An Endless Challenge, Ripples Spreading: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka

I started applying to the only waka competition in Japan, and in my second year, I unexpectedly won the Grand Prize.
Even Waka Kajima, who was on the verge of needing welfare, was able to make plans to participate in the awards ceremony tour on the remote island of Ama, supported by the encouragement (including financial) of friends.
I paid for the nerve-wracking tour and successfully purchased the nerve-wracking round-trip air tickets!

Wait, come to think of it, haven't the applications for this year's Waka Grand Prize already started?

Please enjoy the continuation after reading the background up to this point.

Article 1: The Background of Applying to the Oki Gotoba-in Waka Grand Prize: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka
Article 2: The Turning Point in the Second Year of Challenging the Waka Grand Prize: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka
Article 3: Growth and Potential in Part-time Work: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka
Article 4: The Fate of a Work Composed with Conviction: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka
Article 5: Winning the Grand Prize and the Wall That Stands in the Way: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka
Article 6: A Former Homeless Person, Going All-in on Waka: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka
Article 7: Friendship and the Awards Ceremony Ticket of Support: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka

An Endless Challenge, Ripples Spreading: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka

I will submit to this year's Waka Grand Prize as well!

Certainly, if the purpose of applying to the Waka Grand Prize were only to win first place and use that achievement for my future career, there would be no need to apply for a third year or beyond after winning.

After all, it is desirable for the only Waka Grand Prize in Japan to continue to thrive, and if I can contribute to that, I would like to continue applying.
I also have a desire to confirm that winning the Grand Prize just once was not a fluke (well, I can tell it's not a competition where you can win by a fluke just by looking at the quality of other winning works).
And the tension of composing a poem with all my might once a year on a theme set by someone other than myself, and exposing that poem to the eyes of professional judges, gives my life a sense of purpose.

The Utakai Hajime (Imperial New Year's Poetry Reading)?
That is... well, it uses a traditional name, so it might be misunderstood, but the judges are teachers of modern tanka, you see...
What is selected is not modern waka, but modern tanka. I don't feel like putting my all into that once a year.

So, around the time I applied for the awards ceremony tour, I also started working on this year's Waka Grand Prize. This was in June 2024.

Now, for the Oki Gotoba-in Grand Prize Waka category, the theme for 2024 is "Island".

Oh, this is a relief!
If it's "Island," I know several precedents, and it's easy to research.

What was the reason for the difficulty of last year's "Akinoura" (Autumn Shore)!!!!???

Although I had a fleeting moment of resentment, regardless of that, I am grateful that this year's theme is not exceptionally difficult to research.
I was a little anxious because the application period was shorter than usual, but even so, I had a month and a half, so I worked on it calmly.

A Model for Waka Grand Prize Applicants

Well, someone who really inspired me this year is a fellow waka enthusiast... I'm not sure if I should use their real name, so I'll introduce them by their X handle, ✨.

This is a post from a year before I started submitting entries.

A model for Oki Gotoba-in Waka Grand Prize applicants...!!!!!

Even I haven't managed to do this much, nor have I thought about it!
I didn't have the slightest idea about the direction of the first and second poems.
(As of 2022, when I started submitting, the limit was two poems per person, but it seems it used to be three.)

This person, ✨, always composes stable and heart-touching waka, and I have been greatly inspired by them.

I wish I had read this last year or the year before...

Anyway, this year's theme is "Island," which is quite approachable. Time is limited, but there is still a lot that can be done.

I made a list of the "Island" poems by Emperor Gotoba that ✨ mentioned, as well as several other "Island" poems I found through my own research,

and with the intention of composing poems while referencing all of them, about 1 to 2 poems for each,

...I approached the task, though I skipped the ones I couldn't manage, and ended up composing about 10 poems in total.

Hmm. Although I composed more than I did last year or the year before, I had hoped to compose about 30 poems, but I fell short.
I didn't want to be scrambling at the last minute like I was two years ago, and I also wanted at least a week to let them sit and review them, so I settled on 10 poems.

I chose the two most polished poems from those and submitted them.
I will introduce these two poems again after the results are out.

The Expanding Circle of Waka

Well, well... There is even more good news this year.

At the Yusendo Waka Gatheringat the end of June, I said,
"The theme for this year's Waka Grand Prize is 'Island.' The deadline is the end of July, and I'm going to enter too. It might feel like a high hurdle since it's Waka, not Tanka, but if you'd like to join, please do."

And then, at the July gathering, I saw six poemswritten on the theme of 'Island'!!!!!!

Of course, not all of them were necessarily for the Waka Grand Prize, but
well, it's hard to believe it's a coincidence that six poems on the same theme would gather at this timing.

We finished the gathering with much laughter and joy, and the happiness I felt when I later heard people say, "I entered the Waka Grand Prize!" was indescribable.

I had been thinking, but
because of my Waka activities, winning the Grand Prize, and continuing to enter, I was even able to witness the birth of new applicants for the Waka Grand Prize.

I wonder if I helped! Did I help!? Surely, I must have!!!

In the first place, when I started working on Waka—something people might ask, "Does anyone besides researchers even like that?"—
I never thought my activities, way of thinking, lifestyle, or works would be widely accepted.

However, as I quietly continued to do what I had to do, ignoring thoughts like "So what? Evaluation? Is that something you can eat?", the number of people who evaluate me as "so crazy it's amazing"has gradually increased,
and the number of people who want to support my way of life through work or donations has also increased.

"Because Waka-san talks about it so much, I bought the 'Shin Kokin Wakashu'"
"Please tell me more about the Kyogoku school"
I have even started to receive comments like these.

Since it is by no means a field with broad needs, there probably won't be a future where I go viral, but
I think my influence is increasing, even if only slightly. At a speed appropriate for the genre of Waka and the vessel that is me.

At the same time, as the resolution of the Shin Kokin and the Kyogoku school within me increases, I become bothered by the flaws in what I have shared in the past, and it is my fate that most of my past is updated as dark history—I am never satisfied with my past or present, but
at the very least, the fulfillment of my life is constantly reaching new all-time highs, and I spend every day deeply feeling how glad I am to be alive.

There is still an enormous amount left to do in this life, so there is no time to let my guard down, but
as long as I do not let go of waka, the axis of my life, I will never be unhappy.

I would love to show this to the version of myself from over a decade ago, who was a needy, blame-shifting, 'pien-pien' girl!

And, toward the future.

Now, this series has finally caught up to the 'present' at the time of writing.

In a little while, the results of this year's Waka Grand Prize will be out, and around that time, I expect to be setting off on my awards ceremony tour for last year's event. I'll be doing some local promotional work, too.
I will write about those things in this magazine as they happen, but for now, it seems I will be putting down my pen on this series.

Thank you for reading this far.
If you are willing and able, I would be very grateful if you would consider providing financial supportfor Waka Kajima's awards ceremony tour and waka activities.
Of course, just clicking the 'Like' button on the articles is also very encouraging!
If you are interested in the story that follows, please follow this magazineand stay tuned.

Well then, until next time.

Paving the way with a passion for waka

Article 1: The Story Behind Applying for the Oki Gotoba-in Waka Grand Prize: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka
Article 2: A Turning Point in My Second Year of Challenges: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka
Article 3: Growth and Possibilities in Part-time Work: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka
Article 4: The Fate of the Work I Composed with Conviction: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka
Article 5: Winning the Grand Prize, and the Wall That Stands in My Way: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka
Article 6: From Homeless to Going All-in on Waka: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka
Article 7: Friendship and the Awards Ceremony Ticket of Support: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka
Article 8: Endless Challenges, Spreading Ripples: Paving the Way with a Passion for Waka[Thank you very much]

Read more of the series

Series: Waka Heart Reaching Oki - Waka Grand Prize Awards Ceremony Tour Report
Series: Visiting Oki Again with Waka - 2024 Waka Grand Prize Report

Follow the magazine

I will be serializing this as a note magazine, covering the story behind my application to the Oki Gotoba-in Grand Prize Waka Category, which has deep ties to my hometown of Shimane Prefecture, as well as the results of the 2023 competition and what happened afterward.
If you follow the magazine, you will receive notifications when it is updated. I would appreciate your follow as well.

Become a sustaining member of the Waka Story

Waka Kajima's waka activities, including those on note, are sustained by the support of everyone who contributes through memberships, tips, donations, and the purchase of paid content.

While using the support I receive to sustain my livelihood, I have been sharing waka (especially Kyogoku-ha waka), traveling to places associated with waka to write reports, and studying history to write essays.
It is thanks to your support that I have been able to deliver many articles and content for free or at a low cost, and will continue to be able to do so.

If you feel that Waka Kajima's activities and way of life are meaningful,
and
you have the financial means,
I would be grateful if you would join as a sustaining member of these activities.

Please provide your support in a way that is comfortable for you, such as through tips or memberships on note.

If you are hesitant about making a donation, I would be equally grateful if you chose to purchase low-priced content instead.

Of course, the fact that you read my works and articles and receive my messages is a great source of strength for me.
To those who may not have the financial means but still find value and meaning in my work—I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude once again for your 'likes' and shares.

I will continue to give back to society the support I have received from you all in the form of sharing humanistic knowledge, starting with waka.

Moving forward, let us continue to make the world more beautiful together—you in your domain, and I in mine.

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