Rashōmon and Other Stories
Ryūnosuke Akutagawa · 1892–1927 · Japan
Originally Rashōmon and Other Stories (Japanese) · translated by Takashi Kojima
Why it matters
'In a Grove' gives one crime four irreconcilable testimonies: the story behind Kurosawa's Rashōmon and the shorthand 'Rashōmon effect.' Akutagawa's jewel-cut tales made moral vertigo a Japanese specialty.
At a glance
short story collectionpsychological novel
Difficulty 5/10fast pace128 pagesCompressed, multi-perspectival narration demands attention despite short length.
