Arashi Muraki's 'Suzume Chotcho' Wins the Nitta Jiro Literary Award! A Moving Historical Novel Depicting the Unknown Struggles of Kyoka Poet Ota Nanpo
Arashi Muraki's novel 'Suzume Chotcho,' published by Bungeishunju in December 2025, has won the 45th Nitta Jiro Literary Award. The work is a historical novel that profoundly portrays the unknown conflicts of Ota Nanpo, a Kyoka poet who led Edo culture.
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株式会社文藝春秋 (Bunshun Inc., Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) announced that the novel "Suzume Chotcho" (Sparrow, Sparrow) by Arashi Muraki, published in December 2025, has received the 45th Nitta Jiro Literary Award. The work is a heartwarming family novel that depicts the unknown struggles of Ota Nanpo, who was a driving force in Edo culture.
The Nitta Jiro Literary Award is a unique literary prize created by the family who inherited his will and editors who assist in its operation. It targets works based on historical facts or facts, or works inspired by the natural world (mountains, oceans, flora, and fauna) regardless of form (novel, biography, essay, nonfiction, etc.), published between January and December of the previous year. The current selection committee consists of four members: Shin Iohara, Tatsuya Kumagai, Hitomi Sawada, and Reiko Morota.
## Mr. Arashi Muraki's Acceptance Speech
On my way home, I noticed multiple missed calls from a close editor. When I texted "I'm on the bus now," I received a reply saying, "Please call me, I have good news." For the three stations until I got off, I wondered what this good news could be. It never occurred to me that it was an award; I thought perhaps a fan letter had arrived at the editorial department.
Feeding sparrows on my balcony in the morning and evening is a secret great pleasure of mine. I called out "Banzai!" to my usual sparrows. Thank you very much.
## "Suzume Chotcho" Content Introduction
Starting with high praise from Hiraga Gennai, Ota Nanpo enjoyed fame as a man of letters. He also deepened his interactions with Tsutaya Juzaburo, becoming a leading figure in Edo's Kyoka (comic poetry). However, with the downfall of Tanuma Okitsugu and the rise of Matsudaira Sadanobu, a storm of purges swept through the publishing world.
Meanwhile, in his eldest son Sadakichi, signs of the "demon" that occasionally appeared in the Ota family began to emerge.
What should be protected, culture or family?
This is a masterpiece historical novel that vividly portrays the unknown struggles of the genius Ota Nanpo.
## Mr. Arashi Muraki's Profile
Arashi Muraki
Born in Kyoto in 1967. Graduated from Kyoto University Faculty of Law. After working for a company, he became a house assistant for Ryotaro Shiba's family in 1995, and later served as a personal secretary to Mrs. Midori Fukuda, Shiba's wife. In 2010...
The Nitta Jiro Literary Award is a unique literary prize created by the family who inherited his will and editors who assist in its operation. It targets works based on historical facts or facts, or works inspired by the natural world (mountains, oceans, flora, and fauna) regardless of form (novel, biography, essay, nonfiction, etc.), published between January and December of the previous year. The current selection committee consists of four members: Shin Iohara, Tatsuya Kumagai, Hitomi Sawada, and Reiko Morota.
## Mr. Arashi Muraki's Acceptance Speech
On my way home, I noticed multiple missed calls from a close editor. When I texted "I'm on the bus now," I received a reply saying, "Please call me, I have good news." For the three stations until I got off, I wondered what this good news could be. It never occurred to me that it was an award; I thought perhaps a fan letter had arrived at the editorial department.
Feeding sparrows on my balcony in the morning and evening is a secret great pleasure of mine. I called out "Banzai!" to my usual sparrows. Thank you very much.
## "Suzume Chotcho" Content Introduction
Starting with high praise from Hiraga Gennai, Ota Nanpo enjoyed fame as a man of letters. He also deepened his interactions with Tsutaya Juzaburo, becoming a leading figure in Edo's Kyoka (comic poetry). However, with the downfall of Tanuma Okitsugu and the rise of Matsudaira Sadanobu, a storm of purges swept through the publishing world.
Meanwhile, in his eldest son Sadakichi, signs of the "demon" that occasionally appeared in the Ota family began to emerge.
What should be protected, culture or family?
This is a masterpiece historical novel that vividly portrays the unknown struggles of the genius Ota Nanpo.
## Mr. Arashi Muraki's Profile
Arashi Muraki
Born in Kyoto in 1967. Graduated from Kyoto University Faculty of Law. After working for a company, he became a house assistant for Ryotaro Shiba's family in 1995, and later served as a personal secretary to Mrs. Midori Fukuda, Shiba's wife. In 2010...