Naoki Prize winner, Shogo Imamura.

While working as a writer, he also works as a bookstore owner, and after being busy moving around with commentators on TV, he says he will be "Santa" this time.

When I went to talk to them, I realized that in this age of people who are said to be away from reading, I wanted to deliver books to children in all kinds of circumstances.

Naoki Prize winner and bookstore owner

Last year, writer Shogo Imamura won the Naoki Prize for "The Shield of the King."

While writing period novels, I have been the owner of a bookstore in Minoh City, Osaka, which was in danger of closing due to the publishing recession, at the request of a town bookstore for two years.

(Shogo Imamura)
"When I was asked, I thought I would refuse at first, but I went because I wanted to go see it once. Then my grandmother and a girl in the second grade of elementary school came to buy picture books, and I remembered that I myself went shopping with my grandpa at a small bookstore in town. When I thought that if this bookstore was gone, all of this girl's memories with her grandmother would be gone, I thought that if I could, I would give it a try. For me, the bookstore was my window to the whole Japan country, to the world, and to the past. It is also a time machine and an instantaneous mobile device. I gained a lot of experience at the bookstore in town."

Books for children

Mr. Imamura's bookstore also participates in Book Santa.

This is an activity to deliver books to children who find it difficult to celebrate Christmas sufficiently due to financial reasons.

At Book Santa, the general public chooses and purchases books they want to give at bookstores, and then donates the books to NPOs through the bookstore.

The NPO then selects books according to the age of the children who applied in advance.
Then, at Christmas, Santa hands books directly to the children.

Book Santa started six years ago, and now about 6,1600 bookstores nationwide are participating.

(Shogo Imamura)
"First of all, I think it is important that children who cannot buy books receive a book that they want to read, although it may not necessarily be what they wanted."

Shogo Imamura becomes a writer Santa

In an attempt to support Book Santa, who had participated as a bookstore owner until last year, Mr. Imamura started a new activity.

Its name is "Writer Santa".

The idea is to recommend books to people who donate books to NPOs at bookstores, and as a writer, they serve as connoisseurs of delivering books to children.

(Shogo Imamura)
"Writers often say, 'Only good works can support this industry.' I think there is more we can do. I think that a writer is not in the business of selling books, but in the business of selling stories and dreams. The arrival of a book also means that the children's story begins. I think it's something that we, the artists, have to do."

Why do you think so?

Before becoming a writer, she had experience working with children in harsh environments as a dance instructor.

(Shogo Imamura)
"There were a lot of children who were in trouble due to family circumstances, and there were many children who were in need because of family circumstances, but they couldn't pay the monthly fee, but they came to me and took a cold bath because the electricity stopped. If there are children who are deprived of the opportunity to meet because of money, it may be just a little, but I want to increase the opportunities."

In response to Mr. Imamura's call, the number of "writer Santa" is increasing one after another.

Kenzo Kitakata, Kaori Ekuni, Kanae Minato, and Yuko Yuzuki also joined the writer Santa.

On the homepage, you can read about the books that each author has chosen to give and why.

Imamura Santa's recommended books are

As the writer Santa, Mr. Imamura chose the period novel "Koga Ninja Hōjō" written 65 years ago.

It is said that this book contains the "prototype of the fight" that is very popular in manga and anime today.

(Shogo Imamura)
"This is amazing, because you are a ninja, but you can fly furnaces from your mouth, defeat enemies with the wind, suck out their blood just by touching them, change your face at will, and become an invisible person. It's insanely fun. It's strange that there was such a new novel 65 years ago."

On a day when everyone meets their own book

Through this activity, we hope that children who feel that Christmas is not necessarily a happy day will encounter their own book.

Mr. Imamura thinks so.

(Shogo Imamura)
"Christmas is not a state where you can laugh from the heart, but it is commonplace in the world. But I hope that this one book will make even one tear disappear and make you smile even one more. It may be a very small amount of power."

Mr. Imamura said that increasing the number of encounters with books is very similar to creating your own life.

I hope that this will be an opportunity for various children to encounter books.

Book Santa is calling for donations until December 12.