Books May 19, 2022
Li Kotomi's 'Solo Dance' flows across prose and borders
by Eric Margolis
A beautiful translation by Arthur Reiji Morris of "Solo Dance" will solidify Li Kotomi’s place in the next generation of Japanese writers.
Books Jul 15, 2021
Taiwan-born novelist wins prestigious Japanese literary award
Li was honored for her novel "Higanbana ga Saku Shima" ("An Island Where Red Spider Lilies Bloom").
Books Jan 21, 2021
The awards will be presented at a ceremony in Tokyo in mid-February, with each author receiving ¥1 million ($9,635) in prize money.
National Jul 16, 2020
Novelists Takayama and Tono win Akutagawa awards; Hase wins Naoki Prize
Novelists Haneko Takayama and Haruka Tono have won the Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors, while Seishu Hase won the Naoki Prize for popular fiction, the selection committee said Wednesday. Takayama, 45, won for her novel "Shuri no Uma" ("A Horse from Shuri"), which depicts a ...
Books Jul 17, 2019
Two women named for Japan's Akutagawa, Naoki literary awards
Two novelists were selected Wednesday to receive the prestigious Akutagawa and Naoki literary awards for their works, one of which depicts stalker-like behavior by a woman and the other tells the tale of a traditional Japanese puppet playwright. Natsuko Imamura won the Akutagawa Prize for ...
National Jan 17, 2019
Three novelists picked for Japan's Akutagawa and Naoki literary awards
Three novelists were selected Wednesday to receive the country's prestigious Akutagawa and Naoki literary awards for their works that covered a range of contemporary and historical topics. Takahiro Ueda and Ryohei Machiya won the Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors, while Junjo Shindo won the Naoki ...
Books | RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOKS ABOUT JAPAN Jan 12, 2019
'Friendship for Grown-Ups' evokes the ambiguity of everyday life
by T.C. Jones
Keshiki is a chapbook series published by Strangers Press designed to showcase some of the most exciting writers working in Japan today. "Friendship for Grown-Ups" by Nao-Cola Yamazaki is the second book in the series. The recipient of five Akutagawa Prize nominations, Yamazaki's ...
Books Jul 18, 2018
Hiroki Takahashi wins Akutagawa literary award, while Rio Shimamoto bags Naoki Prize
Novelist Hiroki Takahashi has won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for up-and-coming authors, while the Naoki Prize for popular fiction has been awarded to writer Rio Shimamoto, the selection committee said Wednesday. "Okuribi" ("Ceremonial Fire") by Takahashi, 38, depicts boys engaging in violent games at a ...
Books Jul 19, 2017
First-time writer Shinsuke Numata wins prestigious Akutagawa Prize
by Daisuke Kikuchi
A 38-year-old first-time writer is the winner of the 157th Akutagawa Prize for his story "Eiri," the awards selection committee announced Wednesday. "It's a great honor, I've only written one work so far. I'll keep up the good work," said Shinsuke Numata during a news ...
Books Jan 20, 2017
Sumito Yamashita claims 156th Akutagawa Prize
by Daisuke Kikuchi
The 156th Akutagawa Prize was awarded to 50-year-old author Sumito Yamashita for his book "Shinsekai (New World)," which explores his teenage experiences, the selection committee of the prestigious literary award announced Thursday. "It's delightful," said Yamashita during a news conference held at a Tokyo hotel ...
National / Media | MEDIA MIX Jul 30, 2016
Sayaka Murata and the art of neutrality
by Philip Brasor
When 36-year-old Sayaka Murata recently won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for literature, the media latched onto the author's background rather than the novel itself. Murata continues to work part-time as a convenience store clerk, and gains inspiration for characters and plots from her work ...
National Jul 20, 2016
Convenience store worker who moonlights as an author wins prestigious Akutagawa Prize
by Daisuke Kikuchi
A 36-year-old part-time convenience store employee has won the 155th Akutagawa Prize, a prestigious literary award, for a book that explores life in and around convenience stores, the selection committee announced. "I still can't believe it. It seems like a miracle," said Sayaka Murata, the ...