Author: Karen Lee Tawarayama (Page 2 of 5)

Greetings from Japan’s ancient capital. Mid-May has arrived, and with it the long-awaited results of this year’s Kyoto Writing Competition. Our judges received submissions from writers throughout the world, and we would like to offer our heartfelt appreciation to all who chose to participate. Above all, we were reminded of how so many feel a …Read More

Calling all Writers! This is a reminder of the March 31st deadline to submit your “short shorts” to our panel of judges for consideration. The Annual Kyoto Writing Competition is one of WiK’s biggest events and attracts a large global readership. An array of exciting prizes (including the prestigious Kyoto City Mayoral Prize) is waiting …Read More

◆ THEME: Kyoto (English language submissions only)◆ DEADLINE: March 31st, 2023 (23:59 JST)◆ GENRE: Short Shorts (unpublished material only)◆ WORD LIMIT: 300 Words (to fit on a single page)◆ FORM: Short poems, character studies, essays, travel tips, whimsy, haiku sequence, haibun, wordplays, dialogue, experimental verse, etc. In short, anything that helps show the spirit of place in a fresh light. A clear connection to Kyoto …Read More

Cooler days of autumn have finally come to Kyoto, and the winning entries from our last writing competition have been shared in turn since May. Hopefully our readers have been inspired by these successful “short shorts” of 2022, and we hope to hear from many in our next round. An announcement regarding the WiK Eighth …Read More

The judges loved this homage to the time-honored Japanese tradition of tsukimi (moon viewing) — a universal moment which influences in deeply subtle ways and makes human life worth living. This short piece by C. Greenstreet, “Sudden Tsukimi”, was a very close contender for the competition’s top prize due to its superb imagery, connecting the …Read More

As summer winds down and autumn gradually brings refreshingly cooler weather to Kyoto, let us settle in to read another prizewinning submission from the Writers in Kyoto Seventh Annual Writing Competition. Ukrainian-born Tetiana Korchuk’s “The Promise” was selected as the winner of our Unohana Prize, awarded to the national of a country in which English …Read More

This year’s Japan Local Prize was awarded to Writers in Kyoto Member Malcolm Ledger for “Plum Tree by the Eaves”, depicting an ancient tree which embodies the sophistication and elegance of the Heian Period on the grounds of a once-opulent manor. To reside in Kyoto is to be surrounded by history, but unfortunately such significant …Read More

Robin Hattori was awarded the USA Prize in this year’s Kyoto Writing Competition for her moving piece, titled “Conversation with a Ghost”. The judges appreciated how it captures one family’s story in the wider historical picture, and how a search spanning thousands of miles ends in a sweet conversation with one’s beloved grandfather. Robin is …Read More

The world watches with anger and great sadness as Russia continues its months-long bombardment of the Ukrainian people and their infrastructure. While much of the violence appears to have shifted to the eastern regions, Kyiv residents were shocked when explosions once again rocked the country’s capital at the beginning of June. For those of us …Read More