Modern Japanese Short Stories: Twenty-Five Stories by Japan's Leading Writers

by Ivan Morris (Editor), Seiji M. Lippit (Foreword by), Masakazu Kuwata (Illustrator)

Overview

Modern Japanese Short Stories is a remarkable collection of Japanese stories from the pioneers of contemporary Japanese literature. This volume's twenty-five stories by as many authors display a wide range of style and subject matter—offering a revealing picture of modern Japanese culture and society.

The stories in this anthology include:

• "Tattoo" by Junichiro Tanizaki—a large spider tattooed on the back of a young woman results in unexpected changes
• "Autumn Mountain" by Ryunosuke Akutagawa—vivid memories of a beautiful painting leads a man to wonder if the it ever actually existed
• "The Priest and His Love" by Yukio Mishima—a Buddhist priest finds his path to enlightenment challenged after falling in love
• "The Moon on the Water" by Nobel Prize winner Yasunari Kawabata—a young woman who cared for her ailing first husband through most of their marriage regrets remarrying after his death

Featuring a new foreword by Japanese literary scholar Seiji Lippit and striking woodcut illustrations by Masakazu Kuwata, the stories are translated by the editor, Ivan Morris, and Edward Seidensticker, George Saito, and Geoffery Sargent. This collection of short stories shows why Japanese literature is so highly valued today—it teaches not only about Japan, but about the human condition and the possibilities of art.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9784805315248
Publisher:	Tuttle Publishing
Publication date:	07/16/2019
Edition description:	Translatio
Pages:	512
Sales rank:	562,043
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.70(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Ivan Morris (1925-1976) was a highly regarded figure in the field of Japanese studies. He was a professor at Columbia Universityfrom 1960 to 1973 where he was head of the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures. He is known for his work on Japanese history and literature, though his numerous books, articles, and translations reflect the familiarity he had with all aspects of Japan.

Seiji M. Lippit is Professor of Asian Languages & Cultures at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is the author of Topographies of Japanese Modernism and the editor of The Essential Akutagawa. He has written widely on 20th century Japanese literature and translated numerous works of fiction and criticism.

Masakazu Kuwata is a prolific artist who has created illustrations for many books during his long career, including Incredible Japan and The Life of an Amorous Man. His greatest work, "Pieta of Japan," is displayed in the Collection of Modern Religious Art at the Vatican Museum.

Table of Contents

Factual Notes 5

Foreword Seiji Lippit 6

Introduction Ivan Morris 11

Under Reconstruction Ogai Mori 37

Order Of The White Paulownia Shusei Tokuda 47

Hydrangea Kafu Nagai 67

Seibei's Gourds Naoya Shiga 83

Tattoo Jun'ichiro Tanizaki 92

On The Conduct Of Lord Tadanao Kan Kikuchi 103

The Camellia Ton Satomi 141

Brother And Sister Saisei Muro 147

The House Of A Spanish Dog Haruo Sato 165

Autumn Mountain Ryunosuke Akutagawa 175

The Handstand Mimei Ogawa 186

Letter Found In A Cement-Barrel Yoshiki Hayama 204

The Charcoal Bus Masuji Ibuse 211

Machine Riichi Yokomitsu 222

The Moon On The Water Yasunari Kawabata 244

Nightingale Einosuké Ito 257

Morning Mist Tatsuo Nagai 302

The Hateful Age Fumio Niwa 320

Downtown Fumiko Hayashi 350

A Man's Life Taiko Hirabayashi 366

The Idiot Ango Sakaguchi 384

Shotgun Yasushi Inoué 418

Tiger-Poet Ton Nakajima 455

The Courtesy Call Osamu Dazai 466

The Priest And His Love Yukio Mishima 483

Selected Bibliography 503

Index of Authors 510

Index of Translators 511

Editorial Reviews

"Offering readers a doorway into the past and gorgeously illustrated by black-and-white Japanese woodblock prints, [this] is a worthy collection to savor." —The Japan Times

"Modern Japanese Short Stories is a moveable feast of the richness, complexity, and depth of a land that is all too often reduced to clumsy stereotypes and broad brush strokes. For readers who hunger for more, it is a rare jewel that continues to bedazzle despite the unrelenting passage of time and tide." — The Hawai'i Herald

"Here is another excellent and thorough collection of 25 short stories…Some stories are quite simple in plot, provoking the reader to stop and reflect…but other stories are great windows into the social scenery." — BBC.com

"…Successfully reflecting and presenting in a short story anthology format the literary value of Japanese literature, Modern Japanese Short Stories is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections in general, and Japanese Literature supplemental studies lists in particular." — Midwest Book Review

From the Publisher