What’s Muran?
About DENSO MURAN
Filled with everyone’s dreams,
DENSO’s Official
Idea Contest
MURAN is DENSO’s official idea contest event, held once every two years.
As an event that everyone across the entire DENSO Group can join, and as a place to connect with people outside the company, including our local community, MURAN welcomes many visitors every time.
Through exhibitions, workshops, contests, and many other experiences, come and discover the excitement of turning dreams into reality.
With stage events, food stalls, and more, MURAN is packed with fun.
Idea Contest
Compete with innovative ideas
Software Challenge Contest
Sharpen your programming skills
Future Kids Art Project
Nurture the creativity to draw the future
Skills Competition
Compete with master craftsmanship
Stage Events
We’ll host a wide variety of stage programs, including talk shows, performances, and live music
Hands-on Experiences
Booths where you can experience making things and advanced technology, all in one place. Fun for all ages.
Exhibitions
Exhibits introducing the activities of DENSO and its partners. Enjoy making new discoveries
Food
Food trucks and gourmet booths that are fun to look at and delicious to eat, all in one place!
1962-1988
The “Idea Group System” Begins
The system that became the forerunner of MURAN was launched
1991
The 1st MURAN
A Memorable First Event
The MURAN event began
1993
The 2nd MURAN
MURAN Committee Formed
The MURAN Committee was formed, led by the DENSO Engineering Society
1998
The 4th MURAN
Visitors Top 10,000
With more participants from group companies in Japan and overseas, the number of visitors topped 10,000.
It grew into a major event, the only one in which everyone across the entire DENSO Group can take part
2008
The 9th MURAN
Monozukuri Support System and Public Voting Introduced
The venue moved from the Takatana Plant to DENSO Headquarters, and the “Monozukuri Support System” was launched to match people who have ideas with people who are good at making things.
A “public voting system” was also introduced, letting visitors choose the Grand Prix winner
2010
The 10th MURAN
Visitors Top 20,000
Idea entries exceeded 10,000 and visitors topped 20,000, as MURAN grew into a large-scale event involving local residents and children
2016
The 13th MURAN
Mu-chan and Ran-chan debuted as mascot characters
2018
The 14th MURAN
New Software Category Added
A software category was added to the Idea Contest.
There were more entries of recent digital works such as apps and AI, and the venue was buzzing with ideas that made the most of technology
2020
Canceled Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Preparations for the 15th MURAN were underway, but due to COVID-19, the difficult decision was made to cancel it
2022
The 16th MURAN
First Event Held Both In Person and Online
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, MURAN planned a double event, with an in-person venue and an online venue.
The event content also changed greatly, and MURAN made a fresh start with new programs such as the “Future Vehicles Area,” which turned children’s ideas into real works, and the “Software Idea Contest,” where participants took on the challenge of programming!
2024
The 17th MURAN
The Classic Idea Contest Returns After 6 Years!
Due to restrictions on activities, the 16th MURAN mainly featured software-focused exhibits…
At the first event after the pandemic, the anything-goes Idea Contest was back after 6 years!
Along with the new programs first tried at the previous event, MURAN was powered up even further.
2026
The 18th MURAN
First-Ever Employee Voting in the Contest!
The event was held under the slogan “DX²! The Moment the Next Era Begins!” For the first time in MURAN’s history, the contest included an employee vote, and many employees took part in selecting the works. The Future Kids Art Project also held its first co-creation workshop, where elementary school students in Kariya and DENSO employees developed ideas together. MURAN took a new step “from participation to co-creation.”
