Japanese Literary Awards

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Okinawa Bookstore Grand Prize おきなわしょてんたいしょう

Edition 7 (2021)

Novel CategoryLocal Book CategoryLiterary Book CategoryChildren's Book CategoryPicture Book CategoryOkinawa Category

Winners

6 people
Usami Rin うさみ りん grand prize

A novel about a girl whose life revolves around her idol and begins to unravel when that idol is embroiled in scandal.

Akari's life, centered on supporting her idol, begins to fall apart.

128 pages
idolsfan culturelonelinessfamily
Haneko Takayama たかやま はねこ runner-up grand prize

An Akutagawa Prize-winning novel in which memory and reality gently overlap through the perspective of Minako, who helps organize materials at an Okinawan local history museum.

The contours of reality slowly shift as the story moves between a local history museum and a typhoon night.

160 pages
Okinawamemoryarchivessurrealism
Yoko Uema うえま ようこ grand prize

The author's first essay collection traces life in Okinawa through sexual violence, base politics, and family life in her own words. Starting from personal experience, it quietly gathers the pain and hope of Okinawa.

A book that still tries to hand over the sea even after language has been shaken out of daily life.

256 pages
Okinawasexual violencebase politicsfamilyessays
Sora Egumi そら えぐみ runner-up grand prize

A youth romantic comedy about a boy who transfers to Okinawa, becomes drawn to a classmate who speaks in dialect, and closes the distance with help from a friend who translates for him. It portrays Okinawan language and everyday life through breezy dialogue.

He cannot understand the dialect, but he falls in love anyway.

Okinawadialectschool romanceyouthcomedy
柴田ケイコ しばた けいこ grand prize

A humorous picture book in which a mysterious figure who appears to steal bread causes a commotion in the bakery and the forest. Its surreal plot and charming characters have made it popular with both children and adults.

The charmingly mischievous bread thief causes another incident today.

32 pages
humorpicture bookbreadmischiefread-aloud
Noriko Kudoh くどう のりこ runner-up grand prize

Set in a cake shop, this popular picture-book series entry shows the Noraneko Gundan causing their usual uproar. Marmee-chan's role and the tempting cake-making scenes are also highlights.

The Noraneko Gundan cannot sit still in front of delicious-looking cake.

32 pages
picture bookcakemischiefhumorseries