Support for "A Brief Message from the Heart" Letter Contest

Since 1995 we have supported this contest, begun by the Maruoka-cho Cultural Foundation in Fukui Prefecture. We support this event mainly for the following two reasons. First, the contest features the spirit common to our message: Passing important values from people to people. Second, Maruoka-cho is where Masatomo Sumitomo, our founder, was born.

31st “A Brief Message from the Heart” Letter Contest Award Ceremony

The award ceremony for the 31st “A Brief Message from the Heart” Letter Contest was held at the Takamuku Community Center in Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture, on April 21, 2024.
“Time” was the theme of the 2023 competition.
The 162 award-wining letters, comprising those garnering the 5 Grand Prizes, 10 Excellence Awards, 20 Sumitomo Awards, 5 Sakai Junior Chamber Commerce Awards, and 122 honorable mentions, which were announced in January, were honored.
Five students from the Maruoka Junior High School of Sakai City read out the award-winning letters expressing diverse sentiments. A certificate made of the local Echizenori textile was presented to each of the winners.

顕賞式風景 — The selection committee commenting on this year’s letters

31st “A Brief Message from the Heart” Letter Contest Winners Announced

The winners of the 31st “A Brief Message from the Heart” Letter Contest were announced at an event held at the Takamuku Community Center in Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture, on January 25, 2024. In this annual contest sponsored by Sumitomo Group Public Affairs Committee, contestants compete by writing memorable short letters on a given theme.

“Time” was the theme of the 2023 competition. Of 34,067 entries from Japan and abroad, 162 letters were chosen as winners, including those garnering the 5 Grand Prizes, 10 Excellence Awards, and 20 Sumitomo Awards. At the venue, five students from the Maruoka Junior High School of Sakai City read out the award-winning letters expressing the diverse sentiments associated with “Time.”

Click here to read about the award ceremonies of previous Letter Contests.

Previous Letter Contests

Over 1 Million Cumulative Entries

The cumulative entries to "A Brief Message from the Heart" Letter Contest," including those to its predecessor held 10 times from 1993 onward, exceeded one million (1,005,226 letters) on April 19, 2009.