Call for Entries: The 23rd Bocchan Literary Award - Accepting Submissions from May 1 to September 30, 2026
Matsuyama City will begin accepting entries for the 23rd Bocchan Literary Award starting May 1, 2026. As a 'short-short' story competition, it aims to leverage the city's rich literary heritage to serve as an entry point for new writers worldwide.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 21:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 28, 2026 at 12:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 13:28 (57 min after Collected)
Pacific Voice Inc. will once again serve as the official secretariat for the 'Bocchan Literary Award' and will begin the call for submissions for this fiscal year.
Website: https://bocchan-shortshort-matsuyama.jp/
The award was established in 1988 to mark the 100th anniversary of the city's municipal system. Matsuyama is the birthplace of Masaoka Shiki, the father of modern haiku, and was the setting for Soseki Natsume's famous novel 'Botchan.' By leveraging this rich literary soil, the award aims to create new youth literature and enhance the city's cultural image. Over the years, it has produced many successful authors and popular works.
From the 16th edition, the award was renewed as a 'short-short' literary prize. The 22nd edition saw a record high of 9,900 entries from all 47 Japanese prefectures and 14 countries overseas. Furthermore, the 'Yomi-Shibai' (dramatic reading) performances, which use the original text of the entries, have been very well received, and performances will be held again this year.
Short-short stories make it easy for people to experience the joy of writing, allowing participation across generations and expanding the reach of literature. By utilizing the characteristic of expressing ideas through short words—similar to haiku—we hope to use this award as an 'entrance to literature' and further share the charm of Matsuyama as a 'City of Words and Literature.'
We would like to express our gratitude to the citizens and literary fans nationwide who have nurtured this city together. We look forward to receiving as many entries as possible to further enhance the appeal of the Bocchan Literary Award.
We appreciate your warm support and cooperation.
[Judges]
A panel of judges from various fields who can maximize the charm of short-shorts will conduct the screening.
Chief Judge: Masatomo Tamaru
Born in Matsuyama City, Ehime, in 1987. A leading figure in modern short-short stories, he is active in writing and serves as the chief judge for several awards. Since 2013, he has held writing workshops nationwide. His methods have been adopted in elementary and middle school textbooks since 2020.
Judge: Sayaka Ohara
Voice actress and narrator. Known for roles in 'FAIRY TAIL' (Erza Scarlet), 'xxxHOLiC' (Yuko Ichihara), and 'Sailor Moon' (Michiru Kaioh/Sailor Neptune). She has over 25 years of experience in station announcements for major railways in the Kanto area.
Judge: Yuki Yamato
Film director. Received the New Director Award at the Japan Movie Professional Awards in 2014. Her film 'Drowning Love' (2016) was a record-breaking hit for a female director in her 20s. She has also directed music videos for Mrs. GREEN APPLE and RADWIMPS.
[Ambassador]
Alan Shirahama
Born in Matsuyama City, Ehime, in 1993. A performer for GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE. He will promote the award through social media and other channels.
Website: https://bocchan-shortshort-matsuyama.jp/
The award was established in 1988 to mark the 100th anniversary of the city's municipal system. Matsuyama is the birthplace of Masaoka Shiki, the father of modern haiku, and was the setting for Soseki Natsume's famous novel 'Botchan.' By leveraging this rich literary soil, the award aims to create new youth literature and enhance the city's cultural image. Over the years, it has produced many successful authors and popular works.
From the 16th edition, the award was renewed as a 'short-short' literary prize. The 22nd edition saw a record high of 9,900 entries from all 47 Japanese prefectures and 14 countries overseas. Furthermore, the 'Yomi-Shibai' (dramatic reading) performances, which use the original text of the entries, have been very well received, and performances will be held again this year.
Short-short stories make it easy for people to experience the joy of writing, allowing participation across generations and expanding the reach of literature. By utilizing the characteristic of expressing ideas through short words—similar to haiku—we hope to use this award as an 'entrance to literature' and further share the charm of Matsuyama as a 'City of Words and Literature.'
We would like to express our gratitude to the citizens and literary fans nationwide who have nurtured this city together. We look forward to receiving as many entries as possible to further enhance the appeal of the Bocchan Literary Award.
We appreciate your warm support and cooperation.
[Judges]
A panel of judges from various fields who can maximize the charm of short-shorts will conduct the screening.
Chief Judge: Masatomo Tamaru
Born in Matsuyama City, Ehime, in 1987. A leading figure in modern short-short stories, he is active in writing and serves as the chief judge for several awards. Since 2013, he has held writing workshops nationwide. His methods have been adopted in elementary and middle school textbooks since 2020.
Judge: Sayaka Ohara
Voice actress and narrator. Known for roles in 'FAIRY TAIL' (Erza Scarlet), 'xxxHOLiC' (Yuko Ichihara), and 'Sailor Moon' (Michiru Kaioh/Sailor Neptune). She has over 25 years of experience in station announcements for major railways in the Kanto area.
Judge: Yuki Yamato
Film director. Received the New Director Award at the Japan Movie Professional Awards in 2014. Her film 'Drowning Love' (2016) was a record-breaking hit for a female director in her 20s. She has also directed music videos for Mrs. GREEN APPLE and RADWIMPS.
[Ambassador]
Alan Shirahama
Born in Matsuyama City, Ehime, in 1993. A performer for GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE. He will promote the award through social media and other channels.