Bungeishunju Ltd. Winner of the 2025 Keibundo Bookstore Historical Novel Paperback Grand Prize! Takase Noichi’s “Osen the Rental Bookstore,” which has been highly praised by bookstore staff since its debut, has achieved a triple crown, following th

[Bungeishunju Ltd.] Winner of the 2025 Keibundo Bookstore Historical Novel Paperback Award! Takase Noichi’s “Osen the Rental Bookstore,” which has been rave reviews from bookstore staff since its debut, has achieved a triple crown, winning the All-Readers Newcomer Award and the Japan Association of Historical Writers Newcomer Award. ​
Bungeishunju Ltd. Press Release: September 16, 2025 Winner of the 2025 Keibundo Bookstore Historical Novel Paperback Grand Prize! Takase Noichi’s “Osen the Rental Bookstore,” which has been rave reviews from bookstore staff since its debut, has achieved a triple crown, following the All-Readers Newcomer Award and the Japan Association of Historical Writers Newcomer Award. A new heroine has appeared in the world of historical fiction. Osen, the bookworm who causes trouble Takase Noichi’s “Osen the Rental Bookstore” (Bunshun Bunko), published in May by Bungeishunju Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Iikubo Shigeyuki), has won the Keibundo Bookstore Historical Novel Paperback Grand Prize. In response, a commemorative fair will be held at all Keibundo Bookstores from September 16th.
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“Osen the Rental Bookstore” (Bunshun Bunko) Book Cover The Keibundo Bookstore Historical Novel Paperback Grand Prize is a literary award sponsored by Keibundo Bookstore, which operates primarily in areas along the Keio Line and Inokashira Line. Bookstore staff vote for 10 recommended historical novels from each publisher. The nominees will be available in stores for one month starting July 1, 2025, and the winner will be determined based on the number of copies sold during that period. The award-winning work, “Osen the Rental Bookstore,” is Takase Noichi’s debut work and unanimously won the 100th All-Readers Newcomer Award. The story of Osen, the proprietress of a rental book store who delivers books to book lovers, gets empathetic as she gets caught up in various incidents, such as the theft of woodblocks, a ghost incident, and the search for a mythical book, and the work also won the Newcomer Award from the Japan Historical Writers Association. Takase, one of the most talked-about authors today, whose recent book “Until the Plum Ripens: Junnosuke Kayano’s Bakumatsu Diary” has been shortlisted for the Yamamoto Shugoro Prize and the Nakayama Yoshihide Literary Prize, also expressed his joy.