Bungakukai Newcomer Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 122 (2017) award
Mayu Numata
ぬまた まゆ
Numata Mayu
Pen Names:
Mayu Mayukawa（Pen name used for some serialized works）
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1986-11-03 （Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Sapporo, Hokkaido (birthplace) → Setagaya, Tokyo (residence)
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Essayist
- Active Years
- 2009-
- Influenced By
- Osamu Dazai, Mieko Kawakami
- Influenced
- A generation of emerging short-story writers
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waseda University | Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences | Department of Japanese Literature | 学士 | 2004-2008 | Japan |
Waseda University
Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences
/ Department of Japanese Literature
Degree:
学士
Period:
2004-2008
Year of Graduation:
2008
Country:
Japan
Published short stories in doujin and magazines while a student
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Shinpu Prize | Microscope of Light | 小説部門 | Shinpu Literary Foundation | 受賞 |
| 2016 | Young Writers' Prize | Seaside Afternoon | 短編部門 | Young Writers' Foundation | 受賞 |
Shinpu Prize
2019
Work:
Microscope of Light
Category:
小説部門
Organization:
Shinpu Literary Foundation
Result:
受賞
Young Writers' Prize
2016
Work:
Seaside Afternoon
Category:
短編部門
Organization:
Young Writers' Foundation
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Microscope of Light
2019 Short story collection 224 pagesA collection of short stories that delicately explores memory, loss, and the mechanics of time through fragments of everyday life. Set in places like windowed rooms and seaside towns, the pieces capture subtle movements of the characters' inner lives.
memorytimefamilygaps in everyday life
Adaptations
- [TV drama] Microscope of Light / 佐藤 真一 (2021)
Translations
- English translation: Anna Smith (2021)
- Korean translation: Kim Hye-jin (2022)
Seaside Afternoon
2016 Novella 128 pagesSet in a small seaside town, this novella depicts fragmentary memories of adolescence and farewells, characterized by a tranquil narrative voice.
seafarewelladolescence
Translations
- English translation: unpublished
Nocturnal Botany
2022 Novel 312 pagesA novel that weaves allegorical elements about plants with psychological drama. It portrays transformation and renewal of its characters through nocturnal cityscapes and botanical observation.
naturepsychologytransformation
Translations
- English translation: in progress
Bibliography
- Short Stories 'People by the Window' (2014)
- Seaside Afternoon (2016)
- Microscope of Light (2019)
- Essay Collection 'Voices on the Streetcorner' (2020)
- Nocturnal Botany (2022)
Adaptations
- Microscope of Light — adapted into a TV drama (NHK BS, 2021)
Translations of Works
- Microscope of Light — English edition (trans. Anna Smith, 2021)
- Microscope of Light — Korean edition (trans. Kim Hye-jin, 2022)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- poetic, lyrical proseattention to mundane detailsfrequent subtle shifts in perspective
- Recurring Motifs
- windowslettersseaplants
Legacy
She established a distinctive place in contemporary Japanese literature for her delicate short fiction, becoming a touchstone for younger writers and gaining broad support through adaptations.
Academic Societies
- Young Writers Studies Association
In Popular Culture
- Lines from the TV adaptation trended on social media
Quotes
-
Words always wait outside the window. My role is to bring back that single point of light.
Source: Microscope of Light (2019) (2019)
Trivia
- Keeps a collection of old microscopes in her study
- Often uses altered real place names in her works