It is awarded to the best collection of haiku published between January and December of the previous year.
It is considered the most prestigious award in the haiku world.
[1] It is sponsored by the Kadokawa Culture Promotion Foundation, and the first award was held in 1967.
The winner is awarded a certificate, a commemorative gift, and a monetary prize.
Previously, the nominees were not made public, but from the 47th award in 2013, the final candidates have been announced in advance.