Temptation and Other Writings

A Japanese Catholic recluse confronts strange visions in a cave: monkeys, a sea captain, changing objects, and glimpses of modern life. Written as seventy-four numbered shots, Temptation moves with the startling logic of a dream.

Other pieces explore equally unexpected transformations. A cat abandoned by its owners becomes a hunter; a girl’s excuse gives rise to a supernatural legend; the gift of good fortune carries a troubling price. In Recollections, Akutagawa returns to childhood through forty-four vivid fragments, recalling household ghosts, school bullies, books, swimming, war, and the people whose voices stayed with him.

Akutagawa Ryūnosuke, a major figure in modern Japanese literature, combines sharp irony with psychological attention and a fascination with belief. These complete writings, first published between 1917 and 1927, include a film scenario, stories, miniature sketches, memoir, and an essay on reading independently. Concise notes explain cultural references, names, and unusual source wording. AI-assisted translation.