Asakusa Park

An Eclectic Collection of Ryunosuke Akutagawa's Untranslated Stories This collection of twenty-six short stories offers a glimpse into many facets of Ryunosuke Akutagawa's imagination. Most of the stories featured in this collection have not previously been 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 of the stories feature a character named Yasukichi Horikawa, believed to be Akutagawa's alter ego. Kan Kikuchi was a writer, a publisher, and a close friend of Ryunosuke Akutagawa. This collection also includes a composition by him about his friend's death and the suicide note sent to him by Ryunosuke Akutagawa. Contents The Sake Bug Early Spring The Tiger Stories The Monkey Shino A Day in the Life of ¿ishi 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