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.

33rd “A Brief Message from the Heart” Letter Contest Award Ceremony

The award ceremony for the 33rd “A Brief Message from the Heart” Letter Contest was held at Takamuku Community Center in Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture, on May 17, 2026.
“Failure and Success” was the theme of the contest.
Recognition was given to the 157 award-winning entries announced in January, comprising 5 Grand Prize winners, 10 Excellence Award winners, 20 Sumitomo Award winners, 5 Sakai Junior Chamber of Commerce Award winners, and 117 honorable mentions. The award-winning letters, expressing diverse thoughts and emotions, were read aloud by four students from Maruoka Minami Junior High School in Sakai City. Certificates made of the local Echizenori textile were presented to the winners.

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

33rd “A Brief Message from the Heart” Letter Contest winners announced

On January 22, 2026, the winners of the 33rd “A Brief Message from the Heart” Letter Contest were announced at an event held at Takamuku Community Center in Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture. In this annual contest sponsored by Sumitomo Group Public Affairs Committee, contestants compete by writing short, memorable letters on a given theme.

“Failure and Success” was the theme of the 2025 competition. Out of 35,152 entries from Japan and abroad, 157 winners were announced, including 5 Grand Prize winners, 10 Excellence Award winners, and 20 Sumitomo Award winners.

At the venue, five students from the Maruoka Junior High School of Sakai City read out the award-winning letters, each one expressing heartfelt sentiments associated with the theme of “Failure and Success.”

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.