Rashomon Gate

The works of the outstanding Japanese writer Ryunosuke Akutagawa are one of the most vivid and unusual phenomena in world literature of the 20th century. The main theme of his works, written with subtle taste and humor, is the infinite universe of spirit and the mystery of human psychology. Akutagawa drew materials for his novellas from historical chronicles, medieval anecdotes, and collections of ancient legends. He believed that only through the exceptional and unexpected can one reveal the true movements of the soul. The whimsical intertwining of fiction and reality, the depth of psychological analysis, the paradoxical nature of judgments, and the gentle irony make Akutagawa's works true masterpieces.