Japanese Literary Awards

← Back to Home

Megumi Kawano

かわの めぐみ

Kawano Megumi

Pen Names: Magisa Nemuko（Pseudonym used for fiction submissions）

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1991-12-07 （Hadano, Kanagawa, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Hadano, Kanagawa (birthplace) → Tokyo (residence / main activity base)

Career

Occupations
tanka poet, novelist, essayist
Active Years
2010-2025
Influenced By
Yuko Yamao
Nominations
Akutagawa Prize nominee (Blue, 2024)

Education

University of Tokyo
Degree: 学士
Period: 2010-2014
Year of Graduation: 2014
Country: Japan
Joined the Hongo Tanka Society and began composing tanka
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences / Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies (doctoral program, enrolled)
Degree: 博士課程在学
Period: 在学中（2021時点）
Country: Japan
Enrolled in doctoral program (as of 2021)

Awards

Gadan Prize (29th)
2018
Work: Lilith (30 tanka)
Organization: Gadan Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Association of Contemporary Poets Award (65th)
2021
Work: Poetry collection 'Lilith'
Organization: Association of Contemporary Poets
Result: 受賞
Akutagawa Prize nominee (170th)
2024
Work: Blue
Organization: Literary prize committee
Result: 候補

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Lilith

2020 Tanka (poetry collection)

A linked sequence of tanka (30 poems) showcasing a distinctive aesthetic and imagery.

life and deathbeautyfemininityfantasy

Utopia of Innocent Flowers

2022 Fiction (short stories / novel collection)

A collection of stories set around young women and academies, blending fantasy and unease.

girlsisolationfantasyviolence and beauty

An Example of Lunar Script Transcription

2022 Fiction

A work characterized by fantastical motifs and experimental prose; a short-story style collection.

languagememoryotherworld

The Garden of Strange Diseases

2023 Fiction

A fantastical, allegorical long work themed around illness and abnormality.

illnessallegoryfantasy

Blue

2024 Fiction

A novel that explores color imagery and the inner lives of youth. Nominated for the Akutagawa Prize in 2024.

youthcolorself

The Star's Fixation

2024 Poetry collection

One of the latest poetry collections presenting a peculiar worldview through a sequence of poetic images.

cosmosbeautysolitude

Bibliography

  • Lilith (poetry collection, Shoshi Kankanbo, Sep 2020)
  • Utopia of Innocent Flowers (Tokyo Sogensha, Jun 2022)
  • An Example of Lunar Script Transcription (Shoshi Kankanbo, Oct 2022)
  • The Garden of Strange Diseases (Bungeishunju, Aug 2023)
  • Blue (Shueisha, Jan 2024)
  • The Star's Fixation (Kawade Shobo Shinsha, Jul 2024)
  • Becoming a Cute Pink Dragon (Sayusha, Dec 2023, essays)
  • Phantasmagoria Record (Doro Shobo, May 2024)
  • Observation Platform (Studio Parabolica, Apr 2025)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Contemporary tanka and prose employing decadent, fantastical imageryFragmentary and symbolic expression
Recurring Motifs
immortals/ghostsdragon / girlish imagescolor (notably blue)death and beauty

Legacy

A young writer notable for a distinctive aesthetic across tanka and fiction. Awards and notable works have made her a prominent voice in contemporary tanka and literature.

Academic Societies

  • Association of Contemporary Poets

Trivia

  • She favors Lolita fashion and discusses this affection in her essay collection 'Becoming a Cute Pink Dragon'.
  • Under the pen name Magisa Nemuko, she was a finalist for the Tsogen Fantasy Newcomer Award.