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Mai Ishizawa

いしざわ まい

Ishizawa Mai

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1988-06-12 （Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Screenwriter
Active Years
2012-
Influenced By
Kenji Miyazawa, Hiromi Kawakami
Influenced
A younger generation of writers

Education

Waseda University
Faculty of Letters / Department of Japanese Literature
Degree: 学士
Period: 2006-2010
Year of Graduation: 2010
Country: Japan

Awards

Mirai Literary Prize
2024
Work: Prayer of the Sea
Organization: Mirai Literary Foundation
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Prayer of the Sea

2024 Novel 312 pages

A novel that follows a woman confronting the sea and recovering lost family memories. It explores the relationship between nature and humanity and tells a story of renewal in a quiet, lyrical style.

seafamilymemoryrebirth
Adaptations
  • [Film] Prayer of the Sea / 田中聡 (2025)
Translations
  • Prayer of the Sea (English translation)

Bibliography

  • Time of Waves (2018)
  • A Small Light (2020)
  • Prayer of the Sea (2024)

Adaptations

  • Prayer of the Sea (film adaptation)

Translations of Works

  • Prayer of the Sea (English translation)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
lyrical prosequiet narrationemphasis on natural description
Recurring Motifs
sealight and shadowfragments of memory

Legacy

Recognized for reflecting the sensibilities of a younger generation, she is regarded as a notable contemporary Japanese writer. Her works are characterized by themes of spiritual renewal and relationships with nature.

Academic Societies

  • Japanese Society for Contemporary Literature

In Popular Culture

  • Became widely known through TV and film adaptations

Quotes

  • Words are deep like the sea, and they change.
    Source: Afterword of 'Prayer of the Sea' (2024)

Trivia

  • Born in Yokohama.
  • Began writing after winning a short story prize while at university.