To honor the memory of Professor Edwin O. Reischauer, who served as Ambassador to Japan from 1961 to 1966, and to assist in the further advancement of Japanese studies at Harvard University, Kodansha Ltd., Japan’s largest publisher, established the Noma-Reischauer Prizes in Japanese Studies.
TERMS: The prizes will be awarded annually for the best essays on Japan-related topics written by Harvard University students:
- one prize of $1,500 for the best essay by a graduate student, and
- one prize of $1,000 for the best undergraduate essay
ELIGIBILITY: Essays must have been written during the current academic year and be submitted to the Reischauer Institute by Monday, June 2, 2025. The essays may be of any length. Accepted submissions include course or seminar papers, BA and MA theses, essays written specifically for the competition, and chapters from doctoral dissertation projects. Full dissertations, however, will not be considered. The essay must be in English. Essay submissions should be for work completed at Harvard; previously published materials are not eligible. One entry per student is allowed per year. Awards are announced in September.
APPLICATION PROCESS: Submit one digital copy of the essay, including the completed Noma-Reischauer cover sheet found on the RIJS website and a 250-word abstract to Catherine Glover (cglover@fas.harvard.edu). If possible please combine the 1) cover sheet, 2) abstract and 3) essay as a single PDF document.
DEADLINE: Submissions must be electronically received by June 3, 2024, 5:00 pm EST. Please do not forget to include the required cover sheet and abstract along with the essay.
For further information, please contact the Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies
Attn: Catherine Glover
Noma-Reischauer Prizes
Email: cglover@fas.harvard.edu
**The Noma-Reischauer Prizes in Japanese Studies were established by Kodansha Ltd. in October 1995.**