Literary award · Japan

Murasaki Shikibu Prize

Annual literary award given to Japanese literature written by women.

About Murasaki Shikibu Prize

The Murasaki Shikibu Prize (Japanese: 紫式部文学賞, romanized: Murasaki Shikibu bungaku shō) is a Japanese literary award awarded annually to an outstanding piece of literature in Japanese by a female author. It was established in 1991 by the city of Uji in Kyoto Prefecture in honor of Murasaki Shikibu's deep connection to the city of Uji. It awards a cash prize of 2 million yen, as well as a bronze statuette.

From the Wikipedia article “Murasaki Shikibu Prize”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Recent winners

YearWinnerWinning work
2023Eiko Kadono—
2015Aiko Satō—
2014Mayumi Mori—
2013Mari Akasaka—
2011Yoko Tawada—
2010Heaven—
2010Mieko Kawakami—
2009Natsuo Kirino—
2008Hiromi Itō—
2007Akiko Baba—
2006Kaho Nashiki—
2005Yūko Tsushima—
2004Machi Tawara—

From Wikidata; the list may be incomplete for some years.

Eligibility and entering

Check the official rules of the Murasaki Shikibu Prize for the current eligibility window, accepted formats, residency or language requirements and any entry fee. For most established prizes the publisher submits on the author's behalf, often with a limit on entries per imprint.

If you are self-published, look for an explicit statement that independently published books are accepted, and budget for entry fees and copies for judges.

Sources & data