The 36th Ito En Oi Ocha New Haiku Award, Japan’s largest creative haiku contest, received approximately 1.85 million entries. 1,000 winning works, including the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award, were selected. Ito En New Haiku Award Secretariat Press Release: October 15, 2025 To Members of the Media The 36th Ito En Oi Ocha New Haiku Award, Japan’s largest creative haiku contest, received approximately 1.85 million entries. 1,000 winning works, including the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award, were selected. [Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award] Ami Karin (age 15) from Takatsuki City, Osaka Prefecture. [Kaneko Kota Award] Yano Keisuke (age 45) from Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture. ITO EN, Ltd. (President and CEO: Daisuke Honjo; Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo) held the 36th ITO EN Oi Ocha New Haiku Competition from November last year to February this year. We received 1,845,983 haiku entries from 487,670 people from 61 countries around the world, and selected 1,000 winning entries from these entries. The winners were announced on Wednesday, October 15, 2025. The winner of the highest award, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award, was Ami Karin from Takatsuki City, Osaka Prefecture, for her work “Frozen Stars and a Job That Won’t Become a Mark in History.” The Kaneko Kota Award went to Yano Keisuke from Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture, for his work “Keeping a Whale in a Sea of Emotions.” Ami, who received the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award this year, has been writing haiku since he was in the second grade of elementary school and has won numerous awards in various haiku contests. He is currently a member of the haiku writing club at Rakunan High School in Kyoto Prefecture, and participated in this year’s Haiku Koshien. Yano, who received the Kaneko Kota Award, works at a Japanese language school and began writing haiku about nine years ago. He has previously submitted entries to the New Haiku Grand Prix, and this is his second time receiving the award, following his previous Honorable Mention Special Award. The Grand Prize winners in each category were also selected by a final panel of 10 leading experts in their respective fields for their free and expressive works. Bottle featuring the 36th Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award. One thousand recipients of the Honorable Mention Special Award from the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award will receive a specially produced “Oi Ocha” product featuring their own work on the product packaging. In addition, submissions for the “37th ITO EN Oi Ocha New Haiku Award” will begin on Monday, November 3rd (national holiday). For details, please visit the New Haiku Award website.
(https://itoen-shinhaiku.jp
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/11926/45/11926-45-4cd07a3aabfd6fd57eefe658cc0653bc-1362×1095.png Bottle featured in the 36th Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/11926/45/11926-45-9bf4a4ae03dfc53b3e25b12cca3c6a99-1798×717.png Scene from the final screening
■Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award Prize: Certificate, one case of “Oi Ocha” tea featuring the winning entry, a plaque stating the winning entry, and a collection of winning entries titled “Free Talk” Frozen Stars and Work That Will Not Be Remembered in History Ami Karin, 15, Takatsuki City, Osaka Prefecture (Judge’s Comments) The author couldn’t help but write about “amazing people and work that will not be passed down to future generations.” Rather than basking in the glamorous spotlight, this look at those who will not be remembered in history focuses on those who quietly support the times and quietly disappear. It’s surprising to think that the author was only 15 years old, a time of abundant spring and autumn. I believe that by writing this poem, the author was able to let something out of himself. This, too, could be seen as one new direction that new haiku is seeking. (Author’s comment) Looking through a history textbook, I suddenly thought that there must have been incredible people and accomplishments throughout human history that have not been passed down to future generations. At the same time, I felt a little sad when I thought that even for people who are active in the world today, there is no telling whether their names or accomplishments will remain in history. I entrusted these feelings to the poem “Frozen Star.”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/11926/45/11926-45-9b1967d03cc6fe6b3fb8a6d76f45f645-1240×1653.jpg 36th Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award Karin Ami ■Kaneko Kota Award Prize: Certificate, one case of “Oi Ocha” featuring the winning entry, amount of the winning entry’s publication, and a collection of winning entries titled “Free Talk” Keeping a Whale in a Sea of Emotions Yano Keisuke, 45, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture (Judge’s Comments) This poem is like a whale within one’s emotions, a passion that sometimes dives deep, sometimes surfaces, spewing forth and splashing wildly. You never know when it might explode. Perhaps it’s fear of oneself, carrying something beyond one’s control. Perhaps it’s the author’s sense of unease at the seemingly unstoppable joy, anger, sadness, and happiness, even though he is in the prime of his life. But he also feels that he must tame them. Since he says he will “keep” them, it seems he is prepared for this. (Author’s comment) Sometimes whales dive deep into the ocean unnoticed, and sometimes they surprise people by splashing or spewing water on the surface. When I experience great emotion in life, or deep sadness, I feel as if there is a whale inside me. Is the whale responding to my feelings, or is it the whale that moves my emotions? These are the feelings I expressed in this poem.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/11926/45/11926-45-f62f4213c70ec3669c0f5399b66291db-374×498.png 36th Kaneko Kota Award: Yano Keisuke ■Grand Prize Prize: Certificate, one case of “Oi Ocha” featuring the winning entry, a plaque from the winning entry, and a collection of winning entries titled “Free Storytelling” 【Elementary School Division (including
preschoolers)]Total number of submissions: 403,750 Sending a heartfelt greeting to the Earth Okano Shuri, 6 years old, Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo (Judge’s Comments) It’s an innocent wish: I wish I could become friends with the Earth. Perhaps it’s the adults’ fault if we can’t fully understand the wishes of such a young child. In response to the cheer, “Do your best, Earth,” we should all respond with a cheery, loud, and cheerful applause, along with not only humans but all living things and nature, along with all other creatures. [Junior High School Division]Total number of submissions: 483,018 Standing and chatting, holding onto the sunset’s tail Ito Kurumi, 14, Funabashi City, Chiba Prefecture (Judge’s Comments) The sun is shining brightly, and the crows are about to go home. But I still have a little more time to chat with my friend, so I feel like I want to wait a little longer for the sun to set. There’s still a lingering sense of regret for the sunset and my friend, and it’s clear that I’m holding onto the sunset’s tail and not wanting to let go. I’m sure the sunset is feeling the same way as my friend. 【High School Student Section】 Total number of submissions: 789,045 Home-sitting ramen with no toppings, snow outside Ogawa Keitarou, 16 years old, Inagi City, Tokyo (Judge’s commentary) It’s a cold, snowy day. I’m home-sitting alone. I’m getting hungry, so I make myself some instant ramen with no toppings and eat it. I feel lonely, but I also feel a sense of freedom being alone, so I’m quite satisfied. He might be a bit cocky when he says it’s “the best,” but… 【General Section A (Under 40)] Total number of submissions: 50,291 The glove falls, as if it were a hint Mihara Eishin, 25, Suita City, Osaka Prefecture (Judge’s Comments) On winter days, you often see just one glove lying on the side of the road. It seems to be a hint at a mysterious story about to begin. With the seal of approval from mystery writer Miyabe Miyuki, you can be sure it’s a sure thing. What will be the separate fates of the fallen glove and the one that remains in your hand? It’s a fun, albeit somewhat spooky, experience. 【General Division B (40 years and older)] Total number of submissions: 85,767 A guide dog quietly straddling the dandelions Nagaso Hirotaka, 43, Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture (Judge’s Comments) “Quietly straddling” shows that the guide dog is
well-trained. Its consideration for the dandelions likely reflects an understanding of its owner’s preferences. “Quietly” perhaps best describes the behavior of a large, gentle guide dog. The dandelions are spread out before the guide dog’s nose as it lies sprawled out, seemingly carrying a pleasant fragrance. English Haiku Section: Total of 33,954 entries submitted: Zoo exhibit: Monkeys watch humans watch monkeys on smartphones. Ngô Bình Anh Khoa, 31, Vietnam. (Judge’s Commentary) An acquaintance of mine, raising her child in Montana, home to an abundance of wild deer, bears, and eagles, took her young son to a zoo in Los Angeles for the first time. Her son was saddened, repeatedly lamenting the unnatural confinement of the animals, saying, “We have to let them out.” Even though we may appear to be free to roam the outside world, many humans are trapped in technological cages, making it difficult for us to directly grasp reality. This haiku offers an amusing, layered portrayal of our own deterioration. The monkeys in the monkey mountain may be more realistic. *Comment on the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award – General Category B Grand Prize winner Final judge: Atsushi Anzai *Grand Prize winner in English Haiku category (literal translation) Final judge: Tsunehiko Hoshino *Comment on the Grand Prize winner in English Haiku category (English Haiku) Final judge: Arthur Binard *All winners’ ages are as of the time of application. [36th time Ito En Oi Ocha New Haiku Award – Application Guidelines ■Application categories (6 categories) “Elementary School Division (including infants)”, “Junior High School Division”, “High School Division” “General Division A (Under 40 years old)”, “General Division B (40 years old and over)”, “English Haiku Division” ■Application guidelines ●Organizer Ito En New Haiku Award Executive Committee ●How to apply Submit up to 6 haiku per person in both Japanese and English by postcard, fax (A4 size), or online. Please clearly state your application category and work, postal code, address, name, age, telephone number, email address, and name of your haiku club, school, or circle (if you belong to one). ●Submission address Postcard: 3-23 Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8553, “Ito En Oi Ocha New Haiku Award” Office Fax: 03-3263-5668 Internet: ●Application Deadline February 28, 2025 (Friday) postmark/sent by that date is valid ●Prizes (1,000 winners, 4,000 selected winners 5,000 in total) Prizes: For Japanese haiku, one person will receive the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award (500,000 yen prize and additional prize), one person will receive the Kaneko Kota Award (200,000 yen prize and additional prize), one person will receive the Grand Prize in each category (6 people in total, 200,000 yen prize and additional prize), 44 people will receive the Excellence Award, 10 people will receive the Jury Award, 10 people will receive the Supporting Organization Award, and 928 people will receive the Special Honorable Mention Award. A total of 1,000 works will be featured on “Oi Ocha” packaging. Selected (Honorable Mention): 4,000 people across all categories will receive a certificate of award. ●Judges (in
alphabetical order, titles omitted) Japanese haiku: Asai Shinpei (photographer), Anzai Atsushi (haiku poet), Ito Seiko
(author/creator), Kindaichi Hideho (Japanese language scholar), Kamino Saki (haiku poet), Natsui Itsuki (haiku poet), Hotta Tokiha (haiku poet/literary artist), Miyabe Miyuki (author) English haiku : Arthur Binard (poet), Hoshino Tsunehiko (haiku poet) ●Announcement The 5,000 winning haiku will be announced on the ITO EN website and elsewhere on October 15, 2025. Applicants will also be notified of the judging results by mail or email. 1,000 winning haiku will be featured on the packaging of the “Oi Ocha” series from spring 2026 onwards. *The application guidelines are current as of the time of application. [Reference Materials] ・About the Ito En Oi Ocha New Haiku Award Haiku is a form of poetry that values its own detailed conventions (seasonal words, fixed forms, etc.). However, there are many wonderful haiku poems that do not follow these conventions. Expressions that are not bound by conventions are easy for beginners to tackle, while at the same time allowing them to compete on the same level as veterans in terms of expressiveness. The Ito En Oi Ocha New Haiku Award eliminates creative restrictions as much as possible and allows for free expression in a 5-7-5 rhythm. In addition, Ito En’s Oi Ocha is enjoyed by many people across the country, and its packaging can also be used as media. Launched in 1989 (Heisei 1), Oi Ocha is Ito En’s Japanese tea beverage brand, developed to allow people to enjoy delicious green tea anytime, anywhere. We felt that the new haiku, which does not impose creative restrictions, was a perfect fit for Oi Ocha. We believe that opening up our own product packaging as a platform for the presentation of short expressions is a new cultural activity that is in keeping with the modern era. The number of entries in the first competition was 41,373, and this time the total has reached approximately 47.3 million. Recently, with the popularity of television programs featuring haiku, interest in haiku has been growing among junior and senior high school students and younger generations who previously had little contact with haiku. Furthermore, haiku composition is also becoming established in educational settings as a way to pass on Japanese culture. For the 36th competition, we received entries from a total of 2,968 schools, including 859 elementary schools, 955 junior high schools, and 1,154 high schools. Incidentally, this means that approximately one in four high schools nationwide is participating in the New Haiku Award.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/11926/45/11926-45-9b6d966d11ccac31af8f27b313b66da1-383×268.png Ito En Oi Ocha New Haiku Contest Application Trends
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/11926/45/11926-45-400a0ffee6440f3f0e87e45a55b9cd79-1832×2259.png 36th ITO EN Oi Ocha New Haiku Award Breakdown of Entries by Category For more information about this release
