Mukoyama Yoichi Education Award

The "Mukoyama Yoichi Education Award" was established for the development,
dissemination and further development of educational skills.

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English

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The application period for the 5th Mukoyama Yoichi Education Award is from May 1, 2026 to August 31, 2026.

Every last child must be cherished,
without exception．

What is the Mukoyama Yoichi Education Award?

The "Mukoyama Yoichi Education Award" was established for the development, dissemination and further development of educational skills. The following four awards were created.

Ⅰ. Educational Skills Award

Ⅱ. Advanced Practice Award

Ⅲ. School Development /
Class Management /
Student Guidance Award

Ⅳ. Mukoyama Yoichi
Practice and Research Award

In addition to the above, Special Awards are sometimes independently bestowed by the committee.

Mukoyama Yoichi

He was born in Tokyo in 1943. He was the former President of the Japan Society for Educational Skills.
Mr. Mukoyama graduated from Tokyo Gakugei University. He had been a teacher at a public elementary school in Tokyo for many years when he founded a new educational movement called 'Kyoikugizyutu no Hosokuka'. Later he presided over TOSS (Teachers' Organisation of Skill Sharing), which still collects excellent educational skills and methods from all over Japan and aims to make them a shared property for all. TOSS is currently the largest educational organization in all of Japan with 700 circles and 10,000 members. He was a creator of school textbook questions for NHK's 'Quiz Omoshiro Seminar', a part-time lecturer at Chiba University, and a visiting professor at Shanghai Normal University.
As editor-in-chief, he also compiled numerous educational magazines such as "Kyoshitsu Two-Way" and "Mukoyama-gata Sansu Oshiekata Kyoshitsu". "Class Collapse," "Monster Parent," "Golden Three Days," etc. are all his coined words.
He has authored, co-authored, and edited over 3,000 books, including "In Pursuit of Kihaku Saito" (Shoheisha), "New Edition: Laws to Improve Your Classroom Skills"(Gakugei Miraisha)", "Destroy the Structure of Bullying" (Meiji Tosho), and "School Failure" (Fusosha).
Official website https://mukoyamayoichi.com/

Four Principles of Educational Skills

Mukoyama Yoichi established the following four principles when he founded the "Kyoikugizyutu no Hosokuka" in 1984.

(1)	There are many various educational skills. TOSS picks up as many methods as possible. (Principle of diversity)
(2)	Nothing is set in stone when it comes to educational skills. They are always subject to review and correction. (Principle of continuity)
(3)	Claims are based on records that clearly indicate teaching instructions, materials, questions, points to keep in mind, and results. (Principle of demonstrability)
(4)	The teachers themselves choose the methods and materials that are suitable for their classes. (Principle of independence)

In English

The Mukoyama Yoichi Education Award

Under the Mukoyama Yoichi Education Award for submitted papers, the following four awards are established.

Ⅰ Educational Skills Award
From among all submitted papers, the most outstanding practice and research shall be selected.

Ⅱ Advanced Practice Award
From among submitted papers that address cutting-edge educational issues, the most outstanding practice and research shall be selected.

Ⅲ School Development / Classroom Management / Student Guidance Award
From among submitted papers that address classroom management or student guidance in which all students are valued without exception, the most outstanding practice and research shall be selected.

Ⅳ Mukoyama Yoichi Practice and Research Award
From among submitted papers that conduct in-depth research, verification, and further development of the body of practices established by Mukoyama Yoichi,  the most outstanding practices, research, and related activities shall be selected.

In addition to the above, Special Awards may be conferred based on letters of nomination or under special circumstances.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants for the Mukoyama Yoichi Education Award must be individual, institutional, or supporting members of the Japan Society for Educational Skills, or must be nominated by a member of the Society.
Members of the Mukoyama Yoichi Education Award Selection Committee shall not be eligible to apply for the Award. Furthermore, any Secretariat member who applies as an applicant shall be excluded from the selection process for the relevant submission.
Submitted papers must be prepared using the template available on the official website of the Japan Society for Educational Skills, or in accordance with the same format.
Submitted papers must not infringe upon any rights of third parties, including copyrights and the portrait rights of children and students.
Each individual or group may submit only one paper.
The same paper must not have been submitted for any other educational awards.

Application Period

From May 1, 2026 – August 31, 2026

Application Procedures

Practice-based papers and research papers (hereinafter referred to as “submitted papers”) must be prepared using the designated manuscript template (Form 2). Papers prepared in the same format may also be submitted using LaTeX or other typesetting systems.
Submitted papers shall be between 4 and 12 A4-sized pages in length.
Submitted papers shall be submitted to the Selection Committee via the online application form, together with the Application Form (Form 1) and the Checklist (Form 3).
[Application Form (Form 1)]
[Paper Template (Form 2)]
[Checklist (Form 3)]
[Application Form]
If there are related materials such as audio recordings, video files, or printed booklets, applicants may, after submitting the relevant documents via the application form, send to the supplementary materials separately by post to the Secretariat of the Selection Committee.

Awards

Award ceremonies shall be conducted by the Japan Society for Educational Skills, and a supplementary prize shall be conferred. In the case of nominations, the supplementary prize shall be awarded to the nominee.

References
[Application Guidelines]
[Regulations for the Mukoyama Yoichi Education Award]
[Guidelines for the Prevention of Misconduct]

The supplementary prizes are as follows:
I. Educational Skills Award ― ¥200,000
II. Advanced Practice Award ― ¥100,000
III. School Development, Classroom Management, and Student Guidance Award ― ¥100,000
IV. Mukoyama Yoichi Practice and Research Award ― ¥100,000
Special Award ― ¥100,000 
Prices are listed in Japanese yen. Payments may be subject to exchange rate fluctuations.

Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation criteria for submitted papers are as follows: (Detailed criteria shall be determined separately by the Selection Committee.)

Problem Identification and Practical Value
Whether the paper presents a substantive and well-defined identification of contemporary educational issues in school settings, together with effective practices and methodologies for addressing those issues.
Pioneering Nature
Whether the paper demonstrates innovative practices and methodologies that address cutting-edge educational challenges.
School Development, Classroom Management, and Student Guidance
Whether the practices and methodologies presented ensure that all students, without exception, are respected and supported.
Inheritance and Advancement of Mukoyama Yoichi’s Practices
Whether the paper demonstrates a thorough study and critical examination of Yoichi Mukoyama’s body of practice and further develops and advances those practices.

In the case of nominations, awards shall be determined through deliberation by the Selection Committee.

Review Process

Based on the Evaluation Criteria, outstanding papers shall be selected for each award category (First-round review). 
Papers that pass the first-round review shall be discussed comprehensively discussed, and candidates for each award shall be determined (Second-round review). 
Each award shall be announced on the Society’s official website following approval by the Board of Directors of the Japan Society for Educational Skills.
In principle, one recipient shall be selected for each award each year. This provision shall not apply if no suitable candidate is identified. 
Even after the announcement of the awards, the conferment of an award may be revoked if it is subsequently found that the recipient does not meet the Eligibility Requirements or has violated the guidelines for the prevention of misconduct.

Inquiries and Submission of Supplementary Materials

Mukoyama Yoichi Education Award Selection Committee

Email: info@mukoyama-award.com

Please note that inquiries regarding the selection process or results cannot be accommodated.

Chairman of the Celection Committee

Akashi Yoichi(Professor Emeritus, Chiba University)

He was born in 1948 in Himeshima Village, Oita Prefecture.
He retired from The Tokyo University of Education with a doctoral degree. His specialty is youth education and play theory. He has been involved in teacher training at Chiba University for 37 years and was the Dean of the Faculty of Education. After retiring in 2013, he became The president of Chiba Keiai Junior College. He also served as a member of the Central Council for Education of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology for eight years, and retired in February 2021.He has written many books, including "Why people who weren't hard-working at school are highly educated, have a high income, and are popular with the opposite sex"(Kodansha α new book), "What Can be Taught? What Can't be Taught?"(Sakurasha), and many others.

Other Members of the Selection Committee

Tani Kazuki(Professor, Tamagawa University Graduate School of Education, Teaching Profession)

Chairman of the Japan Society for Educational Skills.
He completed the master's course at the Hyogo University of Teacher Education. Worked for 22 years as a public elementary school teacher in Hyogo prefecture. While interacting with children as a classroom teacher, he learned excellent educational skills such as "every last child is valued" from Mukoyama Yoichi in his twenties and continues to be active in TOSS. Currently, he is also the president of TOSS and the chairman of the NPO Teachership Project. He focuses on research on teaching methods in each subject, training of teachers' teaching skills, development of teaching materials, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education.He has written many books, including "Tani Kazuki's Class Management and Work Techniques" (Sohjinsha), "Teaching Techniques Used by Professional Teachers Who Change Children" (Gakugei Miraisha), and many others.

Komori Eiji(Representative of Japan Science Education Support Center)

He was born in Saitama prefecture in 1956.
After working at public junior high schools in Saitama prefecture for 28 years, he worked on unique science room management and science classes with the motto "Science is exciting!". In 2008, he established the Japan Science Education Support Center and started a science education consulting business. He is currently the representative of the Mukoyama-Komori Science Study Group, a certified trainer at the Narika Science Academy, and a lecturer at the Sakitamakai nursery school (playing with science). He is engaged in raising children and teachers who like science. In addition to this society, he belongs to the Japan Society for Science Education and the Chemical Society of Japan Education Subcommittee.He has written many books, including "Classes that make children enthusiastic about Science" (Gakugei Miraisha), "Easy Beautiful Moving! Playing up to 10 years old" (Gakugei Miraisha), and many others.

Horita Tatsuya(Professor, Graduate School of Teacher Education, Tokyo Gakugei University)

Currently, he is also a Special inspector of Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and a senior fellow of the National Institute for Educational Policy Research. After graduating from Tokyo Gakugei University, he received his Ph.D. in Educational Technology from the Tokyo Institute of Technology. He started his career as a teacher at a public elementary school in Tokyo, including the Faculty of Education at the University of Toyama, the Faculty of Informatics at Shizuoka University, the National Institute of Multimedia Education, the Graduate School for Teacher Profession at Tamagawa University, and an advisor of the Ministry of Education (joint appointment). Since he was an elementary school teacher, he has had a strong interest in "easy-to-understand teaching methods," that is, educational techniques and methods, and has taken the path of researching ways to utilize ICT. He has served as a member of the Central Council for Education and chair of national conferences on digital textbooks and the use of educational data. He has written many books, including "Next Generation Information Utilization Ability to Foster in the Cloud" (Shogakukan), and many others.

Mukoyama Yukio(Professor Emeritus, Visiting Professor, Keiai University)

Adviser of the National Union Elementary School Chiefs Association.
After working as a public school teacher, he was the director of the Bunkyo Ward Board of Education, the director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education, the director of the Shinagawa Ward Board of Education, the director of Seiwa Elementary School of Katsushika Ward, the director of Sakamoto Elementary School of Chuo Ward, and the director of Taimei Elementary School. Served as a kindergarten director. He has also served as the president of the National Union Elementary School Directors' Association, president of the Tokyo Public Elementary School Directors' Association, and a professor at the Graduate School of Education, Teikyo University.He has written many books, including "Theory for Heisei School Principals" (Daiichi Kohosha), "Notes on Self-Enlightenment as a New Leader for Veteran Teachers" (Meiji Tosho), and "Theory of Heisei School Creation" (Daiichi Kohosya), "Heisei School Yearbook" (Daiichi Kohosha), "33 Principles for an Aspiring Vice-principal" (Kyoiku Kaihatu Kenkyusyo), and many others.

Photo by Miura Mariko

Anyango(Nyatiti player, Japan-Kenya cultural goodwill ambassador)

Mukoyama Eriko, also known as Anyango.
Fascinated by African music, she trained alone in a village in the hinterland of Kenya and became the world's first female player of Nyatiti (musical instrument), which was only allowed to be played by a limited number of local men. Anyango is a Luo word meaning "a girl born in the morning". She has performed widely in Japan, Africa, Europe, etc., and has also performed at elementary and junior high schools all over Japan as a Japanese Kenyan Cultural Goodwill Ambassador.In 2022, the 9th album "AOKO" was released. She has written many books, including "The Law of Grasping Dreams" (Kadokawa Gakugei Shuppan) and "Song of Nyatiti" (Gakugei Miraisha).
Official website https://anyango.com