Youth（under 18 years old）

[Preliminary Round (recording)]
Free works, 5-10 minutes (multiple pieces/excerpts allowed)

[Final Round (live)]
Free works, 5-10 minutes (multiple pieces/excerpts allowed)
*Can overlap with preliminary round.

[Preliminary Round (recording)]
Application Period: January 18, 2026, 0:00 - May 17, 2026, 23:59 (Japan Time)

[Final Round (live)]
Date: August 20, 2026
Venue: Saitama City Plaza East Hall

[Preliminary Round]
June 28, 2026, 8:00 PM
*The judging results will be announced on the competition website.
*Scores and judges' comments will be sent to each contestant via email at a later date.
*The announcement date may be changed if the number of applications significantly exceeds expectations.

[Final Round]
August 20, 2026
*The judging results will be announced on the competition website and posted at the venue.
*Scores and judges' comments will be sent to each contestant via email at a later date.

Please follow the order below to complete your application.

①Payment of entry fee
Pay the fee by PayPal so that it will be deposited by May 17, 2026.

Entry fee: [Preliminaries] 100USD >>CLICK HERE
[Final round] 220 USD

*Please take a screenshot of the payment completion e-mail.
* Separate payments are required for the same contestant with different instruments and performance styles (eg piano solo and piano duo).

②Photographing contestants
Please prepare a photo of the contestant (upper body, taken from the front).
* We recommend a high-quality image of about 2MB.
*Photos will be used for programs and publicity.

③ Uploading of video data
Please shoot the performance at home or studio, etc., and upload it to YouTube. You will need the URL when applying.

・The face of the performer must be included in the photo. There are no restrictions on recording dates.
・The recording date must be within one year from the submission date.
・Recording with a smartphone such as an iPhone is also possible. However, in some models, the sound during recording may be recorded in monaural.
・It is recommended to set the public setting of the video to "Unlisted".
・Videos that have already been shot at recitals, etc. are also subject to review.
・Replacing or changing the submitted video will not be accepted.

④Application
Apply using the form below .

Application form >>CLICK HERE

*Please do not change the currency
*Once your application is complete, you will automatically receive an email with the details of your application. If you do not receive a reply email, please check your inbox settings and spam folder.

[Preliminary Round]
・Excellent Award (Selected for the Final Round)
・Excellent Award

[Final Round]
・1st Place: ¥30,000
・2nd Place: ¥20,000
・3rd Place: ¥10,000
・4th Place
・5th Place
・Encouragement Award
・Judge's Special Award
・Saitama Prefecture Governor's Award (Awarded to a contestant who resides in Saitama Prefecture and delivers an outstanding performance)

*Certificates and commemorative gifts will be presented at the awards ceremony.
*In the event of multiple winners tying for the same prize, the prize money will be divided.

Date and Time: August 20, 2026
Venue: Plaza East Hall (1440-8 Nakao, Midori-ku, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture)

・We will disclose the age information of the contestants to the judges and score them according to the age-appropriate judging criteria.
・The length of the performance will not affect the judging.
・There is no upper or lower cut for scoring.
・If you exceed the time limit, points will not be deducted, but the part from the beginning to the specified time will be judged.
・We will determine the winning order based on the points. Therefore, multiple winners may be selected for the same prize.
・The special prize will be selected according to the selection policy of each prize, regardless of the total score.