Gunzo Newcomer Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 57 (2014) winning entry
Yuta Yokoyama
よこやま ゆうた
Yokoyama Yūta
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1981-08-27 （Okayama Prefecture, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Okayama Prefecture, Japan → Beijing, China (studied abroad) → Tokyo, Japan (residence)
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist
- Active Years
- 2014-
- Nominations
- Shortlisted for the 151st Akutagawa Prize (for 'I Become a Cat')
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okayama Prefectural Okayama Joto High School | — | — | — | — | Japan |
| Kagoshima University | — | — | — | 入学後1年半で中退 | Japan |
| Beijing (language study) | — | — | — | 留学 | People's Republic of China |
Okayama Prefectural Okayama Joto High School
Country:
Japan
Kagoshima University
Period:
入学後1年半で中退
Country:
Japan
Enrolled but dropped out after 1.5 years
Beijing (language study)
Period:
留学
Country:
People's Republic of China
Studied in Beijing after working as a Japanese language teacher
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Gunzo New Writers' Literary Prize (57th) | I Become a Cat | 小説部門 | Gunzo (magazine) | Winner |
| 2014 | 2nd Tetsuken Heterotopia Literary Prize | I Become a Cat | — | Tetsuken Heterotopia Prize Committee | Winner |
Gunzo New Writers' Literary Prize (57th)
2014
Work:
I Become a Cat
Category:
小説部門
Organization:
Gunzo (magazine)
Result:
Winner
2nd Tetsuken Heterotopia Literary Prize
2014
Work:
I Become a Cat
Organization:
Tetsuken Heterotopia Prize Committee
Result:
Winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
I Become a Cat
2014 NovelDebut novel that employs ruby (furigana) and orthographic play. The work explores identity and linguistic instability of people standing between Japan and China.
languageidentityborderscat
Mr. Miller — Minna no Nihongo Beginner Series
2017 Language textbook / Short novelA short novel written as part of a beginner Japanese language series, balancing readability for learners with narrative elements.
Japanese language educationlearner perspective
Tang Poetry with Kana Readings — 100 Famous Poems in Hiragana
2019 Poetry / Classical translationA collection providing kana readings and modern renditions of representative Tang poems, intended to make classical Chinese poetry accessible to contemporary readers.
classicstranslationpoetry
Mr. Miller II — Minna no Nihongo Beginner Series
2019 Language textbook / Short novelA sequel to 'Mr. Miller', continuing to provide learner-oriented stories in a short-form collection.
Japanese language educationcontinuity
Asia no Junshin (short story, published in Gunzo)
2016 Short storyA short story included in the anthology project 'My Song', inspired by the song of the same name by PUFFY.
stories around musiccity and culture
Bibliography
- I Become a Cat (Kodansha, 2014)
- Mr. Miller — Minna no Nihongo Beginner Series (3A Network, 2017)
- Tang Poetry with Kana Readings — 100 Famous Poems in Hiragana (Taishukan, 2019)
- Mr. Miller II — Minna no Nihongo Beginner Series (3A Network, 2019)
- Asia no Junshin (short story, Gunzo, August 2016)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Playful prose using ruby and orthographic devicesNarrative attentive to linguistic borders
- Recurring Motifs
- linguistic instabilityblurred nationality/borderscats and anthropomorphism
Legacy
Winner of the Gunzo New Writers' Literary Prize for his debut; noted for linguistic experiments using ruby and orthography. He has worked across short fiction and language-education publications.
In Popular Culture
- Published a short story in Gunzo inspired by PUFFY's song 'Asia no Junshin'
Trivia
- Enrolled at Kagoshima University but dropped out after 1.5 years.
- Moved to China at 23 and studied in Beijing.
- Won the 57th Gunzo New Writers' Literary Prize for his debut novel 'I Become a Cat'.
- Was shortlisted for the 151st Akutagawa Prize.