and people who serve as role models for children.
In the selection process, in addition to the perspectives of educational professionals, the opinions of elementary and junior high school students and parents are emphasized, and winners are determined through web voting and experience events. This award aims to raise momentum for supporting children's futures throughout society and to share that value.
Special website: https://kids.gakken.co.jp/mirai-award2026/
■ Winning Companies and Products
[Grand Prize]
Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. 'New Yakult'
This is a FOSHU (Food for Specified Health Uses) fermented milk drink containing 20 billion 'Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota' that reach the intestines alive. Lactobacillus Shirota strain is reported to improve the intestinal environment and regulate stomach conditions by increasing beneficial bacteria and decreasing harmful bacteria. It gathered many votes and won the 'Grand Prize' as a reliable ally for children, with a volume (65ml per bottle) and taste that are easy for children to finish.
[Excellence Award]
Kokuyo Co., Ltd. 'Shukudai Yaruki Pen' (Homework Motivation Pen)
This is a popular item that stimulates children's motivation to learn. Simply by attaching it to a pencil, the sensor detects the time spent writing and the amount of work done, visualizing the accumulated 'motivation power' in a dedicated app. Because their efforts can be visually confirmed, children become motivated to learn while feeling their own growth. Inside the app, characters and content progress according to learning, creating a mechanism that naturally instills study habits while playing. For children standing at the gateway of learning, the 'Shukudai Yaruki Pen' gathered many votes and won the 'Excellence Award' as a 'learning partner' that acknowledges their efforts and makes growth fun.
[Category Awards (7 categories in total)]
- Learning Book Category Award: Shogakukan 'Dai-Pinch Zukan Series' (Big Pinch Picture Book Series)
- Experiential Learning Category Award: Kodomo no Kuni Association 'Kodomo no Kuni'
- Learning Item Category Award: Kokuyo 'Shukudai Yaruki Pen'
- Corporate Learning Category Award: Suntory Holdings 'Yattemiyo! Mizu no Jiyū Kenkyū' (Let's Try! Water Independent Research)
- Digital Learning Category Award: Kokuyo 'Manabi Recipe'
- Children's Health Category Award: Yakult Honsha 'New Yakult'
- Person You Want to Be Your Teacher Category Award: QuizKnock 'Takuji Izawa'
[Judge's Special Awards]
- Judge's Special Award (Actor Yuno Nagao): JTB Publishing '47 Prefectures Master Card'
- Judge's Special Award (Kids Net Editor-in-Chief Takuya Kaneno): Yokohama City/CTC Joint Venture 'Hamagin Children's Science Center'
- Judge's Special Award (Kansai University Professor Haruo Kurokami): Hobonichi 'Hobonichi Earth Ball Journey'
- Judge's Special Award (Keio University Professor Nanako Ishido): NTT Group 'NTT Dream Kids'
- Judge's Special Award (Asahi Student Newspaper General Editorial Center Chief Yuki Yoshida): Saraya 'Shiomaru'
- Judge's Special Award (Gakken Educational Research Institute Director Natsuko Kawada): Sekisui House 'JUNOPARK'
Media Special Awards
- Kids Net Special Award: NTT Docomo 'Docomo Mirai Project'
- Asahi Elementary School Newspaper Award: Kirin Beverage 'Kirin Tsuyoizo! Mutekids'
■ What is the 'Kids Mirai Awards'?
This initiative honors 'things, events, and people' that support children's learning and growth. Nominees are selected from a diverse range of fields, including books, teaching materials, digital services, experience spots, products that support daily life and health, and people who serve as role models for children.
In the selection process, in addition to the perspectives of educational professionals, the opinions of elementary and junior high school students and parents are emphasized, and winners are determined through web voting and experience events. This award aims to raise momentum for supporting children's futures throughout society and to share that value.