Poplar Publishing to Participate in Japan's Largest Creative Contest, 'Creative Award 2026'!

The General Books Editorial Department of Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd. has decided to participate in the 'Creative Award 2026,' one of Japan's largest creative contests co-hosted by note and TALES. Submissions will be accepted starting Wednesday, April 8, 2026, and the Poplar Publishing General Books Editorial Department will be involved in the selection for the 'Comic Essay,' 'Essay,' 'Food,' 'Business,' 'Workplace Novel,' 'Fantasy,' and 'All-Category' divisions.

▼Special Website https://note.com/creative-award

This contest has so far received a total of 173,387 submissions, resulting in the publication of 32 books, as well as film, stage, and serial adaptations. For this 5th installment, 34 media outlets will participate, aiming to discover new writers and develop them commercially.

Professionals and amateurs alike can participate, and works previously submitted to other contests are also eligible. We sincerely look forward to receiving your submissions.

**A Message from the Editorial Department** Our company has primarily published children's books since its founding, but we entered the general book genre in 2000. Currently, we operate with both a literary editorial department (fiction) and a planning and editorial department (non-fiction) as our two main pillars.

**★ [Comic Essay, Essay, Food, Business Divisions]** **Poplar Publishing General Books Editorial Department [Planning & Editorial Dept.]** In recent years, the Planning & Editorial Department has published essays, business books, and recipe books that combine narrative and practicality, and serve as a catalyst for readers' new actions. Examples include 'Kono Omurice ni, Fukakachi wo Tsukete Kudasai' (by Naofumi Kakiuchi), 'Samishii Yoru ni wa Pen wo Mote' and 'Samishii Yoru no Page wo Mekure' (by Fumitake Koga, art by Narano), 'Umakute Damena Shashin to Heta dakedo Ii Shashin' (by Hiroshi Hatano), and '23ji no Otsumami Kenkyujo' and 'Gozen 7ji no Asagohan Kenkyujo' (by Makiko Oda, art and manga by Sukerakko).

This time, the Planning & Editorial Department would like to approach the submitted works with an emphasis on the following four points:

**① The author has a theme they 'absolutely must' convey to the world** We value works that are not just simple accounts of experiences or collections of information, but are driven by a strong will, urgency, or critical awareness that the author is determined to communicate to the readers.

**② There is a narrative quality** Even in non-fiction, we look for works that have a 'compelling power' to be read, with a beginning, middle, and end, a climax, and where the author's growth, setbacks, joys, and frustrations can be felt.

**③ There is practicality** We emphasize elements that bring about a 'concrete change' in the reader's actions and thoughts after reading. We welcome perspectives that don't just end with information, but positively change the reader's daily life.

**④ Aiming to be number one in its genre** We seek works with the ambition to be number one in 'that theme.'