Asakusa Park

An Eclectic Collection of Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s Untranslated Stories

This collection of twenty-six short stories offers a glimpse into Ryunosuke Akutagawa's imagination, featuring mostly stories not previously translated into English. From fantastical worlds seen through a child's or frogs' eyes, to themes of heroism, love, guilt, and the musings of the leader of the Forty-Seven Ronin, the stories explore humor, darkness, and human nature. Several feature Yasukichi Horikawa, believed to be Akutagawa’s alter ego.

Kan Kikuchi's writing on his friend's death and the suicide note sent to him by Ryunosuke Akutagawa are also included.

Contents
The Sake Bug
Early Spring
The Tiger Stories
The Monkey
Shino
A Day in the Life of Ōishi Kuranosuke
Unrequited Love
The Hell of Loneliness
Frogs
San'emon's Crime
The Dream
The Foundling
Asakusa Park
Ten Needles
Taneko's Melancholy
Doubts
The Quality of a Hero
Father
The Riverside Fish Market
From Yasukichi's Notebook
The Bow
A Romance Novel
Compositions
Youth
The Cold
A Ten Yen Bill
About the Author (by Kan Kikuchi)
A Note Sent to an Old Friend