Nomura Kodo Literary Award
のむらこどうぶんがくしょう
A literary award presented by the Japan Writers Club to honor Kodo Nomura, the celebrated Showa-era author best known for the detective fiction series Zenigata Heiji. The prize is awarded annually to works of historical and period fiction commercially published in the preceding year, with a prize of 300,000 yen.
- Established
- 2013
- Organizer
- Japan Writers Club
- Category
- Genre Fiction
- Selection Method
- Recommendation
- Target
- Professional
- Frequency
- 1 per year
- Announcement Period
- around October
- Status
- Active
Description
Kodo Nomura (1882-1963) was a defining figure of Showa-era popular literature, renowned as the creator of the long-running detective fiction series Zenigata Heiji Torimono-hikae and as the founding president of the Japan Writers Club. This award was established by the Japan Writers Club as a commemorative project for the organization's 60th anniversary, with the aim of honoring Nomura's legacy and encouraging the development of historical and period fiction. The inaugural ceremony was held in October 2013, and from the second edition onward the award ceremony has taken place at Kanda Myojin shrine — closely associated with the fictional detective Zenigata Heiji — during the month of Nomura's birth. Works eligible for consideration include commercially published historical and period fiction from the preceding year, as well as titles published within two years of the award cycle that have received a member recommendation. Harukazu Nomura, the current head of the Nomura family and director of the Kodo Nomura Araebisu Memorial Museum, cooperates in the selection process.
Prize
- Main Prize
- The winner receives a cash prize of 300,000 yen.
- Cash Prize
- 300,000 JPY
Selection
Selection Process
| Stage | Judges | Pass Rate | Announcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recommendation | Japan Writers Club members | — | — |
| Preliminary screening | Executive committee | — | — |
| Final screening | Final Screening Committee Chair (Daisaburo Omoto) | — | — |
Criteria
- Period novels and historical novels commercially published in the previous year
- Works published within 2 years of the execution year that have been recommended by members
Application Tips
Dos
- Target period novels and historical novels
- Submit works published within 2 years
- Obtain recommendation from a Japan Writers Club member
Don''ts
- Do not submit without recommendation from a member
- Do not submit works that have not been commercially published
- Do not submit works published more than 2 years ago
Related Awards
- List of literary awards
Official Resources
https://sakkaclub.or.jp/prize-for-honoring-nomurakodo/Past Winners
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