We spoke with Tanushi Yuichiro of Nishina Kaikan
We spoke with Tanushi Yuichiro, director and secretary-general of the Nishina Foundation for Science Promotion (Nishina Kaikan), the organization hosting the competition, about the robot contest.
What are some distinctive features of the 2026 theme?
Tanushi (titles omitted)
The foundation's appointed judges discuss and decide the robot contest rules each year. When deciding this year's theme, they talked about how table settings would require two sets of plates, and how it would be fun to have a scenario where ingredients are cooked in a frying pan.
This year, the types and number of items are unchanged from last year. However, the way the goals are set has changed. Until last year, each item generally had one designated goal, but this year there are three goals for the sponge blocks.
Bonus points are awarded only when the specified number of items is delivered to each goal, so teams cannot aim for a high score unless they carefully sort the items after transporting them.
Last year (2025), more schools than we expected achieved a perfect score, so we made it a little harder this year.
What kinds of robots do the students bring?
Tanushi (titles omitted)
The middle school students build interesting robots. They are fearless and sometimes come up with something unexpected. They have rich imaginations.
By high school, students have figured out how to build a robot to transport the items. Since the kinds of robots that can score points are fairly predictable, high school students tend to take that into account and build robots that can perform reliably.
Are there any robots that have made a lasting impression on you?
Tanushi
Every year is interesting. For example, I was impressed by a robot with a small monitor that displayed what it was doing at the time. The monitor did not directly help transport the items, but it worked properly, and I thought it was interesting.
Another was a robot equipped with a large crane, which could transport items of any size.
However, with such a long crane, the robot became unstable and toppled over, so it could hardly transport any items in practice. Even so, the idea was interesting, and it was selected for the Challenge Award because it would have been amazing if it had worked.
How do the students go about building their robots?
Tanushi
The theme is announced on April 1, and that's when they start developing their robots. They practice during summer vacation and seem to devote a lot of time to the project.
For example, in recent years, Satosho Junior High School has won the middle school division. They enter several robots every year, each with its own distinct character.
I get the impression that the teachers don't tell the students, “Build it this way.” Instead, when students come up with an idea and say, “We want to do it this way,” the teachers simply offer advice such as, “Why not try doing it this way?” This allows the students to freely share ideas and work hard on them.
What do you hope students will gain from this contest?
Tanushi
I hope it will inspire them to make things. I also hope it will spark their interest in learning about science and engineering.
This is the 34th year of the robot contest. It has continued thanks to the efforts of many people, including schoolteachers. We want to consider how to keep it going for many years in its current form.
A memorable robot contest
As I reported on the event, I thought that for the students who took part, today would become a wonderful memory that would stay with them for a long time.
In an age when AI does many things for us, they use their own hands and minds to build robots with their teammates. They improve them through trial and error, then put everything on the line in the three-minute competition. They respond to mishaps. I felt that this would become a day they would one day look back on and remember, “We did something like that”—whether things went well or not.
The robot contest is apparently scheduled to be held again next year. They say the level gets higher every year. What kinds of robots will appear next time?
34th Robot Contest 2026 Information
| Name | 34th Robot Contest 2026 |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, August 30, 2026 From 9:00 a.m. |
| Location | 6610 Satomi, Satosho Town, Asakuchi District, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | Free |
| Website | Robot Contest |
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