Akutagawa Prize 2026: Makoto Toriyama and Ushio Hatakeyama Named Winners in Prestigious Literary Honor
On January 14, 2026, the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Literature announced the winners of the 174th Akutagawa Prize—one of Japan's most esteemed literary awards for promising authors of serious fiction—in Tokyo. Makoto Toriyama and Ushio Hatakeyama were selected for their outstanding novellas, each receiving ¥1 million (approximately $6,300) in prize money. The award ceremony is scheduled for late February 2026 in Tokyo, where the winners will be formally recognized alongside recipients of the companion Naoki Prize for popular entertainment fiction.
Established in 1935 to honor the memory of renowned author Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, the prize is awarded semiannually (January and July) to emerging or rising writers for short stories or novellas published in literary magazines or newspapers. It has launched the careers of literary giants such as Kenzaburo Oe, Yukio Mishima, Kobo Abe, and more recently figures like Sayaka Murata and Mieko Kawakami. The Akutagawa Prize emphasizes literary artistry, innovation, and depth over commercial appeal, making it a benchmark for contemporary Japanese serious literature. This edition's dual winners highlight a focus on introspective explorations of time, memory, and historical resonance in modern Japanese society.
The announcement came after a selection committee deliberation, with the works standing out among a competitive field of nominees. Each winner's piece was originally published in prominent literary journals—Toriyama's in Gunzo and Hatakeyama's in Shinchosha's Shincho—before book form release by Kodansha and Shinchosha, respectively.
Photo caption: Winners of the 174th Akutagawa Prize Makoto Toriyama (right) and Ushio Hatakeyama (center), alongside Naoki Prize winner Teru Shimazu (left), pose at the press conference in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on January 14, 2026. (JIJI Press)
Makoto Toriyama: Chronicling Generations Through a Single Dwelling in “The House of Time”
Makoto Toriyama, born in 1992 in Hyogo Prefecture, emerged as a fresh voice in Japanese literature with his winning novella “Toki no Ie” (“The House of Time”). The work, which previously earned him the 47th Noma Literary Newcomer Award, traces the lives of three generations of residents who inhabit the same house over decades. Through meticulous detail, Toriyama weaves a tapestry of personal memories, everyday moments, and subtle shifts in family dynamics, allowing the physical space of the house to serve as a silent witness to the passage of time and changing eras in postwar Japan.
The narrative's strength lies in its quiet exploration of how places accumulate emotional history—births, deaths, joys, regrets—all embedded in walls, floors, and objects. Toriyama's prose is noted for its restraint and precision, evoking a sense of continuity amid impermanence. Critics have praised the novella for its thematic depth on memory and legacy, reflecting broader Japanese cultural concerns with ancestral ties and the impermanence of life (mono no aware). As a relatively young author, Toriyama's win underscores the Akutagawa committee's interest in innovative takes on traditional motifs of time and place.
This recognition marks a significant milestone for Toriyama, whose background in Hyogo—a region rich in historical and natural layers—likely informs his sensitive portrayal of lived environments. The prize affirms his potential to contribute meaningfully to Japan's literary landscape in the years ahead.
Ushio Hatakeyama: Intersecting Personal and Regional History in “Scream”
Ushio Hatakeyama received the Akutagawa Prize for his novella “Sakebi” (“Scream”), a work that delves into the life of a male protagonist whose personal journey becomes intertwined with the layered history of Ibaraki, a town in Osaka Prefecture. The story examines how individual experiences echo broader regional and social narratives, using the setting to explore themes of identity, suppressed voices, and the lingering impact of historical events on contemporary life.
Hatakeyama's writing is characterized by its intensity and emotional rawness, with the titular “scream” symbolizing both literal and metaphorical expressions of frustration, pain, or awakening. The novella stands out for its grounded realism and attention to local textures—dialect, landscapes, community dynamics—while addressing universal questions of self-expression and historical reckoning. By centering the protagonist's encounters with the past of his hometown, Hatakeyama crafts a narrative that resonates with readers interested in the intersection of personal psychology and societal memory.
Little public biographical detail is available on Hatakeyama prior to this win, making the prize a major introduction to his distinctive voice. His selection alongside Toriyama suggests the committee valued diverse approaches to history and place—one through multigenerational continuity, the other through localized confrontation—enriching the prize's tradition of recognizing varied literary excellence.
Naoki Prize and Implications: A Strong Start to 2026 for Japanese Literature
Accompanying the Akutagawa announcements, the Naoki Prize—for popular fiction—was awarded to Teru Shimazu for “Cafe no Kaerimichi” (“The Way Back from the Cafe”), highlighting entertainment value alongside literary merit in the dual prize tradition. The January 2026 awards collectively signal vitality in Japanese fiction, with themes of time, history, and personal reflection dominating the serious category.
The Akutagawa Prize continues to serve as a launchpad for new talent amid evolving reader interests and global attention to Japanese literature (evidenced by international successes of past winners). Toriyama and Hatakeyama's works, focusing on temporal and historical layers, offer thoughtful commentary on modern Japan's relationship with its past—whether through familial spaces or regional legacies—while demonstrating the enduring power of nuanced storytelling.
As the winners prepare for the late February ceremony, anticipation builds for how these prizes will influence publishing trends and readership. In an era of rapid change, the Akutagawa's emphasis on depth and artistry reaffirms literature's role in preserving and interrogating human experience, ensuring Japanese fiction remains dynamic and globally relevant.
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