Application Guidelines

The 35th ITO EN Oi Ocha Shinhaiku Contest

Theme

There is no theme. Just express your own feelings and thoughts in a 3-line poem in English.

Contestant division And Prizes(English Haiku division)

Division

English Haiku division
  • English Haiku (All ages and nationalities)

Prizes

Grand Award
One winner from the English division
  • ¥200,000 in prize money
  • A framed copy of the winning poem
  • A set of Oi Ocha products with the winning poem on the package
  • Inclusion in an anthology of the winning poems
  • Award certificate
Award for excellence
9 winners from the English division
  • ¥50,000 in prize money
  • A set of Oi Ocha products with the winning poem on the package
  • Inclusion in an anthology of the winning poems
  • Award certificate
Judges' Award
2 winners from the English division
  • ¥30,000 in prize money
  • A set of Oi Ocha products with the winning poem on the package
  • Inclusion in an anthology of the winning poems
  • Award certificate
Sponsors' Award
One winner from the English division
  • ¥20,000 in prize money
  • A set of Oi Ocha products with the winning poem on the package
  • Inclusion in an anthology of the winning poems
  • Award certificate
Merit Award
5,000 winners regardless of division
  • Award certificate
Panel of Judges
  • ※The entries receiving merit award will not appear on Oi Ocha packaging.
  • Winners of the `Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award` and the `Grand Award` will be presented with a framed copy of their winning poem.

  • 2,000 awarded poems are published in the package!

  • Winningworks collection “Free narrative” (photos from 34rd edition)

Application Procedures

One contestant may submit up to six poems by postcard, A4-sized fax, or the Internet.
Application must include the poems and the name of the entry division. Applicants also must include their name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, age, and any Haiku group or club of which they are a member. Students are also asked to include their school names.
When applying with standard postcards, write the poems and entry division on the rear and the other information on the front.

  • ※For group applications, please download the group application form or apply using the group application form.
Application period

All applications must be arrivedfrom November 3, 2023
to February 29, 2024

※Group Apprication : to February 13, 2024

  • ※Personal information submitted with the entry will be used for the purposes of the Shinhaiku Contest. The information will be handled carefully in accordance with our company’s privacy policy and appropriate safety and management measures will be taken.
    ・Privacy Policy

Application Conditions

  • Only those poems written by the applicant and not published anywhere else shall be accepted. The poems are to be written by the applicants themselves.
  • An applicant can submit a total of maximum 6 poems, both English and Japanese combined.
  • Please be advised that the Haiku entries will not be returned.
  • ITO EN shall hold the copyrights, including secondary use, for the announcement and publication of prize winning entries.
  • Awards will be revoked for any poems found to be plagiarized, to have been submitted for other contests or publications, or to closely resemble other poems.
  • Applicants must apply using their real name. (No pen names allowed)
  • After making your application, please do not release your submitted poems until the results are announced in October.

Announcement

  • Winning entries will be announced on ITO EN's website, etc. (Scheduled date:late October 2024)
  • The results of the judging will be notified by mail or e-mail. (Scheduled for late October 2024)
  • 2,000 winning entries will be published on the packages of Oi Ocha products.
  • The collection of prize-winning poems "Free narrative" is expected to be issued in November 2024.

Please direct all inquiries to

“ITO EN Shinhaiku Contest” Office

3-23 Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
102-8553 Japan

TEL : +81(3)3264-4050

Weekdays, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Japan time
(except holidays and year-end / New Year holidays)