Submit your entries for the Hamaguchi Essay Contest for High School Students latest by August 14, 2025.

About the Contest

“Hamaguchi Award” is the annual international award for individuals and/or organizations that have made significant contributions to the enhancement of coastal resilience against tsunami, storm surge and other coastal disasters. As an initiative to further educate and disseminate coastal disaster prevention technologies,we hold “Hamaguchi Essay contest” for young people who is expected to lead the next generation.

Hamaguchi Essay Contest for High School Students
Hamaguchi Essay Contest for High School Students

Background of the Contest

“Hamaguchi Award” is an international award for individuals and/or organizations that have made significant scientific or pragmatic contributions to the enhancement of coastal resilience against tsunami, storm surge and other coastal disasters, which will raise people’s awareness of disaster resilience.

The award was established in 2016 by the International Promotion Committee for Tsunami/Coastal Disaster Resilience Technology due to the designation of November 5th as “World Tsunami Awareness Day” on the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) in December 2015. November 5th was set as Tsunami Prevention Day in Japan before the UNGA designation. The award has been named after Mr. Hamaguchi Goryo who protected and saved villagers from a tsunami about 160 years ago.

Who is Hamaguchi Goryo?

Hamaguchi Goryo was born on a little village which is called Hirogawa town, Wakayama Prefecture now. When the large tsunami resulting from the 1854 Nankai Earthquake struck the village, he guided his fellow villagers to evacuate to higher ground by setting fire to his precious sheaves of rice equivalent to his whole year’s harvest as a signal of warning. His post-disaster contributions such as building shelters for victims and breakwater apparently minimized post-tsunami damage.

Theme

Through reading Japan’s famous anecdote of “Inamura-no-hi” (burning of harvested rice sheaves), please share how you feel, think and experiences.

Please refer to the web site of Inamura-no-Hi no Yakata.

Guidelines

  • Essays may be submitted by students enrolled in the same school/organization as Japanese high school (as of August 14, 2025).
  • Essays must be 700 words or less in English, or 1600 characters or less in Japanese.
  • Essays must be submitted via e-mail with type essay title and your personal information according to the attached format style.
  • Essays must be original and unpublished. Plagiarized entries will be rejected.
  • Essays must be written by one person. Co-authored essays are not accepted.
  • By submitting your essay, you give permission to the organizer to publish it in any medium. Ownership of the essay remains with the entrant.

Awards

Excellent award will be given to up to 3 entrants and Award will be given to up to 15 entrants.
Certificates will be mailed to the winners.

  • Award winners will be announced around the end of October 2025 on the PARI website.
  • Certificate of Participation will be given to all entrants via e-mail.
  • Excellent award winners will be introduced to 2025 Hamaguchi Award Ceremony with their photos and (or) video messages, if possible.
  • Each school/organization in which each excellent award winner is enrolled will be provided with 100,000 Yen to use for tsunami/coastal disaster resilience activities such as the purchase of relevant books, and so on.

Important Documents

Please check attached documents for your information:

How to Register?

Interested participants can register through this link.

Deadline

The entry must be received no later than August 14, 2025.

Click here to view the official notification of the Hamaguchi Essay Contest for High School Students.

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