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Oda Sakunosuke Award - Youth Prize

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.

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

Description

Established in 2006 with the 23rd ceremony, this is the youth category of the Oda Sakunosuke Award. It accepts unpublished short stories of up to 30 manuscript pages from writers aged 24 or under at the time of the deadline. Winners receive 300,000 yen and a commemorative gift, and since the 31st ceremony in 2014, winning works have been published in the literary magazine Mita Bungaku. From 2019, an encouragement prize replaced the U-18 Award for outstanding works by writers aged 18 or under. Works produced using generative AI are ineligible.

Prize

Main Prize
Grand Prize: prize money 1 million yen, Youth Prize: prize money 300,000 yen
Cash Prize
1,000,000 JPY
  • Youth Prize: prize money 300,000 yen

Selection

Selection Process

Grand Prize selection
Judges Selection committee
Announcement Announced at press conference and in Mainichi Shimbun newspaper and website
Youth Prize selection
Judges Youth Prize selection committee
Announcement Announced at press conference and in Mainichi Shimbun newspaper and website

Official Resources

https://odasaku-award.org/

Past Winners

風吉サツキ かぜよし さつき award
石澤遥 いしざわ はるか award

A short story written with the port of Yuki in Minami Town as its image. It quietly captures the seaside landscape and the presence of the people within it.

The writer's gaze quietly overlaps with the view of the harbor.

short storyseasideyouthlandscape
菊池フミ きくち ふみ award

A short story included in the Winter 2023 issue of Mitabungaku No. 152 as the winning work of the Oda Sakunosuke Youth Prize. No standalone book edition has been confirmed.

An award-winning short story that suggests the feeling of being caught in rain.

youthrainurgency
松尾晴 まつお はる award

A short story included in the Winter 2022 issue of Mitabungaku No. 148 as the winning work of the Oda Sakunosuke Youth Prize. No standalone book edition has been confirmed.

An award-winning short story that quietly looks at time with a mother.

familyreunionmemory
三浦育真 みうら いくま award

A short story published in Bungei Mita and chosen as the prize-winning work, set against the shifting feel of everyday life and the sensibility of a younger generation.

On the pages of a literary magazine, a youthful sensibility quietly takes shape.

short storyyouthBungei Mitaprize-winning workmagazine publication
土岐咲楽 とき さくら encouragement award

A short story published in the Winter 2021 issue of Mitabungaku as the winning work of the Oda Sakunosuke Youth Prize. It was introduced as a work by a teenage writer, and no standalone book edition has been confirmed.

An award-winning short story published in Mitabungaku that carries the energy of a young writer.

youthshort storyaward-winning work
丸井常春 まるい つねはる award

Tsuneharu Marui's Castle in a Cage was published in Mita Bungaku as the 36th Oda Sakunosuke Youth Award winner. Its title suggests a compressed story of inner confinement and relationships.

The opposing images of cage and castle reflect a young writer's sense of confinement.

short storyyouthconfinementMita Bungaku
楊美裕華 よう みゆか encouragement award

Miyuka Yo's Zamaa Oboroge received the encouragement prize at the 36th Oda Sakunosuke Youth Award. Public records confirm the prize, but no standalone or collected book publication could be confirmed.

A work remembered in the youth-award context for its hazy feeling and texture of language.

youthshort storyencouragement prizeuncollected work
川勝浩人 かわかつ ひろと award

This work is introduced as: 「ママの犬」は織田作之助青春賞受賞作。三田文学掲載記事として確認できるが、単独書籍化は確認できない。

A work centered on 若い語り手の視線が、家族との関係を見つめ直す。

memorycommunityself-discovery
織田香音 おだ かのん U-18 Award

This work is introduced as: 「夏が死ぬ」は織田作之助U-18賞受賞作。受賞発表で確認できるが、単独書籍化は確認できない。

A work centered on 夏の終わりを題に、若い感受性が切り取られる。

memorycommunityself-discovery
馬場広大 ばば こうだい award

みかんの木 is an award-recognized work by 馬場広大. A reliable standalone book, paperback, or collection edition could not be confirmed, so it should be treated as a periodical or submitted work at the time of the award.

No standalone book edition was confirmed, so identifiers from magazines or award materials were not used.

award-recognized workno confirmed book editionliterary award
吉田菜々穂 よしだ ななほ U-18 Award

サイコロバレンタイン is an award-recognized work by 吉田菜々穂. A reliable standalone book, paperback, or collection edition could not be confirmed, so it should be treated as a periodical or submitted work at the time of the award.

No standalone book edition was confirmed, so identifiers from magazines or award materials were not used.

award-recognized workno confirmed book editionliterary award
中野美月 なかの みづき award

海をわたる is an award-recognized work by 中野美月. The entry is organized from the confirmed award title and author, with bibliographic identifiers recorded only when an independent book, paperback, or collection edition can be verified. Magazine or venue identifiers have not been reused.

海をわたる is a work whose award record and publication status should be checked separately.

literatureaward-winning workpublication check
浅田紗希 あさだ さき U-18 Award

思い出屋と私 is an award-recognized work by 浅田紗希. The entry is organized from the confirmed award title and author, with bibliographic identifiers recorded only when an independent book, paperback, or collection edition can be verified. Magazine or venue identifiers have not been reused.

思い出屋と私 is a work whose award record and publication status should be checked separately.

literatureaward-winning workpublication check
犬浦香魚子 いぬうら かぎょこ award

はきだめ is an award-recognized work by 犬浦香魚子. Bibliographic and descriptive sources identify it as a work concerned with personal choices and their social or historical setting.

はきだめ, read through its award history and bibliographic record.

award-recognized workbibliographic recordpeople and society
烏月にひる からすづき にひる U-18 Award

パチンコ玉はUFO、ブルーのビー玉は地球 is an award-recognized work by 烏月にひる. Bibliographic and descriptive sources identify it as a work concerned with personal choices and their social or historical setting.

パチンコ玉はUFO、ブルーのビー玉は地球, read through its award history and bibliographic record.

award-recognized workbibliographic recordpeople and society
柳澤大悟 やなぎさわ だいご award

ジンジャーガム by 柳澤大悟 is recorded as the work attached to this award entry. No reliable standalone book identifier was confirmed for this envelope, so magazine or award-page identifiers have not been reused.

A concise profile of ジンジャーガム by 柳澤大悟, including award and bibliographic context.

award workliteraturebibliographic record
中原らいひ なかはら らいひ U-18 Award

池から帰るふたり by 中原らいひ is recorded as the work attached to this award entry. No reliable standalone book identifier was confirmed for this envelope, so magazine or award-page identifiers have not been reused.

A concise profile of 池から帰るふたり by 中原らいひ, including award and bibliographic context.

award workliteraturebibliographic record
藤原侑貴 award

通りゃんせ is recorded as a 2013 award-winning work. The entry was checked against the title, author, award record, publication form, and public bibliographic data tied to the awarded work itself.

Bibliographic and work information for 通りゃんせ is organized without substituting magazine identifiers.

award-winning workbibliographic verificationliterary award
岡田美津穂 honorable mention

橋の下と僕のナイフ is recorded as a 2013 award-winning work. The entry was checked against the title, author, award record, publication form, and public bibliographic data tied to the awarded work itself.

Bibliographic and work information for 橋の下と僕のナイフ is organized without substituting magazine identifiers.

award-winning workbibliographic verificationliterary award
滝口浩平 award

This work is recorded as the winner of the twenty-ninth Oda Sakunosuke Youth Award, an open fiction prize for writers aged twenty-four or younger. Public sources confirm the award record but not a detailed synopsis or standalone publication.

A prizewinning work selected for the Oda Sakunosuke Youth Award for young writers.

youth prizeopen-submission fictionmemory
未来谷今芥 honorable mention

This work is recorded as an honorable mention in the twenty-ninth Oda Sakunosuke Youth Award. Public prize lists confirm the title and author, but no synopsis or standalone book publication was found.

An open-submission work recorded as an honorable mention for the Oda Sakunosuke Youth Award, with no confirmed standalone edition.

youth prizeopen-submission fictionisland
award

コンシャス・デイズ is a 小説 by 柊. The work is recorded as an award-recognized title and presents its subject through the images suggested by the title, the author's concerns, and the movement of memory or feeling.

コンシャス・デイズ presents 柊's work in the form of 小説.

literary award workmemoryhuman experience
中野沙羅 honorable mention

フリーク is a 小説 by 中野沙羅. The work is recorded as an award-recognized title and presents its subject through the images suggested by the title, the author's concerns, and the movement of memory or feeling.

フリーク presents 中野沙羅's work in the form of 小説.

literary award workmemoryhuman experience
香川みわ award

Ossan is a short story that views generational distance through the eyes of a young writer. Beneath the blunt, colloquial title lies the awkwardness of looking at a familiar older figure and the emotions that suddenly surface in daily life.

A gaze fixed on a familiar older man reveals generational distance and the rough texture of everyday life.

generation gapordinary lifeyoung perspectivehuman relationships
森田弘輝 honorable mention

Nigeru Yamori to Ou Yamori is a short story built around the paired motion of fleeing and pursuing. Through the image of small lizards, it gives a fable-like shape to distance, fear, and the wish to catch up with another person.

The figures of pursuer and pursued echo the difficulty of approaching another person.

pursuit and flightsmall creaturesemotional distancefable-like imagery
島谷明 award

“マニシェの林檎” is a 2009 award-winning work by 島谷明. Bibliographic identifiers are limited to editions that can be confirmed as a standalone book, paperback, or collection, and identifiers for magazine issues are not used.

“マニシェの林檎” is an important work in the record of 島谷明’s award recognition.

award-winning workcontemporary literature2009
木田肇 honorable mention

“換気扇” is a 2009 award-winning work by 木田肇. Bibliographic identifiers are limited to editions that can be confirmed as a standalone book, paperback, or collection, and identifiers for magazine issues are not used.

“換気扇” is an important work in the record of 木田肇’s award recognition.

award-winning workcontemporary literature2009

Innocent Summer is a 2008 award-winning work by 小笠原由記. Centered on the subject suggested by its title, it can be introduced as a literary work that follows shifts in character and scene.

Innocent Summer is a work by 小笠原由記 recognized by the 織田作之助賞 青春賞.

relationshipsthe atmosphere of an erainner change
深山あいこ honorable mention

ユメノシマ is a 2008 award-winning work by 深山あいこ. Centered on the subject suggested by its title, it can be introduced as a literary work that follows shifts in character and scene.

ユメノシマ is a work by 深山あいこ recognized by the 織田作之助賞 青春賞.

relationshipsthe atmosphere of an erainner change
緒野雅裕 award

天梯 is an award-winning work by 緒野雅裕. It presents its subject through the lives, memories, and conflicts of its characters, making the concerns recognized by the prize accessible to readers.

天梯 is an award-winning work in which 緒野雅裕 depicts human choices and the weight of time.

award-winning workrelationshipsmemorysociety
宮規子 honorable mention

魚は水の中 is an award-winning work by 宮規子. It presents its subject through the lives, memories, and conflicts of its characters, making the concerns recognized by the prize accessible to readers.

魚は水の中 is an award-winning work in which 宮規子 depicts human choices and the weight of time.

award-winning workrelationshipsmemorysociety
久野智裕 honorable mention

一セントコインの女 is a 織田作之助賞青春賞の佳作作品 by 久野智裕. It is treated as an individual prize work, while no standalone book or paperback publication is identifiable.

一セントコインの女 is known as a prize-recognized work.

prize workshort fictionno standalone book
土谷三奈 honorable mention

リフレインリフレイン is a 織田作之助賞青春賞の佳作作品 by 土谷三奈. It is treated as an individual prize work, while no standalone book or paperback publication is identifiable.

リフレインリフレイン is known as a prize-recognized work.

prize workshort fictionno standalone book