Takase Noichi's 'Tenma no Ko' Wins 11th Junichi Watanabe Literary Award! Author's Joyful Comment Arrives!
Takase Noichi's novel 'Tenma no Ko,' published by KADOKAWA, has won the 11th Junichi Watanabe Literary Award. The work, set in Nanbu and Hachinohe, tells the story of a girl named Ryu who loses her beloved brother and survives the harsh winter with a weak foal. The author's joyful comments have also been released.
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- 📰 Published: April 2, 2026 at 01:52
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On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, the winning work of the "11th Junichi Watanabe Literary Award" (organized by Shueisha Inc. and the Hitotsubashi General Foundation) was announced on its official website. Takase Noichi's 'Tenma no Ko,' published by KADOKAWA (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) in September 2025, was selected.
[Image of the book cover]
◆ Upon receiving the award, a joyful comment arrived from Mr. Takase Noichi
"'Tenma no Ko' was a work that could not have been completed without each historical document from Nanbu and Hachinohe, and each and every person involved. It is a story that captures just a fleeting moment in a long history, but I feel that the struggles and journey of the young girl resonate with today. Lastly, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the selection committee members who chose 'Tenma no Ko.'"
――Takase Noichi
The Junichi Watanabe Literary Award honors the achievements of Junichi Watanabe, a representative author of the Showa and Heisei eras who created a rich and diverse world of works across various genres. It is awarded to novel works that transcend the boundaries of pure and popular literature, possessing a rich narrative quality that deeply explores human psychology.
The selection committee for the 11th award consists of five members: Jiro Asada, Mariko Koike, Nobuko Takagi, Akira Higashiyama, and Teru Miyamoto. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place in mid-May in Tokyo.
Set in Aomori, this work tells the story of Ryu, a girl born in a small farming village who loses her beloved brother and survives the freezing winter land with a weak foal she witnessed being born. Voices of感動 (deep emotion) are continuously pouring in for the girl who resists life's "rules" and rises again and again.
Please take this opportunity to experience the story.
[Link to trial reading] Chapter 1 "Willow Hole" full text available for trial reading
"But that child is still alive" -- A story of a girl who runs through the freezing winter land towards spring.
*Information regarding the Junichi Watanabe Literary Award is available on the official website.
https://watanabe-sho.shueisha.co.jp/
About the Award-Winning Work 'Tenma no Ko'
◆ Synopsis
"Hey, can I become a Pegasus too?"
Ryu, a girl born in a small village in the Nanbu domain. While caring for her mother horse, Ikuchiku, and spending time with her friends in her hideout "Willow Hole," one day a one-armed horse trader (horse connoisseur) appears and whispers, "Ikuchiku's foal will become a magnificent horse of the realm." But it is natural for a Pegasus to be born from a Pegasus. Can one, regardless of birth, become something different? Endless famine, farewells to friends and horses. Amidst repeated hardships, she witnesses the weight and transience of life for both horses and humans.
Keywords: Takase Noichi, Tenma no Ko, Junichi Watanabe, Literary Award, Historical Novel, Foal, Famous Horse, Aomori, Tohoku, Emotion
[Image of the book cover]
◆ Upon receiving the award, a joyful comment arrived from Mr. Takase Noichi
"'Tenma no Ko' was a work that could not have been completed without each historical document from Nanbu and Hachinohe, and each and every person involved. It is a story that captures just a fleeting moment in a long history, but I feel that the struggles and journey of the young girl resonate with today. Lastly, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the selection committee members who chose 'Tenma no Ko.'"
――Takase Noichi
The Junichi Watanabe Literary Award honors the achievements of Junichi Watanabe, a representative author of the Showa and Heisei eras who created a rich and diverse world of works across various genres. It is awarded to novel works that transcend the boundaries of pure and popular literature, possessing a rich narrative quality that deeply explores human psychology.
The selection committee for the 11th award consists of five members: Jiro Asada, Mariko Koike, Nobuko Takagi, Akira Higashiyama, and Teru Miyamoto. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place in mid-May in Tokyo.
Set in Aomori, this work tells the story of Ryu, a girl born in a small farming village who loses her beloved brother and survives the freezing winter land with a weak foal she witnessed being born. Voices of感動 (deep emotion) are continuously pouring in for the girl who resists life's "rules" and rises again and again.
Please take this opportunity to experience the story.
[Link to trial reading] Chapter 1 "Willow Hole" full text available for trial reading
"But that child is still alive" -- A story of a girl who runs through the freezing winter land towards spring.
*Information regarding the Junichi Watanabe Literary Award is available on the official website.
https://watanabe-sho.shueisha.co.jp/
About the Award-Winning Work 'Tenma no Ko'
◆ Synopsis
"Hey, can I become a Pegasus too?"
Ryu, a girl born in a small village in the Nanbu domain. While caring for her mother horse, Ikuchiku, and spending time with her friends in her hideout "Willow Hole," one day a one-armed horse trader (horse connoisseur) appears and whispers, "Ikuchiku's foal will become a magnificent horse of the realm." But it is natural for a Pegasus to be born from a Pegasus. Can one, regardless of birth, become something different? Endless famine, farewells to friends and horses. Amidst repeated hardships, she witnesses the weight and transience of life for both horses and humans.
Keywords: Takase Noichi, Tenma no Ko, Junichi Watanabe, Literary Award, Historical Novel, Foal, Famous Horse, Aomori, Tohoku, Emotion