Announcement of Award-Winning Works for the 30th "Promise Essay Award"

The 30th "Promise Essay Award" (organized by Sankei Shimbun Co., Ltd., sponsored by SMBC Consumer Finance Co., Ltd.) closed its submissions on January 13, 2026. This year, we received a total of 7,429 entries (General Category: 7,207 entries, Promise Yell! Category: 222 entries). From these, 21 works were selected as award winners through a rigorous judging process by the judges, as listed below.

The promises depicted in this year's entries were all deeply moving, ranging from those that conveyed small joys in everyday life, to those that cherished bonds with family and friends, and those that showed a positive attitude towards dreams and goals.

Additionally, in the newly established "Promise Yell! Category," created to commemorate the 30th anniversary, we solicited works combining short essays with images or illustrations under the theme "What Supports Me." Many entries conveyed the feeling that love and hope are what sustain life and illuminate one's present and future.

Like the promises you all have made, our company will continue to work towards a society where as many people as possible can be positive about the future. Thank you very much for the numerous entries this time.

○ Award-Winning Works

＜General Category＞

■ Grand Prize (1 winner)

Masao Takami: My Culinary Training

■ Excellence Award (2 winners)

Kazushi Kanda: I Didn't Say I'd Bake a Cake

Natsuki Harada: To Eat Fried Shrimp

■ Honorable Mention (5 winners)

Mifuku Shibama: The Pink Ballpoint Pen

Yuri Akiyama: Invisible Outline

Yoshihiro Komatsubara: The Magic Words, The Promise Hidden in "See You Later"

Ryohei Kawakami: Bitter, Yet Warm

Kaho Matsunaga: A Promise with My Grandfather

■ Teen Promise Award (5 winners)

Qingyu Ren: Super Chameleon Candy

Nao Akaishi: Lucky-Colored Cardboard

Riona Kubo: I Just Want What's Normal.

Rento Nagata: Swing My Arms to the End Without Fleeing

Yuwa Fujii: A Precious Promise

○ Award-Winning Works

＜Promise Yell! Category＞

Photography Section

■ Grand Prize (1 winner)

Noriko Tanaka: A Small Letter

■ Excellence Award (3 winners)

Tanuki-chan: "Happiness That Doesn't Matter Much"

Ruri: 16 Years and 11 Years

Sosuke: What Supports Me

Illustration Section

■ Grand Prize (1 winner)

Sakuramochi: My Guiding Light

■ Excellence Award (3 winners)

Hanako Nekota: Warmth

Ryu: With Words

Kirin: To My Past Self Who Dreamed That Day

*Titles omitted

The award-winning works can be viewed at the following URL:

Official Website: https://www.promise-essay.com/

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