The winner of the 62nd Bungei Prize is Sakamoto Wan’s “BOXBOXBOXBOX”!
Kawade Shobo Shinsha Press release: August 28, 2025 To Members of the Press The winner of the 62nd Bungei Prize has been decided as “BOXBOXBOXBOX” by Wan Sakamoto! All works will be featured in the winter issue of Bungei, on sale October 7th! A total of 1,959 works were submitted, and the judges were Ogawa Satoshi, Kakuta Mitsuyo, Machida Yasushi, and Murata Sayaka.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/12754/1016/12754-1016-0bdf5bfc6d9d904d92b7e993a9f0aaa9-3900×2600.png
[Judges] (From left) Mitsuyo Kakuta, Satoshi Ogawa, Yasushi Machida, Sayaka Murata The selection committee for the Bungei Prize (sponsored by Kawade Shobo Shinsha), which has produced many new writers since its inception in 1962, held its meeting at the Meiji Memorial Hall on Tuesday, August 19th. The winners of the 62nd Bungei Prize were selected by the selection committee members, Satoshi Ogawa, Mitsuyo Kakuta, Yasushi Machida, and Sayaka Murata. [Award-winning work] “BOXBOXBOXBOX” (400 characters x 139 pages) Wan Sakamoto (Sakamoto Wan) / Born in Hokkaido in 1999, raised in Miyakojima. Currently residing in Tokyo. Age 25. ■Work introduction Is it boxes or human dignity flowing down the conveyor belt? A distribution center shrouded in fog. Continuing his endless loop of sorting work, An spends his days daydreaming about what’s inside the boxes that flow by. One day, the moment he peeks inside a forbidden box, the scenery before his eyes changes, and the boxes that should have been there begin to disappear one after another. A conveyor belt suspense story set in the age of bullshit jobs, depicting the boredom and impulses of faceless workers. The winning works, acceptance speeches, and the selection committee’s comments and selection process will be published in the winter issue of Bungei, on sale Tuesday, October 7th. The award ceremony will be held at Meiji Memorial Hall in mid-November, and the winners will receive a commemorative gift as the main prize and 500,000 yen as a secondary prize. [What is the Literature Prize] This literary award for new writers was launched in 1962 and is based on Kawade Shobo Shinsha’s quarterly literary magazine, Bungei. To date, the award has consistently introduced new talent to the literary scene, including the inaugural winner, Takahashi Kazumi, as well as Tanaka Yasuo, Yamada Eimi, Nagano Mayumi, Wataya Risa, Haneda Keisuke, Yamazaki Naokora, Isozaki Kenichiro, Machiya Ryohei, Wakatake Chisako, Usami Rin, Tono Haruka, and Ando Jose. Be sure to keep an eye out for this year’s Bungei Prize winners. ■Related sites Magazine “Bungei” official website
https://www.kawade.co.jp/np/bungei.html Call for Manuscripts for the Next 63rd Bungei Prize (2026)
https://www.kawade.co.jp/np/bungei.html Kawade Shobo Shinsha HP
https://www.kawade.co.jp/ Copyright ©
Corporation All Rights Reserved.
