Japanese Literary Awards

Literary Awards

Browse award recipients, categories, and yearly award lists

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373 literary awards

Square Enix Light Novel Grand Award

Established
2009
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Square Enix
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around October–November
Announcement Period
around April–May
Light novel

A public newcomer literary award sponsored by Square Enix, targeting light novels.

Prize: Long-form category: Grand Prize 1,000,000 yen, Runner-up 500,000 yen, Honorable Mention 300,000 yen, Encouragement Award 100,000 yen, Expectation Award 50,000 yen; short-form category: Grand Prize 500,000 yen, Runner-up 300,000 yen, Honorable Mention 100,000 yen, Encouragement Award 50,000 yen, Expectation Award 30,000 yen (as additional prizes).

Novel Grand Award

Established
1983
Frequency
annual
Organizer
Shueisha
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around January
Announcement Period
around August
Novel

A public literary award organized by Shueisha. Open to entertainment fiction of any genre—romance, fantasy, comedy, mystery, horror, science fiction, and more. The Grand Prize winner receives three million yen and is guaranteed a debut as a bunko paperback.

Prize: Certificate and 3 million yen

Palette Novel Grand Award

Established
1989
Frequency
年2回
Organizer
Shogakukan
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around May–June, around November–December
Announcement Period
around October–November, around April–May
Light novelShoujo

A debut fiction award for girls' light novels organized by Shogakukan. Held twice a year from 1989 to 2005 for a total of 34 rounds, after which it was succeeded by the Shogakukan Light Novel Award (Lululu Bunko division) in 2006.

Prize: Grand prize winner published by Shogakukan

Roman Grand Award

Established
1992
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Shueisha
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around January
Announcement Period
around August–September
Light novelLiterature

Light novel literary award sponsored by Shueisha.

Prize: Principal trophy (shield)

Shogakukan Light Novel Award - Rururu 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 novelRururu Bunko divisionnewcomer award

The Rururu Bunko division of the Shogakukan Light Novel Award, covering the women-oriented light novel line through 2015.

Prize: Grand Prize works are published by Gagaga Bunko or Rururu Bunko and awarded 2 million yen.

Enterbrain Entame Grand Award

Established
1999
Frequency
Annual (ended)
Organizer
Enterbrain / KADOKAWA
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Arts and Media Arts
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around September–October
Announcement Period
around March–April
NovelManga

A multi-division entertainment award for emerging creators in fiction, comics, game-related work, and related fields; its official site remains as an awards archive.

Established
2005
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
France Shoin
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Genre Fiction
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around August–October
Announcement Period
around February–April
Newcomer Literary AwardJuvenile pornography

Open call newcomer literary award hosted by France Shoin targeting long-form juvenile pornography.

Prize: Award-winning works are published under the Bishojo Bunko label.

Web Content Grand Prize

Established
2008
Frequency
Once a month
Organizer
Alphapolis Co., Ltd.
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around January–December
Announcement Period
around January–December
NovelMangaEssayBlogLight fictionCharacter fictionFantasyMystery

Literary award hosted by Alphapolis targeting web-submitted works. Held monthly with different genres.

Prize: Grand Prize (editorial selection) and Reader's Prize (reader votes and access numbers)

Everystar Novel Award

Established
2011
Frequency
Annual, with multiple partner contests
Organizer
Everystar Co., Ltd.
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around February–December
Announcement Period
around April–December
NovelsShort storiesNovelettesFull-length novelsAny genre (depending on edition)

A group of fiction contests run by Everystar in partnership with publishers and media companies, offering publication or adaptation opportunities.

Prize: Publisher awards and excellence awards from co-sponsoring publishers (varies by edition). Winning works may come with perks such as book publication, featuring, and editor's reviews.

Yahoo! JAPAN Literary Award

Established
2005
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Yahoo, Publishing Link, Shogakukan
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around September–October
Announcement Period
around February–March
Novel

A public literary award established by Yahoo! JAPAN in 2005.

Prize: Yahoo! JAPAN Award (online popularity vote) and Special Award by the Selection Committee

Japan Cell Phone Novel Grand Award

Established
2006
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Japan Cell Phone Novel Grand Award Executive Committee
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Open
Announcement Period
around September
Literary awardCell phone novel

Japan's first full-fledged literary award targeting cell phone novels.

Prize: Grand Prize and Excellent Prize are guaranteed to be published as books

Established
2007
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Maho no Irando (KADOKAWA / ASCII Media Works)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Light Novels and Web Literature
Target
Open
Mobile novels

An open literary prize for mobile novels hosted by Maho no Irando from 2007 to 2017.

Prize: Book publication and comic adaptation of winning works

Established
2008
Frequency
Irregular
Organizer
Gentosha, TOKYO FM
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Newcomer
Application Deadline
around January–February
Announcement Period
around March–May
Newcomer awardLiterature award

A literature newcomer award limited to teenagers.

Japan Juvenile Writers Association Award

Established
1976
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
General Incorporated Association Japan Juvenile Writers Association
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around May
Children's Literature

Children's literature award given to the most outstanding work selected from works by association members.

Juvenile Literature Newcomer Award

Established
1972
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Japan Society of Children's Literature Authors
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Newcomer
Announcement Period
around May
Original fairy talesNovelsNon-fictionPoetryChildren's songs

A literary award presented by the Japan Society of Children's Literature Authors to honor outstanding children's literature works by new writers.

Japan Children’s Literature Association Award

Established
1961
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Japan Children’s Literature Association
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around April–May
Creative WorksCriticism and Research

The Japan Children’s Literature Association (a public interest incorporated association) awards outstanding single-volume books in children’s literature creative works, criticism, and research every year.

Japan Children's Literature Association Newcomer Award

Established
1951
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Japan Children's Literature Association
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Newcomer
Announcement Period
around May
Creative writingCriticism and research

Annual award for single-volume works by new writers in children's literature creative writing, criticism, and research

Noma Children's Literature Award

Established
1963
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Noma Institute of Educational Research (General Incorporated Foundation)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around November
Children's literatureNon-fiction

One of the literary awards targeting children's literature.

Prize: Bronze statue as the main prize, 2 million yen as the additional prize

Iwaya Sazanami Literature Award

Established
1978
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Japan Youth Cultural Center
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around December
Children's literature

Japanese children's literature award

Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Award

Established
1954
Frequency
annual
Organizer
The Sankei Shimbun
Selection Method
Selection
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around May
children's books

An annual award recognizing outstanding children's books published in the previous year.

Prize: Grand Prize: 500,000 yen

Shogakukan Children Publishing Culture Award

Established
1952
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Shogakukan and the Japan Foundation for Children's Education
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around September
Children's literaturePicture booksNonfiction

An annual Shogakukan award recognizing works and creators considered to contribute to children's publishing culture and suitable for young readers.

Prize: Bronze statue as the main prize, 1 million yen as the special prize

Tsubota Joji Literary Award

Established
1984
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Okayama City
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around January
Literature

A literary award presented by Okayama City to honor Tsubota Joji's achievements, aimed at encouraging creative activities and enhancing citizen culture by recognizing outstanding literary works published in the previous year that can be shared by both adults and children.

Prize: Medal (The Boy of the Bird by Hirata Jirō)

Hirosuke Fairy Tale Award

Established
1989
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Hirosuke Fairy Tale Award Committee
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around November
Early Childhood Fairy TalesPicture Books

A children's literature award presented to outstanding early childhood fairy tales and picture books to honor Hirosuke Hamada.

Prize: Commendation of the winning works

Kadokawa Tsubasa Bunko Novel Award

Established
2012
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Kadokawa Shoten
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around August
Announcement Period
around March–April
Children's DivisionGeneral DivisionIllustration Division

Public literary award sponsored by Kadokawa Shoten. Divided into three divisions: Children's, General, and Illustration.

Prize: Grand Prize: Official trophy and 500,000 yen in prize money

Shueisha Mirai Bunko Grand Award

Established
2011
Frequency
年1回
Organizer
Shueisha
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around January
Announcement Period
around April–July
Children's literature

Open submission children's literature award hosted by Shueisha Mirai Bunko

Prize: Grand Prize works are published by Mirai Bunko; main prize is a commemorative gift

ENEOS Fairy Tale Award

Established
1970
Frequency
Annual (ended)
Organizer
ENEOS Holdings
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Open
Application Deadline
around May
Announcement Period
around November
Fairy taleChildren's literatureCreative fairy taleGeneral divisionJunior high school divisionElementary school and younger division

An ENEOS group fairy-tale award that invited original stories on the theme of human connection in general, junior-high, and elementary-or-younger divisions; it ended after the 53rd edition.

Prize: General category Grand Prize: 1 million yen (e.g., 2014, 45th edition). Excellence Award 300,000 yen, Honorable Mention 100,000 yen. Junior high and elementary school categories: Book vouchers etc. (Grand Prize 100,000 yen worth, Excellence Award 50,000 yen worth, Honorable Mention 30,000 yen worth).

Akai Tori Literary Award

Established
1971
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Akai Tori no Kai
Selection Method
Non-open
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Professional
Children's literature

Japanese children's literature award

Akai Tori Illustration Award

Established
1987
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Akai Tori no Kai and Komine Shoten
Category
Manga, Illustration, and Visual Expression
Target
Professional
Children's literatureIllustrations

An award given to children's illustrators who have illustrated children's literature works

Chiisana Dowa Grand Award

Established
1983
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Mainichi Newspapers
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Open
Children's literatureFairy tales

Grand Prize for children's fairy tales sponsored by Mainichi Newspapers. Solicits unpublished original fairy tales and awards outstanding works.

Prize: Grand Prize (1 million yen prize money and pair Europe trip provided by Tokyu Tourist)

Niimi Nankichi Children's Literature Award

Established
1982
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Niimi Nankichi Association
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Professional
Children's literature

A Japanese children's literature award honoring Niimi Nankichi, awarded from 1983 to 2010.