Entries for the 1st Fukui Ultra-Short Screenplay Award (Tomihiko Tokunaga Award) opened on 28 June 2026. Creative ASUWA is supporting the competition as a member of the organising committee. The theme is “Fukui”. It is a competition for ultra-short screenplays that tell a story in 200 characters or fewer, and it is open to everyone, professional and amateur alike.
About the Fukui Ultra-Short Screenplay Award
The Ultra-Short Screenplay Award began in Fukushima in 2025, at the suggestion of the screenwriter Tomihiko Tokunaga, known for the popular drama series Aibou among others. The first edition drew 553 entries from across Japan. For this year’s second edition, Fukui has joined forces with the original, and entries are being invited nationwide at the same time. The aim is to encourage people to reflect on the history, nature, food culture and everyday life of Fukui through the writing of a screenplay.
Entry details
- Theme: “Fukui” (interpret it as you wish)
- What to submit: an ultra-short screenplay of 200 characters or fewer (previously unpublished, in Japanese; works created with AI are not eligible)
- Who may enter: anyone, professional or amateur (multiple entries per person are welcome)
- How to enter: via the entry form on the official website (works on smartphones)
- Entry period: 28 June 2026, closing 29 August
- Results: around November 2026, announced on the official website
Prizes
The best entry, chosen by the chair of the judging panel, the screenwriter Tomihiko Tokunaga, receives the Tomihiko Tokunaga Award and prize money of 50,000 yen. In addition, each member of the organising committee has set its own sub-theme and will award a prize to the entry that best answers it.
Sub-themes and committee prizes
Under the overarching theme of “Fukui”, each organisation on the committee has set a sub-theme of its own. Write to whichever angle takes your fancy and your entry will be considered for that organisation’s prize.
- Fukui City Tourism Association: “Where did the Asakura treasure go?” · a hamper of Fukui produce
- FBC Fukui Broadcasting: “The sounds of everyday life” · FBC Pinton merchandise
- Asakura Family Historic Ruins Preservation Association: “A day in the life of a Sengoku warlord” · Asakura Family Historic Ruins merchandise
- Michi-no-Eki Ichijodani Asakura Mizu-no-Eki: “Sengoku castle-town fiction” · a hamper of local specialities from the roadside station
- Creative ASUWA: “The yokai castle town” · Sengoku yokai castle town merchandise
Our own sub-theme at Creative ASUWA is “The yokai castle town”. Yokai stirring in the Sengoku castle town of Ichijodani — we would love to read your stories.
Winning entries become radio dramas
From December 2026, the winning entries are to be produced and broadcast as radio dramas on FBC Radio. They will then be released as podcasts on FBC’s official YouTube channel, and from January to February 2027 all the winning entries will be displayed on panels at Michi-no-Eki Ichijodani Asakura Mizu-no-Eki.
The judges
The chair of the judging panel is the screenwriter Tomihiko Tokunaga (the Aibou series, among others). He is joined on the panel by members from FBC Fukui Broadcasting, the Fukui Shimbun, Fukui’s resident comedians, Fukui Geki no Kai, Ichijodani Asakura Mizu-no-Eki and the Ichijodani Busho-tai warlord troupe.
Organisers and enquiries
The competition is organised by the 1st Fukui Ultra-Short Screenplay Award Organising Committee, whose members are the Fukui City Tourism Association, FBC Fukui Broadcasting, the Asakura Family Historic Ruins Preservation Association, Michi-no-Eki Ichijodani Asakura Mizu-no-Eki and Creative ASUWA. The Fukui Shimbun is a supporting organisation and nat Inc. is the system sponsor.
Enquiries: Michi-no-Eki Ichijodani Asakura Mizu-no-Eki (managed by Kowa Co., Ltd.; contact: Fujita) · Tel 0776-41-2777
Entering, and further details
For full details of how to enter and for the entry form, please see the official website (in Japanese).
To the official website of the 1st Fukui Ultra-Short Screenplay Award (Tomihiko Tokunaga Award)