Industrial designer Kenji Ekuan was born on September 11, 1929, in Tokyo.
He moved to Hawaii shortly after his birth, where he spent his early elementary school years. After returning to Japan, he lived in Tokyo, and then moved to Hiroshima, his parents' hometown, in August 1945. He was shocked by the desolate cityscapes immediately after the war and experienced poverty due to shortages of goods. This experience motivated him to pursue a career in design.
He entered the Faculty of Fine Arts at Tokyo University of the Arts in 1950. While there, he founded the company that would later become the GK Design Group. After graduating in 1955, he devoted himself to promotional activities for the company. In 1961, he designed the Kikkoman Soy Sauce Tabletop Bottle, which became a huge hit. The design of this product has remained unchanged since its release and is immensely popular both in Japan and overseas.
He subsequently designed the Cosmo Oil logo, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government symbol, and the Ministop logo, as well as railroad cars and motorcycles. He currently serves as chairman of the design group "GK," which he formed during his university days, as well as the World Design Organization, the Japan Design Organization, and the Tool Society.