Japanese Literary Awards

Literary Awards

Browse award recipients, categories, and yearly award lists

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373 literary awards

Tenohira Kaidan Grand Award

Established
2012
Organizer
Tenohira Kaidan Executive Committee (Kazuto Tsuji, Masao Higashi, Kenzo Takazawa) and Mei (ghost story magazine)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Genre Fiction
Target
Open

Public literature award soliciting ghost story works up to 800 characters.

Prize: Award-winning works will be published as books by Media Factory

Yu Literary Award

Established
2006
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
KADOKAWA Corporation, Kadokawa Shoten
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Genre Fiction
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around August–September
Announcement Period
around January–February
KaidanOpen callNewcomer literary award

Open call newcomer literary award for kaidan literature sponsored by KADOKAWA Corporation, Kadokawa Shoten.

Prize: Original blue andon lantern (principal prize)

France Shoin Bunko Sensual Grand Award

Established
2002
Frequency
Twice a year
Organizer
France Shoin
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Genre Fiction
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around May, around November
Announcement Period
around September–October, around March–April
Sensual novelsLiterary contestNew talent discoveryE-booksSpecial PrizeNewcomer PrizeNonfiction Prizee-Books Prizee-Noir PrizeGeneral-audience label prize

A France Shoin Bunko open award centered on erotic fiction, now also including ebook and women-oriented erotic fiction categories.

Prize: Grand Prize and prizes in each category (Grand Prize is the top award), with selection premised on publication

Dan Oniroku Award

Established
2010
Frequency
Biennial
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Genre Fiction
Target
Newcomer
Sensual novelNewcomer literary award

An open submission newcomer literary award for sensual novels.

Prize: The winning work will be published.

Fantasia Grand Award

Established
1989
Frequency
Two submission periods per year, followed by annual final selection
Organizer
KADOKAWA / Fantasia Bunko Editorial Department
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around August, around February
Announcement Period
around March–April, around September–October
Full-length novelLight novel

Fantasia Bunko's newcomer light-novel award, run in two submission periods for broad entertainment works aimed at teen readers.

Prize: Publication of the grand prize-winning work (Fujimi Fantasia Bunko)

Dengeki Novel Grand Prize

Established
1994
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
KADOKAWA
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around April
Announcement Period
around November
Light novelNewcomer literary award

A newcomer literary award for long and short light novels hosted by KADOKAWA since 1994, targeting debut in three imprints: Dengeki Bunko, Mediaworks Bunko, and Dengeki New Literature.

Prize: Grand Prize: Trophy + 3 million yen

Sneaker Grand Award

Established
1996
Frequency
1-2 times a year
Organizer
KADOKAWA
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around March
Announcement Period
around September–October
Light novelNewcomer literary awardEntertainment fiction

A KADOKAWA newcomer award for entertainment novels aimed at teen readers.

Prize: Grand Prize winner receives 3 million yen prize money and guaranteed comic adaptation

MF Bunko J Light Novel Newcomer Award

Established
2004
Frequency
4 times a year
Organizer
Media Factory (KADOKAWA)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around March, around June, around September, around December
Light novelLiterary prize

The MF Bunko J Light Novel Newcomer Award is a Japanese open-recruitment newcomer literary award hosted by Media Factory, an in-house brand of KADOKAWA, since 2004. Starting with the 22nd round (2025), the judges and prize structure were renewed; from the 23rd round (2026), the competition moved to an annual single-selection format.

Prize: Grand Prize: Trophy and 3 million yen prize money, Excellence Award: Trophy and 1 million yen prize money, Outstanding Award: Trophy and 500,000 yen prize money, Semi-Grand Prize: Trophy and 100,000 yen prize money, Challenge Prize: 60,000 yen activity support funds (20,000 yen per month for 3 months)

Shogakukan Light Novel Award - Gagaga Bunko Division

Established
2006
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Shogakukan
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around September
Announcement Period
around March–April
light novelGagaga Bunko divisionnewcomer award

The Gagaga Bunko division of the Shogakukan Light Novel Award.

Prize: Grand Prize winners are awarded 2 million yen.

GA Bunko Grand Award

Established
2008
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
SB Creative
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around May, around November
Announcement Period
around September–October, around March–April
Light novelLiterary award

A literary award for Japanese light novels

Prize: Grand Prize winner receives 3 million yen prize money and guaranteed comic adaptation

Kyoto Animation Grand Award

Established
2009
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Kyoto Animation Co., Ltd.
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Arts and Media Arts
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around September–October
Announcement Period
around March–April
NovelMangaScenario

A public submission contest hosted by Kyoto Animation, accepting works in novel, manga, and screenplay categories. Award-winning works receive support for book publication and anime adaptation. The contest has been on hiatus since August 2020.

Prize: Grand Prize winners receive cash prizes, and Encouragement Awards are also provided.

Kodansha Ranobe Bunko Newcomer Award

Established
2011
Frequency
Once a year (2nd–9th rounds), twice a year (10th round onward)
Organizer
Kodansha Ranobe Bunko
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around April–May, around October–November
Announcement Period
around September–October, around March–April
Light novelLiterary award

Public newcomer literary award for light novels sponsored by Kodansha Ranobe Bunko.

Prize: Grand Prize (¥1,000,000 prize money), Excellence Award (¥500,000 prize money), Honorable Mention (¥300,000 prize money)

Overlap Bunko Grand Award

Established
2013
Frequency
Twice a year
Organizer
Overlap Bunko
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around June, around December
Announcement Period
around October, around April–May
Light novelNewcomer literary award

A light novel open newcomer literary award hosted by Overlap Bunko.

Prize: Grand Prize 3 million yen

Shueisha Light Novel Newcomer Award

Established
2014
Frequency
王道部門・ジャンル部門は年1回、IP小説部門は複数回実施
Organizer
Shueisha
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around August–September
Announcement Period
around February–March
Light novelNewcomer award

A publicly solicited light novel newcomer literary award sponsored by Shueisha.

Prize: Mainstream Division Grand Prize 3 million yen

HJ Novel Grand Award

Established
0
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around June, around October, around February
Announcement Period
around October–November, around March–April, around July–August

Wikipedia article for HJ Novel Grand Award is under creation. Currently, there is almost no publicly available detailed information.

JUMP Novel Grand Prix

Established
1991
Frequency
3 times a year
Organizer
Shueisha
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around March, around July, around November
Announcement Period
around July, around November, around March
NovelLiterary awardNewcomer award

Open submission newcomer literary award sponsored by Shueisha

Prize: Grand Prize works are published as books and presented with a trophy and certificate

BOX-AiR Newcomer Award

Established
2011
Frequency
Irregular
Organizer
Kodansha BOX
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Newcomer
Novel

A novel newcomer award soliciting the first and second chapters for publication in BOX-AiR and a synopsis of the entire story.

Prize: The winning work will be serialized in BOX-AiR and published as one single volume.

Kadokawa Gakuen Novel Grand Award

Established
1997
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Kadokawa Shoten
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around September–October
Announcement Period
around March–April
Light novelSchool novel

Light novel newcomers' award sponsored by Kadokawa Shoten from 1997 to 2010.

Prize: Grand Prize and other prizes

Enterbrain Entame Grand Award Light Novel Famitsu Bunko Division

Established
1999
Frequency
Annual (ended)
Organizer
Enterbrain / KADOKAWA
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around September–October
Announcement Period
around March–April
Light novelLight Novel: Famitsu Bunko division

The light-novel division of the Enterbrain Entame Awards, seeking new writers for Famitsu Bunko publication before being succeeded by the Famitsu Bunko Grand Award.

Prize: Main prize + additional prize ¥1,000,000 (Grand Prize)

Dengeki HP Short Story Award

Established
2000
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
KADOKAWA / ASCII Media Works
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around August–September
Announcement Period
around January–February
FictionShort story

Literary award for newcomer short stories based on Dengeki HP magazine.

Prize: Publication and book release of the winning work

HJ Bunko Grand Award

Established
2006
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Hobby Japan
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around September–October
Announcement Period
around March–April
Light novel

Light novel open submission literary award hosted by Hobby Japan from 2006 to 2019

Prize: Grand Prize 1 million yen, Gold Prize 500,000 yen, Silver Prize 100,000 yen, Encouragement Prize and Judges' Special Prize 50,000 yen

Light Novel Award

Established
2007
Organizer
Kadokawa Shoten, Fujimi Shobo, MediaWorks, Enterbrain
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Professional
Romantic Comedy CategorySchool CategoryAction CategoryMystery CategoryNovelization Category

A literary award targeting light novels, held in 2007 by four publishers affiliated with Kadokawa Group Holdings.

Megami Novel Grand Award

Established
2008
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Gakken Publishing
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around September–October
Announcement Period
around March–April
Light novelBunko

A public literary award established in 2008 by Gakken Publishing's light novel imprint Megami Bunko as it shifted from anime novelizations to original works. Notable for inviting prominent illustrators as special judges and for the 'attribute award' evaluating heroines' moe characteristics. Held twice in 2008 and 2009 before concluding.

Prize: The grand prize-winning work is guaranteed publication and receives 1,000,000 yen in prize money.

Next Fantasia Grand Award

Established
2008
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Fujimi Shobo
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around September–October
Announcement Period
around March–April
New writer literary award

An open call new writer literary award sponsored by Fujimi Shobo.

Prize: 1 million yen as the prize for the Grand Award, 300,000 yen as the prize for the Excellence Award

Super Dash Novel Newcomer Award

Established
2002
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Shueisha
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around October
Announcement Period
around April
Light novel

A public submission newcomer literary award sponsored by Shueisha, targeting light novels.

Prize: Trophy and 1,000,000 yen prize money

Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! Grand Award

Established
2010
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Takarajimasha
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around January
Announcement Period
around July–August
Light novelLiterary award

An open submission literary award for light novels hosted by Takarajimasha from 2010 to 2014.

Prize: Publication of winning works

Ichijinsha Bunko Grand Award

Established
2008
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Ichijinsha
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around September
Announcement Period
around March–April
Light novel

A light novel newcomer award sponsored by publisher Ichijinsha.

Prize: Publication in Ichijinsha Bunko or Ichijinsha Bunko Iris label

Kodansha Light Novel Challenge Cup

Established
2011
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Kodansha
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around October
Announcement Period
around April–May
Literary awardLight novel

A newcomer light novel open submission literary award hosted by Kodansha Light Novel Bunko.

Prize: Grand Prize: 1 million yen prize money, debut as a writer with the award-winning work

Famitsu Bunko Grand Award

Established
2019
Frequency
Annual (ended)
Organizer
KADOKAWA / Famitsu Bunko Editorial Department / Kakuyomu
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around September–October
Announcement Period
around March–April
Light NovelLiterary Award

A Famitsu Bunko newcomer award held on Kakuyomu for entertainment fiction, with publication through Famitsu Bunko or book format as a prize.

Prize: Grand Prize winners are guaranteed debut with Famitsu Bunko.

Established
0
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Gentosha Comics
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Genre Fiction
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around March
Announcement Period
around August–September
Novels

Literary award sponsored by Gentosha Comics targeting the novels category.