We are excited to announce our 2025 Massachusetts Hokkaido Design Contest, open now through March 15. A winning design will be embroidered on baseball caps available for purchase to fundraise for JSB.

We are holding this contest to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Massachusetts Hokkaido sister state/prefecture relationship. In the early days of Hokkaido's development, many experts were invited to Hokkaido to exchange ideas and learn from each other since the regions shared many characteristics, such as cold weather. Among them were Massachusetts natives such as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Peter Capron and Dr. William S. Clark, then President of the Massachusetts Agricultural College (now the University of Massachusetts Amherst), who became the first vice principal of Sapporo Agricultural College (now Hokkaido University). They contributed greatly to building the foundations of Hokkaido's development and the two states have been working together ever since to exchange ideas, culture, education, and technology to foster international understanding and goodwill.

The contest is open to all ages and multiple entrees are allowed. The top designs will be nominated by JSB, and then the final design will be chosen by popular vote. The winner of the contest will be featured and will receive a free hat with their design!

Requirements:

• The design must show or represent a connection between Massachusetts and Hokkaido in some way, this can be literal or more figurative/abstract

• Do not use the words "35th anniversary" or refer to the anniversary in your design

• Do not include our logo in your design, it will be added to the hat

• We accept the following file formats: AI, EPS, PDF, PNG and JPG

• Design must be digital and ready for print, ex: if hand drawn, must be converted to digital format

• Design size should be within 2 inches (height) x 6 inches (width), with at least 300ppi

• You may indicate color choices with your design but the final decision will be made by JSB

• The hat itself is available in the following colors: Dark Blue, White, Black, Navy, Red, Gray, Dark Gray, and Forest Green (see "Substrate Color" below)

• The design can be embroidered in up to 12 of the following 56 colors (see "thread colors" below)

• Please also reference the design tips below for best results

  

  

  

  

  
  

Submission deadline: March 15, 11:59PM ET, 2025

By submitting, legal rights to the design are transferred to the Japan Society of Boston.

Submit designs through email to: joanneha@japansocietyboston.org

Any questions can also be directed to the same email.