Announcing the results of the "#ThingsICanDoForTheFuture" submission contest held by Bungeishunju and note!
Held over about a month and a half starting August 1, 2022, we called for essays about what you want to do or are actually doing for a better future in the #ThingsICanDoForTheFuture submission contest. During the period (8/1-9/20), we received 7,928 entries! Thank you for submitting such wonderful works that make us think about "what we can do now for the future."
For a list of entries on note, please see here.
At the judging session, the winners were decided as follows by the three judges, Makoto Tanijiri, Mitsuyo Kakuta, and Manabu Shintani, along with the Bungeishunju note team.
The winning entries are published in full in the Bungeishunju magazine January 2023 issue (on sale December 9), Bungeishunju digital, and Bunshun Online.
Grand Prix
Just making beautiful dresses #ThingsICanDoForTheFuture
What I can do for the future is just to make beautiful dresses. The work by dressmaker and remake artist Hiromi Takechi, who wrote about her passion for her work, was chosen for the Grand Prix. The judges commented: "Japan originally had a culture of using kimonos until the very end, so I thought it was valuable to view this as a modern version of that, and I really empathized with it" (Makoto Tanijiri); "Doing what you love fits the current era. It's also good that it's rooted in daily life, with the background written honestly that brides choose this not just because it's good for the environment, but because there's a different story there" (Mitsuyo Kakuta); "It's not about trying too hard, but making beautiful dresses leads to SDGs as a result. The honest emotions were easy to understand and came across straight" (Manabu Shintani); "It's a work where what you love naturally connects to the SDGs, and I felt favorably toward the activities rooted in daily life that aren't pushy" (Bungeishunju note team). The meaningfulness of the activities and the high level of empathy expressed through her straightforward feelings were key points.
I applied because I was attracted by the phrase 'A chance to be published in Bungeishunju!' I am currently studying literature at a correspondence university while working on dresses, and note was the catalyst for this. Writing has enriched my life. So, it's truly like a dream to be published in Bungeishunju through a collaboration with note. And I'm also happy that I was chosen for writing about dresses. Thank you very much for this opportunity.
Excellence Award
The surviving kamikaze pilot.
While I empathize with the conclusion of conveying the war to those around you in your own words, the grandfather's single remark that 'the towel was folded neatly' is good. I thought it was very effective as a memorable scene.
The story of being told that shopping is 'voting for the future'
Environmentally conscious shopping is a good action that can be started small and fundamentally. If more people have the same awareness as Kazu & Mina, I think the creators will also change their awareness to make such things.
[Female Announcer] Let's quit.
I thought the writing had a very good rhythm and was skillful. Also, regarding the final part, 'our bright journey of atonement,' I think it's good that it's not about resentment toward the term 'female announcer,' but about wanting to see a new future, including the reflection that we have also been complicit.
For the future of someone in the world. #ThingsICanDoForTheFuture
I was impressed by the proactive stance of supporting children in Southeast Asia.
(Manabu Shintani) Living in a society where the definition of family is changing significantly, I empathized with the need to acknowledge these kinds of values. (Makoto Tanijiri)
Changing "someone" into "that person"
It is easy for issues of discrimination to arise when thinking in terms of "people from that country," but I have always felt that once you know an individual, you cannot think that way. I empathized with the idea that your feelings change when you shift from thinking of "someone" to someone you know.
I want to leave as much sand as possible.
The writing is energetic and easy to read, and by vividly depicting a casual scene, it gently conveys something connected to the theme. As an essay on the SDGs, I personally think this way of communicating is excellent.
Toward a society where we can share the joy of pregnancy
I thought this content would resonate widely, as what is written in this piece is something that is happening, or has happened, in many workplaces. It felt very authentic and was also persuasive.
Plastic is forever
The sentence, "It was me, and no one else, who was dealing them death," is very memorable. It had a powerful ability to appeal to the fact that even if I don't litter, by using plastic, I am ultimately having an impact on the natural world.
Passing the baton to peace
I was reminded of the importance of passing down the story of war across generations.
(Manabu Shintani) The grandfather's final words are memorable. I believe that being able to share such feelings, not limited to love, leads to a peaceful society. (Makoto Tanijiri
)
Ask the marginalized villages about future ways of living
This is cutting-edge. I am also buying land in Hokkaido to create a place where I can be self-sufficient, so I really empathized with this. (Makoto Tanijiri) The way of trying to learn how to live from the elderly people already living there is extremely beautiful. (Mitsuyo Kakuta
)
My niece and the Earth
Although it is not a concrete action, the perspective of a 6-year-old looking at a future where they will be 106 was interesting. (Mitsuyo Kakuta) Likewise, I thought the point of looking at things in units of 100 years was excellent. (Makoto Tanijiri)
Thinking about SDGs from the refrigerator
I think it can sometimes be difficult to get the message of "SDGs" across to older generations. In such cases, I thought it was great that this provided an easy-to-understand example of another way to communicate it.
General comments from each judge
I don't usually have the opportunity to judge writing, so I enjoyed reading these very much. As an architect, when I evaluate architecture, I go back to whether it is a problem-solving approach or a problem-posing one, and my impression is that many of these entries fell into the problem-solving category. There were some works that would have been even better if they had included proposals for the next step. However, many people have internalized what they can do for the future and are actually taking action, which resonated with me a lot.
■Mitsuyo Kakuta
I was wondering what kind of essays would be submitted, but they were very interesting, and there were many works that made me realize, "This is okay too," after reading them. I have long been thinking about whether we could come up with a catchy Japanese term for "SDGs." We didn't find such an expression this time, but if we do in the future, I think SDGs will become even more established.
■Gaku Shinya
If you're not careful, SDGs can easily be seen as a pipe dream, but after reading the entries, I was surprised at how many people are working on this every day, seriously, sincerely, and with the genuine belief that this is important. I also felt the persuasiveness that comes from putting that into words. In particular, the Grand Prix winning entry had not only the writing ability as an essay, but also the fact that the daily activities described were meaningful, and I think those two things were connected in a natural way.
・・・
Although the submission period has ended, I hope this will serve as an opportunity for you to think again about what you can do for the future.
Please take a look at other submitted works at the URL below.
Looking back on the contest
The following is a comment from the Bungeishunju note team.
"note" and "Bungeishunju".
Even though their appearances and forms are very different, they share a common passion for valuing creation (writing).
This project, the "Bungeishunju x note Bungeishunju SDGs Essay Award," was an opportunity for both of them to think about the future together with readers and creators.
The starting point was the desire to internalize the mountain of issues such as the environment, energy, security, climate change, and education, rather than turning a blind eye to them.
Thanks to you, we received 7,928 entries, far exceeding our expectations.
People who have already internalized these issues and started moving, people who are about to make a new start, people with firm convictions...
The depth of the content exceeded our expectations even more than the number of entries.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude.
Bungeishunju, which has reached its 100th anniversary, will also look to the next 100 years and continue to share information with readers and creators to open up a prosperous future.
