Ryūnosuke Akutagawa: Rashōmon

This collection is the perfect starting point for exploring the prose of Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, a classic author whose texts inspired Kurosawa and whose name has become a symbol of literary mastery in Japan.

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa is one of those who transformed Japanese prose into world classics by combining the subtlety of his native culture with the traditions of European literature: a prize for the most talented debutants is awarded in his honor in Japan, and the film adaptation of his short story "In a Grove" (Akira Kurosawa's "Rashōmon") won an Oscar in 1952.

Akutagawa is an unsurpassed master of short prose. Within just a few pages, he fits entire eras, immersing us in Japanese history and the dramatic depth inherited from Pushkin and Dostoevsky. In this collection, you will find both heartwarming stories of gratitude and poignant novellas about guilt, revenge, or judgment—each one captivates from the very first line and stays with you long after.

Author: Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Translator: Natalia Feldman

Pages: 224 (offset paper). Hardcover

Dimensions: 207×132×16 mm

Series: Eternal Stories