Hello. I'm Kato, a web planner at Monosus, and I'm in charge of planning and structuring website designs.
At Monosus, our Web & Digital Solutions team creates websites for various companies every day. Because of our work, we also see a huge number of websites. This time, we've focused on "anniversary websites."
Special websites are launched to coincide with milestones such as the founding or establishment of a company, sometimes reaching 100 or 150 years. These anniversary sites condense the company's history and future direction into a single site, making them a valuable learning resource from the perspective of website creators.
So, this time, we, the web production staff, have gathered some anniversary websites that we genuinely thought were good. Our selection criteria were "how they communicate," "how they present themselves," and "the unique touches that make them special for an anniversary."
Many of these have won domestic web awards. While this is purely from the perspective of one production company, I hope you find it helpful.
Come to think of it, I also covered their anniversary website about 10 years ago.
Actually, I wrote an article on the same topic on the Monosus website about 10 years ago.
Reference: What should a B2B company's anniversary website convey? (2017)
Comparing the websites I introduced back then with those I now consider "good," I've noticed that what's expected of anniversary websites has gradually changed. The basic principle of beautifully reflecting on history remains the same. However, in addition to that, there's a growing emphasis on re-articulating the company's purpose, fostering a sense of unity within the company by making each employee the main character, and ensuring accessibility—that the site is "usable by everyone." I think these elements have become more strongly emphasized.
This article also includes a perspective on "the changes in anniversary websites over the past 10 years."
Anniversary websites that Monosus saw and thought were "good"
From here on, we will introduce each company's website, focusing on our perspective of "what we found appealing about them."
A culmination of 100 years, delivering our message to everyone – Chugai Pharmaceutical's "100th Anniversary Website"
First, let me introduce the 100th anniversary website of Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a research and development-oriented pharmaceutical company that boasts unique technologies and science. It was launched in March 2025 to coincide with the significant milestone of its 100th anniversary.
[Main Contents]
- A history tracing the company's 100-year journey since its founding (100 years of innovation and challenge)
- An introduction to "Chugai Pharmaceutical Today," which is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
- "My Action Declaration": Employees declare their aspirations for the future.
- CEO's Message for the 100th Anniversary
What first caught my eye was the thorough consideration given to "not limiting who the product reaches." Although it may be rare to see their products in stores as a company that handles prescription pharmaceuticals, the design aims to deliver their journey equally to everyone.
"Looking Back" begins with the story of the founder, who, after witnessing the shortage of medicines caused by the 1925 Great Kanto Earthquake, started the company with the desire to "create medicines that would be useful to society." It carefully traces the trajectory of how the company, which started with just seven people, grew to over 7,000 employees in 100 years.
What particularly impressed me was "My Action Declaration." This content features each employee writing a declaration of their aspirations for the future they want to realize, presented alongside an avatar. A different declaration is displayed each time you access it, allowing you to encounter the "future" of employees from various departments. It's not about past glories, but about each individual speaking about the next 100 years in their own words. I thought that balance was excellent.
This website conveys the weight of history in a way that is accessible to everyone. Furthermore, this website won the Accessibility Award Grand Prix at the 13th Web Grand Prix.
The playful spirit of "peeking" - caroa's "4th Anniversary Special Site"
Next up is the 4th-anniversary website of the web design company caroa. They offer a different approach from established companies and are a valuable example to learn from.
[Main Contents]
- Introduction of the team members who actually work here
- Behind the scenes of production and an introduction to work methods
- The site offers an interactive experience where users can "peek" while browsing.
The main focus of this site is not so much the company itself, but rather "the people who work there." Based on the concept of "Let's take a peek at Kaloa, which is celebrating its 4th anniversary," the entire site is designed as a "peeking" experience. You can get a sense of what goes on inside the company through the perspective of the employees who actually work there, as if you were peeking behind the scenes of production and into the work methods of each member.
What's important isn't the flashy presentation itself, but the simplicity of constructing the whole thing with just the idea of "peeking," and the creation of realistic content. Anniversaries aren't just for companies with a long history. Young and growing companies can also turn anniversaries into a great opportunity for branding. This company was a great example of that.
This product also won a Gold award at the "Studio Design Award 2024".
Presenting its history as a "story" – Hankyu Nishinomiya Gardens' "15th Anniversary Special Website"
Next up is GARDENS STORY "Ladies of the Garden," a special website launched by Hankyu Nishinomiya Gardens, a commercial facility in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture, to coincide with its 15th anniversary.
[Main Contents]
- A collection of original short stories (4 stories in total) set in a facility.
- A story that will be released in installments according to the four seasons.
- Audio novel narrated in Kansai dialect
An essential element of any anniversary website is content that showcases the history of the company or facility. However, simply listing the history in a straightforward manner can become rather uninteresting. This example transforms that into a complete "story."
Published in the same year that Hankyu Nishinomiya Gardens opened, "Hankyu Train" is a bestselling novel set in the local Hankyu railway area. Inheriting that context, author Hiro Arikawa and publisher Gentosha have teamed up to write original short stories set in the facility. The protagonists are the customers themselves. Depicting the joys of living in Nishinomiya along with seasonal events, all four stories, which connect the 15-year history like a puzzle, were continuously released throughout the anniversary year.
Another point I appreciated was the way it was presented. It wasn't just text; it incorporated videos and photographs taken inside the building and on the Hankyu train platforms, creating a picture-book-like narrative. An audio novel narrated in the Kansai dialect was also included, allowing listeners to enjoy the scenes through sound as well. The thoughtful consideration for reaching everyone—young and old, and even those with disabilities—was evident.
This experience made me realize that historical content can become such a rich and engaging read with a little ingenuity. It also won an Excellence Award in the Promotion Site category at the 12th Web Grand Prix.
Drawing the future from a vision – Yokogawa Electric Corporation's "YOKOGAWA 100th Anniversary Site"
From here, we will introduce examples from B2B manufacturers. This is the 100th anniversary website of Yokogawa Electric Corporation, which was founded in Shibuya, Tokyo in 1915 and has supported the world's manufacturing industry with its measurement, control, and information technologies.
[Main Contents]
- A vision that conveys our direction and slogan, "Co-innovating tomorrow."
- A vision for the next 100 years
- A history tracing the company's journey since its founding in 1915.
- An introduction to the technologies and innovations we have cultivated so far.
- Introduction to our employees and the people involved
What I liked about this site is that it doesn't just look back at the past, but focuses on "where we're going from here." The corporate brand slogan displayed is "Co-innovating tomorrow," which embodies the desire to cultivate long-term partnerships with customers and create new value together.
In "VISION," the company's top management clearly articulates its vision. Expanding its perspective beyond production processes to encompass the entire factory and even the entire supply chain spanning multiple companies, it aims to optimize the flow of all information and goods. The message is grounded and practical, reflecting the strengths of a B2B company.
The company slogan and anniversary message are beautifully integrated, and the "100th anniversary" milestone is fully utilized as a platform for declaring the next 100 years. It not only boasts of its history but also speaks of the future. This site offers many valuable lessons in terms of its 100th-anniversary website structure.
A sincere narrative from a social infrastructure company – Sanki Engineering's "100th Anniversary Website"
Finally, we'd like to introduce the 100th anniversary website of Sanki Engineering Co., Ltd., a comprehensive engineering company that handles facility construction such as air conditioning, water supply and drainage, and environmental systems. They celebrated their 100th anniversary on April 22, 2025.
[Main Contents]
- A message from the president expressing gratitude and determination for the next 100 years.
- An explanation of the meaning behind the 100th anniversary logo.
- A special movie showcasing 100 years of history in a traditional storytelling style.
- Reading material such as the "Sanki Century Newspaper" and a survey of 100 employees.
- A history tracing the company's journey since its founding (with a commemorative book viewer)
Under the message, "Comfort for people. Optimal for the planet," the president's message frankly expresses gratitude for 100 years of support and a commitment to a sustainable society. On the other hand, content such as "Kodan: The Tale of the Three Machines," which presents the 100-year history in the style of traditional Japanese storytelling, and "The Three Machines Century Newspaper," a survey of 100 employees, show a playful spirit despite the company's solid industry. The page that carefully explains the meaning behind the logo also conveys how much importance is placed on this milestone.
Rather than flashiness, the site's strength lies in its honesty and integrity as a company that has supported social infrastructure.
Common characteristics of websites I found appealing
Looking at these five websites side by side, we noticed that the ones that attracted us had several things in common. The websites we now find appealing seem to have the following characteristics:
We are taking this anniversary as an opportunity to redefine our brand and purpose.
The best websites, in general, didn't just boast about past achievements. They took this opportunity to reaffirm their purpose for existing. I was particularly impressed by the way companies like Chugai Pharmaceutical and Yokogawa Electric seamlessly connected their founding principles with their future vision.
Employees are the main players, fostering a sense of unity within the company.
Content that puts each employee in the spotlight was prominent, such as Chugai Pharmaceutical's "My Action Declaration" and caroa's member introductions. Anniversary websites serve not only as a means of communication to the outside world, but also as a platform to enhance a sense of unity within the company.
The target audience is clear, and the speaking style is consistent.
Customers, business partners, shareholders, the local community, and job candidates. The clearer the target audience of a website, the stronger the message and the more memorable it is. I was particularly impressed by Hankyu Nishinomiya Gardens' unwavering commitment to their "local customers."
A sincere website design that delivers your message to the people you want to reach.
In addition to video production and sustainability initiatives, addressing "accessibility" has become particularly important in recent years. Rather than simply adopting it as a measure to comply with legal revisions (such as the revised Disability Discrimination Elimination Act of 2024) or as a trend, it is now being questioned as a reflection of a company's very stance on how it engages with its business, customers, and society.
For example, in the case of Chugai Pharmaceutical, they thoroughly prioritize accessibility so that information reaches everyone, regardless of age or disability, because their prescription drugs and business are deeply connected to "all patients and society."
An anniversary website is a place for a company to express gratitude to everyone who has been involved with it and to show a vision for the future. That's why it's important to consider designing an anniversary website that is open to all stakeholders, rather than making it "accessible only to a select few."
How to approach anniversary website creation from the perspective of a web development company.
Finally, I'd like to share what I've come to realize as I've been creating articles for this anniversary site—what I believe is important for an anniversary website.
I believe the important thing is not to jump straight into deciding "what kind of design to use." First, clarify "who you want to communicate with and what message you want to convey for this anniversary." If you stay focused on that, the content and design will naturally fall into place.
Furthermore, anniversary websites aren't a "launch and done" affair. For example, Hankyu Nishinomiya Gardens continued to publish short stories throughout the year, corresponding to the four seasons. Also, some companies, like Yokogawa Electric and Sanki Engineering, keep their anniversary websites online even after the anniversary has passed, and these sites remain as valuable assets. How to utilize the content created as a result of the anniversary in subsequent corporate activities—when you can see that far ahead, the value of your investment increases significantly.
In conclusion
So, what did you think? All the websites we found particularly impressive this time didn't just end their anniversaries with a "look back at the past," but also conveyed both the present and expectations for the future. And many of them were also recognized in web awards.
Anniversaries are special times for companies. It would be wonderful to create a website that not only reflects on the past but also conveys a sense of hope for the present and future, while expressing gratitude to everyone involved—customers, employees and their families, shareholders, and business partners.
At Monosus, we offer a wide range of services, primarily focused on website creation, from initial consultations before ordering to site development and post-launch operation. Please feel free to contact us if you are considering an anniversary website.
Contact us here
KATO Keisuke