Background
Akutagawa Ryunosuke was born on March 1, 1892 in a Tokyo family named Niihara. He was adopted by Michiaki Akutagawa, his uncle, when a child. He had two pen-names of Chokodo Shujin and Gaki.
Akutagawa Ryunosuke was born on March 1, 1892 in a Tokyo family named Niihara. He was adopted by Michiaki Akutagawa, his uncle, when a child. He had two pen-names of Chokodo Shujin and Gaki.
Graduated from Tokyo University, where he studied English literature. Taught at the Naval Academy and joined the staff of the Tokyo Nichinichi in 1919.
Graduating from Tokyo University where he studied English literature, he ran a literary magazine, Shinshicho, with his friends including Hiroshi (Kan) Kikuchi and Masao Kume. He became popular with his short story titled “The Nose”. A disciple of Soseki Natsume, he wrote in the tradition of Natsume and Ogai Mori, both great writers and scholars of the Meiji and Taisho Eras. Akutagawa wrote many short stories in a highly polished style, often on themes of old Japan.
Committed suicide on July 24, 1927.