Princess Takamado Essay Contest

Summary

PTJCMF’s mission is to promote academic exchanges and student mobility between Japan and Canada. We promote Japan studies in Canada especially among younger scholars, encouraging them to present their research held in Japan-related conferences held in Canada. To achieve this goal, PTJC offers six essay awards ($1,000 CAD each, 2 awards per association) per year in collaboration with the Canadian Association for Japanese Language Education, Replaying Japan, and the Japan Studies Association for Canada.

Qualifications

  • Applicants must be registered in Master’s or Ph.D programs.
  • Priority will be given to graduate students who are enrolled in post-secondary institutions in Japan or in Canada.
  • Winners of the prizes are required to present at one of the three conferences (the Canadian Association for Japanese Language Education, Replaying Japan, or the Japan Studies Association for Canada).

How to Apply

Submission Instructions:
Submissions to the Princess Takamado Essay Contest should be sent to ptjcprog@ualberta.ca and MUST include (1) the following information and (2) be named as described below to be considered. Incomplete information may lead to disqualification or non-consideration. In your email submission, copy and paste the below template and fill in your details:

  1. First Name:
  2. Last Name:
  3. Email Address:
  4. Affiliation (your university’s name):
  5. Program (Master’s OR PhD):
  6. Title of your essay:
  7. Conference you are applying for (Canadian Association for Japanese Language Education | Replaying Japan | The Japan Studies Association of Canada):
HOW TO NAME YOUR FILE:
YYYY_Essay Contest_LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME
*YYYY is the year of your submission. For example, if you submit in 2026 and your name is Ash Smith, your file name should look like this: 2026_Essay Contest_SMITH_ASH


*You are required to apply for the Call For Papers (CfP) of these conferences separately

Selection Process

All essays submitted to this contest will be reviewed by Prince Takamado Japan Centre’s review committee in collaboration with associations’ executive members.

Topics and Deadlines (2026 Contest)

Awards will be given to essays that do the following:

Canadian Association for Japanese Language Education(CAJLE)

Deadline: 6 May 2026

  • Written in English (between 1000-1500 words) or in Japanese (between 800-1000 characters).
  • Contribute to the promotion of Japanese language education in Canada and align with this years conference theme.
    • 「教える」から「寄り添う」指導へ：主体性を支える日本語教育 | From "Teaching" to "Supporting": Japanese Language Education that Fosters Learner Autonomy

Replaying Japan

Deadline: TBA

  • Written in English, using APA, MLA, or Chicago citation style (1,000-1,500 words).
  • Contribute to the promotion of Japanese game studies in Canada.
  • Bridge Japan and Canada and other countries in the field of games.

Japan Studies Association of Canada

Deadline: July 27

  • Written in English, using APA, MLA, or Chicago citation style (1,000-1,500 words).
  • Focus on Japan studies in a Canadian Context. 
  • Bridge Japan and Canada in the field of social sciences and humanities.
  • Contribute to the promotion of Japan Studies in Canada.

The theme for the 2026 conference is “Currents of Change: Navigating Beyond the Mist” reflecting not only the dynamics of change in society and the importance of navigating complex issues but also giving recognition to Niagara’s unique landscape and its premier attraction of Niagara Falls. Please see their webpage for a list of our keynote speakers.

They are accepting papers and panel proposals. Please visit their webpage for details of the call for papers.

View Past Results