Milbon Hosts Online Preliminary for the 5th 'Beauty Knowledge King Championship KA (Knowledge Abilities)' to Support Lifelong Learning Among Hairstylists

Milbon Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Hidenori Sakashita; hereinafter 'Milbon'), a manufacturer of haircare and cosmetic products for beauty salons, hosted the online preliminary round of the 5th 'Beauty Knowledge King Championship KA (Knowledge Abilities)' on Thursday, June 11, 2026. From 1,534 participating teams, 220 teams advanced to the regional qualifying rounds.

Participants used smartphones to join the quiz, enjoying pizza together for a fun and engaging experience.

About the 'Beauty Knowledge King Championship KA'

The 'Beauty Knowledge King Championship KA' is Milbon's nationwide quiz event where professional hairstylists compete in teams of two to test their breadth and depth of beauty-related knowledge directly applicable to salon work—including hair and skin structure, chemical agents, and current affairs. This year's 5th edition saw a record participation of 1,534 teams (3,068 individuals). The 220 teams who advanced through the online preliminary will now compete in regional qualifying rounds, aiming for the national finals at Yokohama Arena in November. The regional rounds will be held sequentially from late June across seven nationwide areas: Hokkaido-Tohoku, Chubu-Hokuriku, Kanto, Kansai, Chugoku-Shikoku, and Kyushu.

Background of the 'Beauty Knowledge King Championship KA'

Hairstylists must continuously learn about trends, chemical agents, and product knowledge to meet evolving customer demands, making ongoing education essential. Milbon designed this quiz event as one initiative to encourage active and enjoyable learning. Beyond providing an educational opportunity, the event fosters a culture where salon staff support and cheer for participants, enhancing in-salon communication. To further energize this internal communication, Milbon welcomed Japan Pizza Hut Co., Ltd. as a sponsor—an industry-first collaboration. The initiative, including teams enjoying pizza together during participation, significantly boosted engagement.

About Japan Pizza Hut Co., Ltd.'s Sponsorship

As a first-time initiative for the event, Milbon achieved a cross-industry collaboration with Japan Pizza Hut Co., Ltd. Inspired by KA's concept of 'learning and having fun together,' Pizza Hut provided pizza to participating salons that met certain criteria.

From Japan Pizza Hut Co., Ltd.

Sponsoring the 'Beauty Knowledge King Championship KA' reflects our desire to support hairstylists—professionals who share our common value of 'bringing smiles to people.' Pizza Hut values connecting people and creating smiles through pizza, aligning perfectly with hairstylists' mission to make customers smile. This shared vision led to our collaboration.

Event Overview of the 'Beauty Knowledge King Championship KA'

Based on the principle that 'knowledge solidifies through input and output,' this event allows hairstylists to enjoyably compete in quizzes with peers, deepening their professional beauty knowledge.

It is a team-based competition where two hairstylists from the same salon form a team. Preliminary rounds are held across seven regions (Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu-Hokuriku, Kansai, Chugoku-Shikoku, Kyushu). The top-performing team from each region (two teams each from Kanto and Kansai) will advance to the national finals at Yokohama Arena on November 17 to compete for the JAPAN Grand Prix.

Participation fee: Free. The Grand Prix winner will receive 200,000 yen in educational support and a trophy.

Official website: https://www.milbon.co.jp/education/ka2026/

Past Participation Records of the 'Beauty Knowledge King Championship'

1st edition (2022): 704 teams (1,408 participants) nationwide
3rd edition (2024): 1,115 teams (2,230 participants) nationwide

2nd edition (2023): 955 teams (1,910 participants) nationwide
4th edition (2025): 1,301 teams (2,602 participants) nationwide

Milbon's Salon-Focused Talent Development Initiatives

As a salon-exclusive product manufacturer, Milbon places strong emphasis on educational activities that support hairstylists' continuous growth, beyond just product sales. We believe the value of beauty lies not only in the products themselves, but also in hairstylists' knowledge and confidence in using and recommending them. Guided by this philosophy, we offer various educational initiatives—including training, learning content, and on-site support—with the 'Beauty Knowledge King Championship KA' designed as a system to help hairstylists organize and solidify knowledge in an enjoyable way. Milbon aims to support salon environments that actively promote talent development, ultimately contributing to each customer's 'beautiful way of living.'

Examples of Talent Development Support

● Beauty Sommelier Certification Program

A program to cultivate multi-skilled professionals with broad expertise and high specialization. Offers various certifications and curricula, including specialized sommeliers in haircare, haircolor, cosmetics, and design logic. Supports growth through sharing success stories and facilitating networking among sommeliers.

● Education iD

An online self-learning platform for hairstylists to access necessary information anytime, anywhere. Used for training in various sommelier programs, it delivers over 400 video contents. With approximately 60,000 registered members, it continues evolving as a comprehensive educational service site.

● MILBON BEAUTY FEST (to be held on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at Yokohama Arena)

'MILBON BEAUTY FEST' is a beauty festival where frontline hairstylists gather to learn techniques and knowledge in a fun environment. This year, it will expand in scale as a global event welcoming international hairstylists. Approximately 4,500 hairstylists and beauty school students from Japan and abroad are expected to attend.

The event features multiple programs, including the 'Global Hair Design Contest' to cultivate 'the ability to attract and retain customers' for global hairstylists, and the 'Beauty Knowledge King Championship' to test knowledge in quiz format. It provides a stimulating environment for participants to acquire new knowledge and skills while growing. The award ceremony for Milbon's 'Beauty Sommelier' certification will also be held. (Reference: 'MILBON BEAUTY FEST 2025' press release)

About Japan Pizza Hut Co., Ltd.

Pizza Hut was founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas, USA, by brothers Dan and Frank Carney. Celebrating its 65th anniversary in 2023, it continues to grow alongside its customers. It is now the world's largest pizza chain, with over 20,000 locations across more than 100 countries and regions. In Japan, the first store opened in 1973, and currently, over 600 stores (as of June 2026) operate nationwide, primarily focused on delivery.

About Milbon

Milbon Co., Ltd. is a cosmetics manufacturer that produces and sells haircare products, haircolor agents, and skincare products exclusively for beauty salons. Through nurturing professional talent and supporting problem-solving, Milbon supports salon success and, through products backed by solid expertise, enhances the experience of every customer who visits a salon.