The 23rd Botchan Literary Award Call for Entries: Submissions Accepted from May 1 to September 30, Reiwa 8

Pacific Voice Inc. will once again launch the call for entries for the "Botchan Literary Award" this year, serving as the public submission management office.

https://bocchan-shortshort-matsuyama.jp/

Established in 1988 on the occasion of the city's 100th anniversary, the award leverages Matsuyama City's rich literary heritage—the birthplace of Masaoka Shiki, the father of modern haiku, and the setting of Natsume Soseki's modern novel "Botchan." Its aim is to foster the creation of new youth literature, enhance the city's cultural image, and promote it nationwide. Over the years, it has produced acclaimed writers and popular works that continue to thrive after receiving awards.

From its 16th edition, the award was revamped as a short-short story literary award. The 22nd edition received a record-breaking 9,900 entries from all 47 prefectures of Japan, in addition to 14 countries overseas. Furthermore, the "Yomishibai" (reading play) performances, which use the original texts of the works, have been extremely well-received by many, and performances will be held again this year.

Short-short stories make it easy for anyone to enjoy writing, allow participation regardless of generation, and have the power to broaden the appeal of literature. Leveraging the characteristic of expressing ideas in short words, similar to haiku, we aim for this award to be an "entrance to literature" and to further disseminate the charm of "Matsuyama, the City of Words and Literature," which the city has been promoting.

We would like to express our gratitude to the citizens of Matsuyama and literature fans nationwide who have nurtured "Matsuyama, the City of Words and Literature" with us, and we hope that as many people as possible will apply to further enhance the appeal of the "Botchan Literary Award."

We kindly ask for your warm support and cooperation.

Judges: Individuals capable of maximizing the appeal of short-short stories from a wide range of fields will serve as judges.

Chief Judge: Masatomo Tamaru

Born in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, in 1987. Graduated from Matsuyama Higashi High School, and the Faculty of Engineering, University of Tokyo, completing his master's degree at the Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo. As a leading figure in contemporary short-short stories, in addition to his writing activities, he serves as the chief judge for the Botchan Literary Award and others. Since 2013, he has also been widely active, holding workshops on how to write short-short stories across the country. The content of his writing workshops has been adopted in 4th-grade Japanese language textbooks (Kyoiku Publishing) since the 2020 academic year, and his novel "Sakuracho" has been featured in 1st-grade junior high school Japanese language textbooks (Kyoiku Publishing) since the 2021 academic year. His numerous works include "Umiiro no Bin" and the "Otogi Company" series. He has made many media appearances, including "Jounetsu Tairiku" and "SWITCH Interview Tatsujin-tachi."

Masatomo Tamaru Official Website: https://masatomotamaru.com/

Judge: Sayaka Ohara

Voice actress, narrator. Her anime appearances include "FAIRY TAIL" (Erza Scarlet), "xxxHOLiC" (Yuko Ichihara), "Sailor Moon" (Michiru Kaioh / Sailor Neptune), "Fate/zero" (Irisviel), "ARIA" series (Alicia Florence), "Kaleido Star" (Layla Hamilton), "Natsuyuki Rendezvous" (Rokka Shimao), "Ikoku Nikki" (Minori), and many others. Recipient of the 7th Seiyu Awards for Best Supporting Actress. She has been the voice for au (mobile phone) answering machine service and over 50% of private railway home announcements in the Kanto region, including Keio Line and Keikyu Line, for over 25 years. Her lifelong work, the recitation program "Tsuki no Neiro ~radio for your pleasure tomorrow~," is currently being streamed on the internet radio station Onsen. Recently, she has had many international engagements, including guest appearances as a Japanese voice actress at overseas events and performing the role of Hsing Hai in the long-running "Thunderbolt Fantasy: Sword Art Online" puppet show, a Japan-Taiwan co-production.

Judge: Yuki Yamato

Film director. In 2014, she received the Japan Film Professional Awards for Best New Director. In 2016, her film "Oboreru Knife" attracted over 600,000 viewers, achieving an unprecedented box office record for a female director in her 20s. In 2019, she received the TAMA Film Award for Best New Director. In 2024, she directed NHK dramas such as "Fujiko F. Fujio SF Tanpen Drama" and "Tsubame wa Modotte Konai." She is highly regarded for her fresh visual expression that transcends genres, having directed music videos for Mrs. GREEN APPLE, RADWIMPS, Nogizaka46, and others.

Her film "Mama ga Mou Kono Sekai ni Inakute mo Watashi no Inochi no Nikki," starring Haruna Kawaguchi, will be released nationwide on October 2, 2026.

Ambassador: Will disseminate information nationwide via social media and other channels to promote the Botchan Literary Award.

Alan Shirahama

Born August 4, 1993, in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture.

Performer for GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE since November 2012.