From the Judges:“As it is so often with writings set in Kyoto, “Trying to Understand” depicts a journey of inquiry and discovery. Many of us hope our experiences in the city will lead to a deeper and more profound understanding of life. This is something that everyone in a foreign place, looking for answers to …Read More
Category: Writing Competition (Page 2 of 6)
From the Judges:“Nascent love is the theme of this vignette. In the end we find out where this love took the writer, and the reader can appreciate how the memory is cherished years later in a home away from Japan. Each sense of place blends into the other, creating a whole. Kyoto is a city in …Read More
From the Judges:“This is a masterly collection of artful vignettes concerning food and the relationship between an aging mother and her daughter, which also harmonizes life with nature. An iconic structure provides a loose backdrop for a warm, emotional glimpse at the closest of relationships. A central image is oyakodon (literally “parent and child”) — a rice …Read More
From the Judges:“In this atmospheric piece, the seemingly unseen is made palpable. Evocative prose and supernatural implications draw the reader in, perhaps causing the heart to beat faster. One also gets a hint of Kyoto’s eerie qualities in the snow. Kyoto is, after all, a city of ghost stories. With an air of mystery, “The …Read More
by Stephen Benfy John and Eri had just moved into their new apartment on the edge of town when a sound caught John’s ear. “I’ve never heard that before,” he said. Eri looked up from her phone, smiled, and went back to chatting with a friend. John slipped on his shoes. __________________________________________________________________________________________ The fraying edge …Read More
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
Kyoto Writing Competition
WiK Anthologies
The Nature of Kyoto (2023)
Eds. Lisa Twaronite Sone & Robert Weis
Foreword by Pico Iyer
Structures of Kyoto (2021)
Eds: Rebecca Otowa & Karen Lee Tawarayama
Foreword by Judith Clancy
Encounters with Kyoto (2019)
Eds: Jann Williams & Ian Josh Yates
Foreword by Juliet Winters Carpenter
Echoes (2017)
Eds: John Dougill, Amy Chavez, & Mark Richardson
Preface by Alex Kerr
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