The Sakura Medal is an annual book award program that brings together students from international schools across Japan to celebrate their favorite books. With categories including Picture Books, Graphic Novels, Chapter Books, Middle School, High School, and Japanese language books, the program showcases a diverse selection of titles to inspire readers of all ages and abilities.

Each year, librarians from participating schools carefully curate a shortlist of 25–30 books for each category. These books are selected for their engaging stories, diverse perspectives, and relevance to young readers. Students who read a minimum number of books in their category are eligible to cast their vote, making this award a truly student-driven initiative. Votes are tallied across all participating schools, and winning authors are honored with the prestigious Sakura Medal.

The program not only fosters a love of reading but also encourages critical thinking, cultural awareness, and community participation. Named after Japan’s iconic cherry blossoms, the Sakura Medal embodies the beauty of discovery and growth through stories.

Explore the Sakura Medal winners and join the celebration of literacy and imagination. For more details about this year’s program, visit your school library or check the official Sakura Medal websites.

You may notice that for each of the books listed on these pages, I include the setting of the book along with its synopsis. As a librarian in an international IB school, I found that reluctant readers were more likely to pick up and engage with a book that connected in some way to their home country, especially if they hadn't grown up there or didn't know much about it. Additionally, many international students have parents from two different countries, and these students are often eager to learn more about those countries, sometimes for the first time.