author
Ryūnosuke Akutagawa
1892–1927
A master of the modern Japanese short story, he transformed legends, history, and everyday life into sharply psychological tales. His best-known works, including “Rashōmon” and “In a Grove,” continue to shape literature and film worldwide.
2 Audiobooks
Tales grotesque and curious
by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa
羅生門
by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa
About the author
Ryūnosuke Akutagawa was a Japanese writer active during the Taishō period. Born in Tokyo in 1892, he studied English literature at Tokyo Imperial University and began publishing short stories while still a student. His writing often reimagined episodes from Japanese and Chinese history, combining elegant prose with moral uncertainty and psychological tension.
Among his most celebrated works are “Rashōmon,” “The Nose,” “Hell Screen,” and “In a Grove.” He also wrote the later satire Kappa and more autobiographical fiction as his physical and mental health declined. Akutagawa died in Tokyo in 1927 at the age of 35; Japan’s prestigious Akutagawa Prize was established in his honor in 1935.