Miura Ayako Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 1 (2014) award
Akiko Kawasaki
かわさき あきこ
Kawasaki Akiko
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1979-01-01 （Betsukai, Notsuke District, Hokkaido, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Betsukai, Notsuke District, Hokkaido, Japan (birthplace) → New Zealand (one-year stay) → A town in Tokachi subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan (moved; full-time writer)
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Former shepherd, Dairy farm worker
- Active Years
- 2015-
- Influenced By
- Atsushi Nakajima
- Nominations
- Nominee for the 33rd Mishima Yukio Prize (for 'Redeemed by the Earth', 2020), Nominee for the 167th Naoki Prize (for 'The Strangling Tree', 2022)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hokkai-Gakuen University | Faculty of Economics | — | — | — | Japan |
Hokkai-Gakuen University
Faculty of Economics
Country:
Japan
Member of a literary circle during university studies
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Hokkaido Shimbun Literary Prize | Tosu Iji | 創作・評論部門 | Hokkaido Shimbun (Hokkaido Shimbun Press) | 受賞 |
| 2011 | Hokkaido Shimbun Literary Prize | Hokui Fūjin | 創作・評論部門 | Hokkaido Shimbun (Hokkaido Shimbun Press) | 佳作入選 |
| 2014 | Miura Ayako Literary Prize | King of the Gale | — | Miura Ayako Memorial Museum | 受賞 |
| 2016 | JRA Horse Culture Award | King of the Gale | — | Japan Racing Association (JRA) | 受賞 |
| 2019 | Oyabu Haruhiko Prize | Nikudan | — | Oyabu Haruhiko Prize Selection Committee | 受賞 |
| 2020 | Nitta Jirō Literary Prize | Redeemed by the Earth | — | Nitta Jirō Literary Prize Selection Committee | 受賞 |
| 2020 | Kushiro Shimbun Local Arts Award | — | — | Kushiro Newspaper | 受賞 |
| 2024 | Naoki Prize | Tomogui | — | Naoki Prize Selection Committee | 受賞 |
Hokkaido Shimbun Literary Prize
2012
Work:
Tosu Iji
Category:
創作・評論部門
Organization:
Hokkaido Shimbun (Hokkaido Shimbun Press)
Result:
受賞
Hokkaido Shimbun Literary Prize
2011
Work:
Hokui Fūjin
Category:
創作・評論部門
Organization:
Hokkaido Shimbun (Hokkaido Shimbun Press)
Result:
佳作入選
Miura Ayako Literary Prize
2014
Work:
King of the Gale
Organization:
Miura Ayako Memorial Museum
Result:
受賞
JRA Horse Culture Award
2016
Work:
King of the Gale
Organization:
Japan Racing Association (JRA)
Result:
受賞
Oyabu Haruhiko Prize
2019
Work:
Nikudan
Organization:
Oyabu Haruhiko Prize Selection Committee
Result:
受賞
Nitta Jirō Literary Prize
2020
Work:
Redeemed by the Earth
Organization:
Nitta Jirō Literary Prize Selection Committee
Result:
受賞
Kushiro Shimbun Local Arts Award
2020
Organization:
Kushiro Newspaper
Result:
受賞
Naoki Prize
2024
Work:
Tomogui
Organization:
Naoki Prize Selection Committee
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Oyabu Haruhiko Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 21 (2019) award
Nitta Jiro Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 39 (2020) award
Naoki Sanjugo Award
1 appearances
Works
Major Works
King of the Gale
2015 NovelA sweeping novel centered on Hokkaido's modern history and horses. It depicts bonds between land and family through the lives of ranches and their people.
animals (horses)Hokkaido historybonds of land and family
Nikudan
2017 NovelA human drama about bodily existence and violence; received acclaim for its tense depiction.
physicalityviolencehuman relationships
Redeemed by the Earth
2019 NovelA story of land and atonement, intertwining Hokkaido's historical background with personal redemption and rebirth.
atonementmemory of the landregional history
Hato-go
2020 NovelA work with elements of a short-story collection focusing on human-animal relationships.
animalshuman dramacoexistence
The Strangling Tree
2021 NovelA mysterious story portraying oppressive environments and human relationships. It was nominated for the Naoki Prize.
closed environmentshuman relationshipsmystery
Whale Cape
2022 NovelA story about people connected to the sea and whaling; regional historical awareness and personal histories intersect.
seawhalingregional history
Caregiver D
2022 NovelA socially conscious work dealing with caregiving and aging.
caregivingagingperspective of caregivers
Seijo Island
2022 NovelSet on an island and community, it portrays contrasts between purity and pollution.
communityislandpurity and pollution
Tomogui
2023 Novel(Naoki Prize-winning work) Through sharp portrayals of human relationships, it depicts facets of regional society.
human relationshipsregional societyviolence and bonds
Bibliography
- King of the Gale (2015)
- Nikudan (2017)
- Redeemed by the Earth (2019)
- Hato-go (2020)
- The Strangling Tree (2021)
- Whale Cape (2022)
- Caregiver D (2022)
- Seijo Island (2022)
- Tomogui (2023)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- detailed scene descriptionincorporation of animal perspectivesemphasis on history and regionality
- Recurring Motifs
- sheephorsesHokkaido nature and historyrural life
Legacy
Akiko Kawasaki has been acclaimed for works focusing on animals and Hokkaido's modern history, winning multiple literary awards since the late 2010s. Her careful depiction of regional history and livelihoods has drawn attention to regional literature.
Quotes
-
Among writers, I like Atsushi Nakajima and admire him.
Source: Winner interview (Hokkaido Shimbun, etc.)
Trivia
- Born in 1979 in Betsukai, Hokkaido.
- After graduating from university she studied sheep farming in New Zealand and worked in her family's dairy business.
- Her experience as a shepherd has influenced her animal-themed works.
- Debuted with 'King of the Gale' (2015); won the Naoki Prize in 2024.