Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

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Lore & Background

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa was born in Irifune, Kyōbashi, Tokyo City, the eldest son of businessman Toshizō Niihara and his wife Fuku. His mother experienced mental illness shortly after his birth, so he was adopted and raised by his maternal uncle, Michiaki Akutagawa, from whom he received the Akutagawa family name. He was interested in classical Chinese literature from an early age, as well as in the works of Mori Ōgai and Natsume Sōseki. He entered the First Higher School in 1910 and began writing after entering Tokyo Imperial University in 1913, where he studied English literature. Akutagawa published his second short story 'Rashōmon' in 1915 in the literary magazine Teikoku Bungaku, though it was not well received by his friends. In early 1916 he published 'Hana' ('The Nose'), which received a letter of praise from Sōseki and secured his first taste of fame. He followed with a series of short stories set in Heian, Edo, or early Meiji period Japan, often reinterpreting classical works. In 1921, he interrupted his writing career to spend four months in China as a reporter for the Osaka Mainichi Shinbun, a trip that stressed him and left his health never fully recovered.

Reader's Guide

Akutagawa's significance lies in his role as the 'father of the Japanese short story' and the enduring legacy of the Akutagawa Prize, Japan's premier literary award. His stories, such as 'Rashōmon' and 'In a Grove,' have been adapted into other media, most famously Akira Kurosawa's 1950 film 'Rashōmon.' Akutagawa's work was influenced by his belief that literature should be universal and could bring together Western and Japanese cultures. He often used existing works from various cultures and time periods, rewriting them with modern sensibilities. His later works became distinctly autobiographical as his physical and mental health deteriorated, culminating in his suicide in 1927. His portrayal of women was shaped by the influence of his biological mother, from whom he feared inheriting madness, and his aunt Fuki, who controlled much of his upbringing. Akutagawa's narrative style, fragmentary and anecdotal, shows influence from Chinese classics, and his trip to China in 1921 contributed to the growing disillusionment in his later works.

Did You Know?

• Akutagawa's art name was Chōkōdō Shujin (澄江堂主人).
• He wrote haiku under the pen name Gaki (我鬼).
• His story 'In a Grove' (1922) was adapted into Akira Kurosawa's famous 1950 film Rashōmon.
• He survived a suicide attempt in 1927 before dying by overdose of Veronal on 24 July of the same year.
• His son Hiroshi Akutagawa (1920–1981) became an actor, and another son Yasushi Akutagawa (1925–1989) became a composer.