Feb 9, 2020

Makigami Koichi is awarded the first Ooka Makoto Prize



On February 8, it was officially annouced that Makigami Koichi is one of the two recipients for the 1st Ooka Makoto Prize for literary exellence and activities. The other recipient is Sasaki Mikiro, poet.

The prize was founded in by Asahi Shimbun and Meiji University in 2019 for commemorating the Japanese poet and literary critic Ooka Makoto (1931-2017) and given for the first time this year.

According to the Japan Foundation site:

Makoto Ooka, who is involved in broad ranging literary activities in the field of "words" as a poet and a critic, and who possesses deep analytic powers as a historian, has made an enormous contribution both at home and abroad toward dissemination of the charm of the Japanese language. His unstinting efforts toward the development of linked-verse (renshi) exchange with the poets and literati of the world, the first experiment of its kind ever carried out, have served to carve out new horizons for cultural exchange and international exchange in the field of literature, as a result of which he has gained great renown as a "cultural emissary" of Japanese culture and literature. 


Makoto Ōoka - wikipedia

The prize is selected annually by the committee comprised with the five members including Ichiyanagi Toshi, the composer.

The committee commented that:

"Makigami Koichi has been writing lyrics for songs for 40 years, which are collected on "Suprematism (The Supreme Delutions)" published by Shoshi Yamada. He also expresses his philosophies through prominent singing and playing miscellaneous musical instruments, and has been active to convey the power of words."

The award celemony is scheduled to be held at Meiji University in March.

Congratulations!