Japanese Literary Awards

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Yoichiro Morimizu

もりみず よういちろう

Morimizu Yoichiro

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1976-09-19 （Himeji, Hyōgo, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
poet, novelist
Active Years
2012-
Affiliations
Japan Association of Contemporary Poets
Memberships
Japan Association of Contemporary Poets
Nominations
All Yomimono New Writer Prize nominee (Biting Baron, 2012), Oguma Hideo Prize nominee (September Nineteenth, 2016), Nishiwaki Junzaburō Prize newcomer nominee (Crimson Friend, 2024)

Awards

Komoro-Fujimura Literary Prize
2012
Work: Five Days Pilgrimage
Organization: Komoro-Fujimura Literary Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Buraku Liberation Literary Prize (Poetry Division)
2012
Work: Blue Will
Category: 詩部門
Organization: Buraku Liberation Literary Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
All Yomimono New Writer Prize
2012
Work: Biting Baron
Organization: All Yomimono
Result: 候補
Buraku Liberation Literary Prize (Poetry Division)
2014
Work: To You at Fifteen
Category: 詩部門
Organization: Buraku Liberation Literary Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Kiyama Shōhei Short Story Prize
2014
Work: Father, a Frog
Organization: Kiyama Shōhei Prize Committee
Result: 候補
Oguma Hideo Prize
2016
Work: September Nineteenth
Organization: Oguma Hideo Prize Committee
Result: 候補
Ono Jūzaburō Prize
2016
Work: September Nineteenth
Organization: Ono Jūzaburō Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Japan Book Design Award (Publishing Division)
2019
Work: A Name Called Moonshadow
Organization: Japan Book Design Award Committee
Result: 入選
Bocchan Literary Prize
2021
Work: Living with an Elephant
Organization: Bocchan Literary Prize Committee
Result: 佳作
Nishiwaki Junzaburō Prize (Newcomer Nominee)
2024
Work: Crimson Friend
Organization: Nishiwaki Junzaburō Prize Committee
Result: 候補
BookShort Award
2024
Work: Thirty Ri Searching for Father
Organization: BookShort Award Committee
Result: 優秀作品・年間最終候補
Gentosha Renaissance New Writer Prize
2024
Work: Crying Man and the Smile Bird
Organization: Gentosha
Result: 候補
Yanagiha Prize
2024
Work: Yawn
Category: 童謡詩
Organization: Yanagiha Prize Committee
Result: 優秀賞
BookShort Award
2025
Work: Night at Yakushidō
Organization: BookShort Award Committee
Result: 優秀作品・年間最終候補

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

September Nineteenth

2015 Poetry collection

Debut poetry collection composed of delicate lyrical pieces that observe everyday life, memory, family and local landscapes.

memoryfamilyeveryday life

A Name Called Moonshadow

2018 Poetry collection

Second poetry collection, noted for its book design; contains poems on nature, loss, and the intersection of private and public.

naturelosspublic/private boundary

Bibliography

  • September Nineteenth (poetry collection; 2015; Furansudo)
  • A Name Called Moonshadow (poetry collection; 2018; Shichosha)

Adaptations

  • Radio drama NHK 'Radio Heart Stories' - work 'Moyai'
  • Radio reading Ehime Nankai Broadcasting 'Your Bookshelf' - work 'Living with an Elephant'

Style & Themes

Literary Style
lyrical and quiet voiceobservational depiction of everyday details
Recurring Motifs
journeymemoryfamilynatureloss

Legacy

A writer rooted in contemporary poetry who has also gained recognition in fiction and essays. Known for weaving local sensibilities and personal memory into his work, he has received and been nominated for multiple literary prizes and earned attention for book design.

Academic Societies

  • Japan Association of Contemporary Poets

Trivia

  • Born in 1976 in Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture.
  • Won the Ono Jūzaburō Prize for his first poetry collection 'September Nineteenth.'
  • Second collection 'A Name Called Moonshadow' was selected in the Japan Book Design Award.
  • Maintains an official blog.