Japanese Literary Awards

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Shō Kutsuki

くつき しょう

Kutsuki Shō

Pen Names: Shaw Kuzki（English rendering used in some sources）

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1957-00-00 （Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Hiroshima (birthplace) → Kamakura (residence)

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Children's literature author
Active Years
2005-
Affiliations
Japan PEN Club (member, Children's Books Committee), Selection committee member for Kodansha Children's Literature Newcomer Prize (has served)
Memberships
Member of Japan PEN Club

Education

Hiroshima Municipal Motomachi High School
Country: Japan
Graduated high school
Sophia University, Graduate School
Literature/English studies (approx.)
Degree: 修士前期課程修了
Country: Japan
Completed graduate (pre-doctoral) course (year not specified)

Awards

Children's Literature Fantasy Award (Honorable Mention)
2003
Work: Kahatate (Sanzai-ga-ike no Kappa Neko)
Organization: Children's Picture Book/Literature Research Center (award organizer)
Result: 受賞（佳作）
Children's Literature Newcomer Award (35th)
2006
Work: Kahatate
Organization: Japan Children's Literature Association
Result: 受賞
Japan Children's Literature Association Newcomer Award (39th)
2006
Work: Kahatate
Organization: Japan Children's Literature Association
Result: 受賞
Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Prize
2009
Work: Higanbana wa Kitsune no Kanzashi
Organization: Sankei Shimbun
Result: 受賞（入賞）
Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Prize (Grand Prize, 57th)
2010
Work: Kaze no Kutsu
Organization: Sankei Shimbun
Result: 大賞受賞
Fukuda Kiyohito Prize (9th)
2014
Work: Hikari no Utsushie (Soul-Lanterns)
Organization: Fukuda Kiyohito Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Shogakukan Children's Publishing Culture Prize (63rd)
2014
Work: Hikari no Utsushie (Soul-Lanterns)
Organization: Shogakukan
Result: 受賞
Japan Children's Literature Association Award (55th)
2015
Work: Ahiru no Tegami
Organization: Japan Children's Literature Association
Result: 受賞
Children's Book Research Association Award (2nd)
2018
Work: Hachigatsu no Hikari: Lost Voices
Organization: Children's Book Research Association
Result: 受賞
Selected for The White Ravens (International Recommended Books)
2014
Work: Flash in August / Soul-Lanterns
Organization: International Youth Library, Munich
Result: 選定
Selected for The White Ravens (2016)
2016
Work: Ahiru no Tegami
Organization: International Youth Library, Munich
Result: 選定

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Kahatate: Sanzai-ga-ike's Kappa Cat

2005 Children's literature / Fantasy

Debut work. A fantasy set around Sanzai-ga-ike featuring kappas and cats in a children's tale.

fantasycoming-of-ageempathy

Kaze no Kutsu (The Wind's Shoes)

2009 Children's novel

A work praised for its precise details and narrative drive; winner of the Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Prize (Grand Prize).

realismgrowthhumor

Flash in August

2012 Children's / Young adult novel

A linked short-story collection ('Hina no Kao', 'Ishi no Kioku', 'Mizu no Kanmoku') dealing with memory and Hiroshima-related themes.

Hiroshimamemorypeaceloss and recovery
Adaptations
  • [Radio (reading)] Ishi no Kioku (from Flash in August) (2013)
  • [International broadcast (multilingual)] Ishi no Kioku (multilingual broadcast) / NHK（国際放送局） (2016)
Translations
  • English: Flash in August

Soul-Lanterns (Hiroshima HIROSHIMA Hiroshima)

2013 Children's literature

A children's book themed on Hiroshima, dealing with atomic-bomb memory; received international recognition.

Hiroshimamemorypeace education
Translations
  • English translation: Soul Lanterns (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2021)

Ahiru no Tegami (The Duck's Letter)

2014 Children's literature

A heartwarming story; selected for The White Ravens catalogue.

familycompassioncoming-of-age

Bibliography

  • Kahatate: Sanzai-ga-ike no Kappa Neko (2005)
  • Tasokare: The Unknown Tale (2006)
  • Higanbana wa Kitsune no Kanzashi (2008)
  • Fairy Tale: In a Deep Forest of a Distant Land (2008)
  • Kaze no Kutsu (2009)
  • My Cat Has a Rabbit Tail (2009)
  • Open the Door, It's Magic Time (2009)
  • The House in the Drawer (2010)
  • On the Line (2011)
  • Flash in August (2012)
  • Petal Princess and the Cat Witch (2013)
  • Soul-Lanterns (2013)
  • Ahiru no Tegami (2014)
  • Flash in August: Remnants (2015)
  • Gesshaku Aosenzan (2019)
  • Sakura Village Is in an Uproar (2021)
  • Words Written on Bread (2022)
  • Kagefumi (2023)
  • Neko mo Odekake (2023)

Adaptations

  • NHK radio readings (e.g., 'Ishi no Kioku' from Flash in August)
  • NHK International broadcasts in multiple languages (2016, etc.)

Translations by Author

  • Translated 'Ballet Shoes' (Noel Streatfeild) into Japanese (2019)

Translations of Works

  • Hikari no Utsushie → English: Soul Lanterns (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2021)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Elegant prose backed by broad eruditionNarrative voice that uses humorSkilled storytelling accessible to both children and adults
Recurring Motifs
memory and transmission (notably Hiroshima)animals (cats, ducks)fantastical elements intruding on everyday lifeempathy and shared suffering

Legacy

Recognized domestically and internationally as a children's literature author; selections for The White Ravens and multiple awards reflect contributions to preserving Hiroshima memory and to peace education.

Academic Societies

  • Japan PEN Club
  • Related bodies of the Japan Children's Literature Association

Archives

  • National Diet Library (author authority record)
  • Authority data such as VIAF / ISNI / GND

In Popular Culture

  • Featured in NHK multilingual broadcasts and radio readings
  • Introduced at international book fairs (Frankfurt, Bologna)

Quotes

  • "Her literature has a power rooted in the theme of 'shared empathy and suffering.'"
    Source: Chugoku Shimbun (commentary by Yuichi Ishii, 2014) (2014)

Trivia

  • Second-generation atomic bomb survivor (hibakusha 2nd generation); many works address Hiroshima.
  • In 2014, two books ('Flash in August' and 'Soul-Lanterns') were selected for The White Ravens — an unusual dual selection.
  • Her works span target ages from early childhood through young adult and adult readers.