A feminist SF short story set on a remote island in a far-future Japan where displaced people are forced to live. The narrative follows a controlled prostitute, a transgender man who is a member of the "new humanity" capable of parthenogenesis yet chose to remain on Earth, and a daughter who has gone far away.

A far-future Japan, an island where forcibly displaced people live. A controlled prostitute, a transgender man who is a member of the new humanity capable of parthenogenesis yet stayed on Earth, a daughter who has gone far away.

Haito Toori's 'Kokuu Ryoiki' (Void Domain) is a broadly-defined SF short story that reached the final round of the 17th Sogen SF Short Story Award (2026) and received the Jury Encouragement Award. The title at the time of submission was 'Mukyu no Hako' (Box of Infinity), later retitled upon award confirmation. The selection committee consisted of Hiroki Tobita, Satoshi Hase, and Haneko Takayama. The Jury Encouragement Award is given by the committee's recommendation separately from the main prize; this work has no plans for commercial publication.

Winner of the Jury Encouragement Award at the 17th Sogen SF Short Story Award, retitled from the submission title 'Mukyu no Hako.'

In a world where ironworking has been transformed by the 'cultivated iron revolution' — a technology that grows iron products from the plant Kuroganesou — science journalist Koike travels to Kanazawa in the early 1990s to interview Yagi Koichiro, a man who spent ten years alone cultivating a Ferris wheel at an abandoned amusement park. Asked why he grew a Ferris wheel no one could ride, Yagi begins to recount an unexpected family history tied to the research of Kuroganesou cultivation.

In the early 1990s, when iron-cultivating plants had become widespread, one man was quietly raising a Ferris wheel alone in an abandoned amusement park.

In a near future where everyone carries a digital brain implant called a denka-nou, Kiriyama, a cleanup hitter on a high school baseball team, is plagued by the yips that freeze his arms at bat. One day, his female team manager Nakamura secretly installs an unauthorized app that can swap the consciousness of two people who lock eyes. Nakamura, who once showed exceptional athletic talent but was sidelined to manager duties by rules barring girls from competition, offers to step in for Kiriyama at bat. A refreshing coming-of-age SF that explores mutual understanding and the question of who gets to stand at the plate through the lens of mind swapping.

In an age where everyone carries a device called a digital brain, an unauthorized app makes the swapping of consciousness between two people possible.