Nobuo Onishi’s 'Hikiishi to 24 Tofu' Wins Prestigious Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Prize

Nobuo Onishi’s 'Hikiishi to 24 Tofu' Wins Big

In a celebration of literary excellence for young readers, Nobuo Onishi has been awarded the prestigious Grand Prize at the 72nd Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Awards, organized by Sankei Shimbun. This accolade is a testament to the impact of Onishi’s enchanting storytelling that captivates the minds of children.

The awards, which recognize the best children’s literature published over the previous year, encompassed an impressive total of 4,176 entries. These included a diverse array of titles, specifically aimed at upper elementary school children, all initially published in Japanese. Onishi's 'Hikiishi to 24 Tofu' stood out remarkably among the competition, ultimately securing the Grand Prize.

The significance of the Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Awards, established in 1954, lies in its commitment to ensuring that the next generation has access to high-quality literature. To date, around 1,200 books spanning various genres, including children’s literature, picture books, translated works, and encyclopedias, have been honored under this prestigious scheme. This awards ceremony plays a pivotal role in shaping Japan's children’s literature and picture book culture post-World War II.

Along with Onishi’s winning title, the awards honored several other notable works. The JR Prize was awarded to Miki Ando’s 'Waruiko inega' published by Kodansha, while the Taihei Prize went to Ayumu Kamata for 'Kyo-seki Unpan! Umi o Koete Osaka-jo e' from Arisukan. The Fine Arts Prize was claimed by Hana Hodate for her illustration in 'Ohanashi wa Doko Kara Kita no?' published by BL Publishing.

In addition to these, several distinguished entries were acknowledged, such as 'Itsumo Nakama to Issho Enaga no Kurashi' authored by Narisa Togo with photography by Yoshiteru Eguchi, and 'Ehonn Toki no Kane' created by Yutaka Kobayashi. Notably, the Nippon Broadcasting Prize recognized Haruki Shimizu’s 'Tokubetsu Kyuuka, Hajimemashita!' from Iwasaki Shoten.

The awards also feature a category for translated works, which this year honored Gonzalo Maure's 'Papa wa Taichou-san Watashi wa Guide-san’ translated by Yumi Hoshino, along with Chloe Savage’s 'Maboroshi no Kyodai Kurage o Sagashite,' translated by Kazumi Yoshii.

The selection process involved esteemed judges from various fields: literature experts such as Yuko Kawabata from Japan Women's University and Yasuko Doi from the Osaka International Children's Literature Promotion Foundation, artistic judges including writer Keiko Ochiai and translator Yumiko Sakuma, as well as social and scientific experts like Isamu Kinoshita from Chiba University.

Furthermore, guest judges representing Taihei and various media participated in the final selection phase, ensuring a rich array of perspectives in determining this year's winners.

For more detailed information about the awards and a complete list of the winners, readers are encouraged to check the Sankei Shimbun's coverage on May 5 or visit the Sankei News website at Sankei News.

In essence, the Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Awards not only celebrate literary achievements but also serve as a crucial platform for promoting quality literature among children, nurturing their imaginations and love for reading.