Japanese Literary Awards

Literary Awards

Browse award recipients, categories, and yearly award lists

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373 literary awards

Gunzo Newcomer Literary Award

Established
1958
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Kodansha
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Pure Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around October
Announcement Period
around June
Pure literature

A public newcomer literary award for pure literature, established in 1958 by Kodansha's literary magazine "Gunzo."

Prize: Grand prize of 500,000 yen (250,000 yen for honorable mentions) is awarded

Bungei Award

Established
1962
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Kawade Shobo Shinsha
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Pure Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around March
Announcement Period
around November–December
Medium-length novelFull-length novel

A literary award sponsored by Kawade Shobo Shinsha.

Prize: A commemorative item as the principal prize and 500,000 yen as a cash prize are awarded.

Dazai Osamu Award

Established
1965
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Mitaka City and Chikuma Shobo
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Pure Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around December
Announcement Period
around June–August
Literary fictionNew writer award

Open newcomer literary award jointly hosted by Mitaka City and Chikuma Shobo

Prize: Commemorative item and 1 million yen in prize money

Shincho Newcomer Award

Established
1968
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Shinchosha
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Pure Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around March
Announcement Period
around November
Pure literatureFiction

A public newcomer literary award for pure literature sponsored by Shinchosha. Winning works are published in the literary magazine Shincho.

Prize: Custom commemorative bronze plaque

Kyushu Arts Festival Literary Award

Established
1970
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Kyushu Culture Association (co-hosted with prefectures in Kyushu and Okinawa, and the cities of Fukuoka, Kitakyushu, and Kumamoto)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Pure Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around September
Announcement Period
around February–March
Newcomer Award

A literary award that solicits works from new writers residing in Kyushu and Okinawa through an open call.

Prize: Publication of the winning work in the April issue of 'Bungakukai' and publication of a works collection

Subaru Literary Award

Established
1977
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Shueisha
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Pure Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around March
Announcement Period
around November
Pure literatureNewcomers award

Shueisha-sponsored open submission newcomers award for pure literature.

Prize: Commemorative item

Oda Sakunosuke Award - Youth Prize

Established
2006
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Oda Sakunosuke Award Executive Committee (City of Osaka, Osaka Literature Promotion Association, Kansai University, Mainichi Newspapers)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around August
Announcement Period
around December
youth prizeshort fictionyoung writers

The youth category of the Oda Sakunosuke Award, open to writers aged 24 and under. Winning works are published in the literary magazine Mita Bungaku.

Prize: Grand Prize: prize money 1 million yen, Youth Prize: prize money 300,000 yen

Mita Bungaku Newcomer Award

Established
1994
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Mita Bungaku Society
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around October
Announcement Period
around March–April
NovelCriticismPoetryDrama

Open call newcomer literary award sponsored by Mita Literature Society

Sakigake Literary Award

Established
1984
Frequency
annual
Organizer
Sakigake Literary Award Watanabe Kieko Foundation
Selection Method
Selection
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around June
Announcement Period
around November
fiction

A public fiction award for unpublished novels, founded from funds donated by Kieko Watanabe and the Akita Sakigake Shimpo.

Prize: Grand prize (highest award) includes the official bronze statue and 500,000 yen prize money; honorable mention (excellent work) includes 50,000 yen prize money and additional prizes

North Japan Literary Award

Established
1966
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
North Japan Newspaper
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around August
Announcement Period
around January
Short story

Short story literary award sponsored by North Japan Newspaper, aimed at discovering new writers through open submissions.

Prize: Winning work is published in North Japan Newspaper

Minami-Nippon Literary Award

Established
1972
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Minami-Nippon Shimbun
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around January
Announcement Period
around March
NovelCriticismPoetry

A literary award sponsored by Minami-Nippon Shimbun for fiction, criticism, and poetry by writers connected with Kagoshima and nearby areas.

Prize: The grand prize winner is awarded 1 million yen.

Saitama Literary Award

Established
1969
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Saitama Shimbun
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around August
Announcement Period
around November
NovelPoetryTankaHaiku

An open call literary award sponsored by Saitama Shimbun. Established in 1969. Solicits novels, poetry, tanka, and haiku from across Japan.

Prize: Novel category: 1 million yen, poetry/tanka/haiku categories: 300,000 yen each

Kotoba-to Newcomer Award

Established
2020
Frequency
Twice a year
Organizer
Kankanbou
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Pure Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around June
Announcement Period
around November
Novel

Open call newcomer literary award sponsored by Kankanbou. Winning works are published in the literary mook "Kotoba to".

Prize: Winning works are published in the literary mook "Kotoba to." From the 4th round onward, they are also published as single-volume books.

Egoda Literary Award

Established
2002
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Nihon University Faculty of Art Egoda Literary Society
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around September
Announcement Period
around February–March
NovelLiterary criticism

Open submission literary award sponsored by the Nihon University Faculty of Art Egoda Literary Society since 2002. No entry qualifications required.

Tokyo Nakano Literary Award

Established
2022
Frequency
Every two years
Organizer
Nakano City Tourism Association (General Incorporated Association), Tokyo Nakano Literary Award Executive Committee
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around August
Announcement Period
around March
Novel

Public novel literary award open to professionals and amateurs alike

Kyoto Kita Short Story Award

Established
2022
Frequency
Annual
Organizer
Kita Ward Office, Kyoto City
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around October
Announcement Period
around February
Short story

A public literary award soliciting short fiction set in Kita Ward, Kyoto City

Prize: Award-winning works will be published as a short story collection

Natsume Sōseki Prize

Established
1946
Frequency
Irregular
Organizer
Sakuragiku Shoin
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Pure Literature
Target
Newcomer
Literary prize

An open call rookie literary prize established by Sakuragiku Shoin in 1946 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Natsume Sōseki's death, held twice.

Dojin Magazine Award

Established
1954
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Shinchōsha
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Pure Literature
Target
Newcomer
Literary award

A literary award selected from dojin magazines submitted to "Shincho".

Prize: Commemorative items and prize money are presented

Gunzo Newcomer Long Novel Award

Established
1978
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Kodansha
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Pure Literature
Target
Newcomer
Long novel

Open submission newcomer long novel award hosted by Kodansha's literary magazine 'Gunzo' from 1978 to 1982.

Prize: 300,000 yen prize money and publication in the December issue of 'Gunzo'

Kaien Newcomer Literary Award

Established
1982
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Fukutake Shoten (now Benesse Corporation)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Pure Literature
Target
Newcomer
Literary award

Newcomer literary award sponsored by the magazine "Kaien."

Asahi Newcomer Literary Award

Established
1990
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Asahi Shimbun
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Pure Literature
Target
Newcomer
Literary awardNewcomer literary award

An open-call newcomer literary award sponsored by Asahi Shimbun.

Prize: A commemorative item as the main prize and 1 million yen as special prize money are awarded.

Kansai Literature Newcomer Award

Established
2001
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Kansai Literature Society
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Newcomer
NovelEssay

Open call newcomer literature award of the amateur literary magazine 'Kansai Literature'. Features two categories: essays and novels.

Miura Ayako Literary Award

Established
2014
Frequency
One-time only
Organizer
Miura Ayako Memorial Literature Museum, Miura Ayako Memorial Culture Foundation (co-sponsored by Asahi Shimbun Hokkaido Bureau, Hokkaido Shimbun, Asahi Shimbun Publishing)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around June
Announcement Period
around November
Novel

A literary award for unpublished novels written in Japanese.

Prize: 500,000 yen as prize money

Democratic Literature Newcomer Award

Established
1995
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Japan Democratic Literature Association
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around November–December
Announcement Period
around June
Literary prizeNewcomer award

The Democratic Literature Newcomer Award is a newcomer literary award hosted by the Democratic Literature magazine.

Prize: Publication of the winning work in the Democratic Literature magazine

Waseda Literary Newcomer Award

Established
1984
Frequency
Irregular
Organizer
Waseda Literature Society
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Newcomer
NovelCriticismPoetryTanka

The Waseda Literary Newcomer Award is an open call newcomer literary award sponsored by the Waseda Literature Society.

Naoki Sanjugo Award

Established
1935
Frequency
Twice a year
Organizer
Japan Literature Promotion Foundation
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around July, around January
Popular literatureNovels

Japanese literary award given to long novels or short story collections that possess mass appeal

Prize: Pocket watch

Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Award

Established
1967
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Yoshikawa Eiji National Culture Promotion Association
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around March
Popular fiction

A literary award organized by the Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Yoshikawa Eiji National Culture Promotion Association and sponsored by Kodansha, targeting popular fiction.

Prize: Plaque as principal award, 3 million yen as special award

Nitta Jiro Literary Award

Established
1982
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Nitta Jiro Memorial Society, Public Interest Incorporated Foundation
Category
Nonfiction and Documentary Literature
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around March–May
Nonfiction literatureNature literature

A non-open literary prize hosted by the Nitta Jiro Memorial Foundation. Open to works based on historical or contemporary facts, nonfiction literature, or works inspired by the natural world, announced once a year. Winners receive a barometer as the main prize and 1,000,000 yen in prize money.

Prize: Barometer

Shibata Renzaburo Award

Established
1988
Frequency
Annual
Organizer
Shueisha
Selection Method
Selection
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around October
NovelContemporary fictionHistorical fictionEntertainment fiction

A Shueisha award honoring Renzaburo Shibata and recognizing authors and works with broad appeal across contemporary and historical fiction.

Prize: Commemorative item

Oyabu Haruhiko Award

Established
1999
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Oyabu Haruhiko Award Selection Committee
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Genre Fiction
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around January–February
Hard-boiled novelsAdventure novels

Literary award given to hard-boiled novels and adventure novels

Prize: 3 million yen prize money