Who is Japan's greatest writer?

by Sakimi ITOH

I think Japan’s greatest writer is Ryunosuke Akutagawa. Ryunosuke Akutagawa is one of the most famous writers in Japan. He was born in 1892 in Tokyo. His father was a milkman. His mother was crazy. The first story he wrote “Rou nen” in 1914, so His most famous story is “Rasyou mon”. It was read by many people. At this time he was a pupil at Soseki Natsume’s regular Thursday meeting. He learned a lot from him.

When he was 23 years old, he married Fumiko Tsukamoto. In 1918 and he wrote “zigoku hen” “kareno syou” “kumono ito”. He was employed by Osaka Mainichi Newspaper Company when he was 27 years old, and worked as a journalist while writing his novels. He wrote “budoukai” “Aki” “Nankin no Christ” “To shisyunn” while he worked there. He traveled to China and he wrote “Yamashigi” “Syu sann zu “ “Shanhai yuki”.

He got mentally sick in 1922, when he was 30 years old. During this time of mental conflict he wrote “Shu ju no kotoba” “Yasukichi no techou kara” “ A ba ba ba ba “ and he took a rest in Yugawara in 1923. He wrote “Hitokure no tsu chi” “Ito zho omoegaki” in 1924. He wrote “Daisouzishinsuke no hansei” “sou shun” in 1925, when he was 33 years old.

In 1927, he wrote “genkaku sanbou” and “kappa” before he killed himself in Tokyo. He was 35 years old. Althugh he died young he had written many books.

Why is he trailblazer?

I chose Ryunosuke Akutagawa as a trailblazer because he was very nice writer, because he has unique personality, I like his stories. One of the most famous of his stories is “Rashou mon” It is very good story.