Professor Gozo Yoshimasu, Guest Professor at Josai International University, was selected for award of the 50th Mainichi Art Award (Poem, Tanka and Haiku Division), a prize that is awarded to individual or groups that have achieved particularly outstanding or new artistic accomplishments. The award ceremony took place on January 27, 2009 at 4 PM at the Tokyo Prince Hotel.
In awarding the prize, Mr. Hiroshi Shino of the Selecting Committee, cited as reasons for the award how the poet Gozo Yoshimasu, who had created a bridge with art and music in his poetry collection Omote-Gami (Shichosha Publishing Co.), had also taken on the challenge of producing photographs for that book. He used a unique multiple-exposure overlap method to produce the pictures, matching two scenes that different in terms of time and space in thus creating an image of his own foothold. In addition to two long verses the book consists of information-gathering notes based on daily record. The ardent wish to extend out the realm of the poem has given birth to an outstanding poetry collection without precedent up to now.
Mr. Yutaka Asahina, President of the Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd., awarded the eight award-winners listed below with citations and prize money. Professor Yoshimasu spoke as follows: “First, I would like to extend my thanks to Chancellor Noriko Mizuta of Josai International University who gave me the opportunity to teach at the university for a longer period. Then I would like to thank my family for their support. Writing poems is like creating a membrane of sensitivity, a very difficult task that is like creating an unstable air. I am pleased to receive this prize today and now would like to take on the challenge of new things in poetry.”
On the day of the awards, former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda also attended the event, and there were more than 500 persons on hand to congratulate the winners.
| Photography Division | Ms. Miyako Ishiuchi |
| Drama/Japanese Dance Division | Mr. Kikugoro Onoe |
| Novel and Criticism Division | Ms. Michiko Nagai |
| Painting and Sculpture Division | Mr. Katsura Funakoshi |
| Poem, Tanka and Haiku Division | Mr. Gozo Yoshimasu |
| Popular Music Division | Mr. Sadao Watanabe |
| Mr. Shintaro Mori |
| Mr. Makoto Iokibe |
Awarding of prize to Professor Yoshimasu
Professor Yoshimasu delivers prize acceptance speech
All prize winners pose for photographs
