Akutagawa Prize Winners in English Translation

Learn more about the Akutagawa Prize with the RJL podcast.

• 2021: Li Kotomi
  • Solo Dance
    • Read my review of Solo Dance.
• 2020: Rin Usami
  • Idol, Burning (prize winner)
• 2019: Natsuko Imamura
  • This is Amiko, Do You Copy (expected fall 2023)
  • The Woman in the Purple Skirt (prize winner)
    • Read my review of The Woman in the Purple Skirt.
• 2018: Hiroki Takahashi
  • Finger Bone
    • Read my review of Finger Bone.
  • Featured in Speculative Japan IV
• 2017: Yuka Ishii
  • The Mud of a Century (prize winner)
• 2016: Sayaka Murata
  • Convenience Store Woman (prize winner)
  • Earthlings
    • Read more about Earthlings.
  • Life Ceremony
    • Read my review of Life Ceremony.
  • Featured in Granta 127: Japan
  • Learn more about Sayaka Murata and Convenience Store Woman with the RJL podcast.
• 2015: Yukiko Motoya
  • The Lonesome Bodybuilder: Stories (including prize-winning An Exotic Marriage; also published as Picnic in the Storm)
  • Vengeance Can Wait
  • Featured in Granta 127: Japan
• 2015: Naoki Matayoshi
  • Spark (prize winner)
• 2014: Masatsugu Ono
  • At the Edge of the Woods
    • Read my review of At the Edge of the Woods.
  • Echo on the Bay
  • Lion Cross Point
  • Featured in Monkey Business: New Writing from Japan III
• 2014: Tomoka Shibasaki
  • Spring Garden (prize winner)
    • Read more about Spring Garden
  • Featured in Monkey Business: New Writing from Japan II and VI
• 2013: Hiroko Oyamada
  • The Factory
  • The Hole (prize winner)
    • Read my review of The Hole.
  • Weasels in the Attic
    • Read my review of Weasels in the Attic.
  • Featured in Granta 127: Japan
  • Featured in Inside and Other Short Fiction: Japanese Women by Japanese Women
  • Featured in Monkey Business: New Writing from Japan VII
• 2012: Maki Kashimada
  • Love at Six Thousand Degrees
    • Read my review of Love at Six Thousand Degrees.
  • Touring the Land of the Dead (prize winner)
  • Featured in Can You Hear Me Now? Stories Commissioned by Toronto International Festival of Authors 2021
  • Featured in Digital Geishas and Talking Frogs: The Best 21st Century Short Stories from Japan
• 2012: Natsuo Kuroda
  • Featured in Heaven’s Wind: A Dual Language Anthology of Contemporary Japanese Writing
• 2011: Toe Enjoe
  • Harlequin’s Butterfly (prize winner; partial translation)
  • Self-Reference ENGINE
  • Featured in Granta 127: Japan
  • Featured in The Future in Japanese
  • Featured in Monkey Business: New Writing from Japan II
  • Featured in Speculative Japan II
• 2008: Kikuko Tsumura
  • There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job
    • Read my review of There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job.
• 2007: Mieko Kawakami
  • All the Lovers in the Night
    • Read my review of All the Lovers in the Night.
  • Breasts and Eggs (prize winner)
    • Read more about Breasts and Eggs.
  • Heaven
    • Read my review of Heaven.
  • Ms Ice Sandwich
  • Featured in The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories
  • Learn more about Kawakami and Breasts and Eggs with the RJL podcast.
• 2005: Akiko Itoyama
  • In Pursuit of Lavender
  • Waiting in the Offing (prize winner)
• 2005: Fuminori Nakamura
  • The Boy in the Earth (prize winner)
  • Cult X
  • Evil and the Mask
  • The Gun
  • The Kingdom
  • Last Winter We Parted
  • My Annihilation
  • The Rope Artist (expected late spring 2023)
  • The Thief
• 2004: Kazushige Abe
  • Featured in New Penguin Parallel Texts: Short Stories in Japanese
• 2003: Hitomi Kanehara
  • Autofiction
  • Snakes and Earrings (prize winner)
  • Featured in The Book of Tokyo: A City in Short Fiction
  • Featured in Digital Geishas and Talking Frogs: The Best 21st Century Short Stories from Japan
• 2003: Risa Wataya
  • I Want to Kick You in the Back (prize winner)
• 2002: Tamaki Daido
  • Featured in Inside and Other Short Fiction: Japanese Women by Japanese Women
• 2002: Shuichi Yoshida
  • Parade
  • Villain
• 2000: Toshiyuki Horie
  • The Bear and the Paving Stone (prize winner)
  • Featured in The Book of Tokyo: A City in Short Fiction
  • Featured in Digital Geishas and Talking Frogs: The Best 21st Century Short Stories from Japan
• 2000: Kou Machida
  • Punk Samurai Slash Down
  • Rip It Up (prize winner)
• 1999: Chiya Fujino
  • Featured in Inside and Other Short Fiction: Japanese Women by Japanese Women
  • Featured in Tokyo Fragments: Short Stories of Tokyo by Five of Japan’s Leading Contemporary Writers
• 1998: Keiichiro Hirano
  • A Man
  • At the End of the Matinee
  • Transparent Labyrinth
  • Featured in The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature
• 1997: Medoruma Shun
  • In the Woods of Memory
  • Featured in Southern Exposure: Modern Japanese Literature from Okinawa (includes prize-winning Droplets)
  • Learn more about Shun and Droplets with the RJL podcast.
• 1996: Yu Miri
  • The End of August
  • Gold Rush
  • Tokyo Ueno Station
    • Learn more about Tokyo Ueno Station, Yu Miri, and Japan’s “have-nots” with the RJL podcast.
• 1996: Hiromi Kawakami
  • Manazuru
    • Read more about Manazuru.
  • The Nakano Thrift Shop
  • Parade
  • People from My Neighborhood
    • Read my review of People from My Neighborhood.
  • Record of a Night Too Brief (includes prize-winning A Snake Stepped On)
  • Strange Weather in Tokyo (also published in translation as The Briefcase)
  • The Ten Loves of Nishino
  • Learn more about Kawakami with the RJL podcast.
• 1995: Matayoshi Eiki
  • Featured in Southern Exposure: Modern Japanese Literature from Okinawa
• 1995: Kazushi Hosaka
  • Plainsong
• 1993: Hikaru Okuizumi
  • The Stones Cry Out (prize winner)
• 1992: Yoko Tawada
  • The Bridegroom Was a Dog (prize winner)
  • The Emissary (sometimes titled The Last Children of Tokyo)
  • Facing the Bridge (short stories)
  • Memoirs of a Polar Bear (originally published in German)
  • The Naked Eye (originally published in German)
  • Scattered All Over the Earth
    • Read my review of Scattered All Over the Earth.
  • Three Streets
  • Time Differences
  • Where Europe Begins (short stories) (originally published in German)
  • Yoko Tawada’s Portrait of a Tongue: An Experimental Translation (originally published in German)
• 1990: Yoko Ogawa (1990 winner)
  • The Diving Pool: Three Novellas (including prize-winning Pregnancy Diary)
  • Hotel Iris
  • The Housekeeper and the Professor
  • The Memory Police
  • Revenge: Eleven Dark Tales
  • Featured in The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories
• 1990: Noboru Tsujihara
  • Jasmine
  • Featured in Digital Geishas and Talking Frogs: The Best 21st Century Short Stories from Japan
• 1987: Natsuki Ikezawa
  • Mariko/Mariquita
  • The Navidad Incident: The Downfall of Matias Guili
  • Still Lives (prize winner)
• 1985: Fumiko Kometani
  • Passover (prize winner)
  • Wasabi for Breakfast: Two Novels
• 1984: Satoko Kizaki
  • The Phoenix Tree and Other Stories (includes prize-winning Phoenix Tree)
  • The Sunken Temple
• 1983: Nobuko Takagi
  • Fantasia
  • Translucent Tree
  • Featured in Inside and Other Short Fiction: Japanese Women by Japanese Women
  • Featured in Speculative Japan II
• 1982: Juro Kara
  • Featured in The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature
• 1982: Yukiko Kato
  • In the Meadow
• 1977: Teru Miyamoto
  • Inhabitation
  • Kinshu: Autumn Brocade
  • Phantom Lights and Other Stories
  • Rivers (includes prize-winning Firefly River)
• 1977: Ryu Murakami
  • 69
  • Almost Transparent Blue (prize winner)
  • Audition
  • Coin Locker Babies
  • From the Fatherland, with Love
  • In the Miso Soup
  • Piercing
  • Popular Hits of the Showa Era
  • Tokyo Decadence: 15 Stories
• 1975: Kyoko Hayashi
  • From Trinity to Trinity
  • Ritual of Death (prize winner)
  • Featured in Annotated Japanese Literary Gems I
  • Featured in The Crazy Iris and Other Stories of the Atomic Aftermath
• 1975: Kenji Nakagami
  • The Cape and Other Stories from the Japanese Ghetto (includes prize-winning The Cape)
  • Snakelust
• 1974: Keizo Hino
  • Isle of Dreams
• 1973: Shizuko Go
  • Requiem (prize-winner)
• 1972: Michiko Yamamoto
  • Betty-san (includes prize-winning Betty’s Garden)
• 1971: Mineo Higashi
  • Featured in Okinawa: Two Postwar Novellas (includes prize-winning An Okinawan Boy)
• 1970: Yoshikichi Furui
  • Child of Darkness: Yoko and Other Stories (includes prize-winning Yoko)
  • Ravine and Other Stories
  • White-Haired Melody
  • Featured in The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature
• 1968: Minako Oba
  • Of Birds Crying
  • Featured in The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories
  • Featured in This Kind of Woman: Ten Stories by Japanese Women Writers (includes prize winner Three Crabs)
  • Learn more about Oba with the RJL podcast.
• 1967: Tatsuhiro Oshiro
  • Featured in Okinawa: Two Postwar Novellas (includes prize-winning The Cocktail Party)
  • Featured in Southern Exposure: Modern Japanese Literature from Okinawa
• 1963: Taeko Kono
  • Toddler-Hunting and Other Stories (includes prize-winning novel Crabs)
  • Featured in The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories
  • Featured in Rabbits, Crabs, Etc.: Stories by Japanese Women (includes prize-winning novel Crabs)
• 1963: Tanabe Seiko
  • A Thousand Strands of Black Hair
• 1960: Morio Kita
  • The Adventures of Kupukupu the Sailor
  • Ghosts
  • The House of Nire
  • Red Host, White Ghost: Stories and Essays
• 1960: Tetsuo Miura
  • Shame in the Blood (prize-winning novel)
• 1958: Kenzaburo Oe
  • The Catch and Other War Stories
  • The Changeling
  • Death by Water
  • An Echo of Heaven
  • A Healing Family
  • Nip the Buds, Shoot the Kids
  • A Personal Matter
  • The Pinch Runner
  • A Quiet Life
  • Rouse Up O Young Men of the New Age!
  • Seventeen and J
  • The Silent Cry
  • Somersault
  • Teach Us to Outgrow Our Madness: 4 Short Novels (includes prize-winning Prize Stock)
  • Learn more about Oe with the RJL podcast.
• 1957: Takeshi Kaiko (Akutagawa Prize winning author)
  • Darkness in Summer
  • Five Thousand Runaways (short story collection)
  • Into a Black Sun
  • Japan’s Threepenny Opera
  • Panic and the Runaway: Two Stories
  • The Emperor’s New Clothes (prize winner)
• 1955: Shusaku Endo
  • Deep River
  • The Final Martyrs
  • Five by Endo
  • Foreign Studies
  • The Girl I Left Behind
  • The Golden Country
  • A Life of Jesus
  • Sachiko
  • The Samurai
  • Scandal
  • The Sea and Poison
  • Silence
  • Song of Sadness
  • Stained Glass Elegies
  • When I Whistle
  • White Man, Yellow Man: Two Novellas (includes prize-winning White Man)
  • Wonderful Fool
  • Volcano
• 1955: Shintaro Ishihara
  • Season of Violence and Other Stories (includes prize-winning Season of Violence)
  • Undercurrents: Episodes from a Life on the Edge
• 1954: Nobuo Kojima
  • Embracing Family
  • Long Belts and Thin Men: The Postwar Stories of Kojima Nobuo
  • Featured in the Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature
  • Featured in Contemporary Japanese Literature: An Anthology of Fiction, Film, and Other Writing Since 1945 (includes prize-winning The American School)
• 1954: Junzo Shono
  • Evening Clouds
  • Still Life and Other Stories (includes prize-winning A Poolside Life)
  • Featured in The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature
• 1954: Junnosuke Yoshiyuki
  • The Dark Room
  • Fair Dalliance: Fifteen Stories
  • Toward Dusk and Other Stories
  • Featured in The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature
  • Featured in New Writing in Japan (ed. Geoffrey Bownas; includes prize-winning Sudden Shower)
  • Featured in The Oxford Book of Japanese Short Stories
  • Featured in The Showa Anthology: Modern Japanese Short Stories
• 1953: Shotaro Yasuoka
  • The Glass Slipper and Other Stories
  • A View by the Sea (includes prize-winning Bad Company)
  • Featured in The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature
  • Featured in Murder in Japan: Japanese Stories of Crime and Detection
  • Featured in New Writing in Japan
  • Featured in The Showa Anthology: Modern Japanese Short Stories
• 1951: Kobo Abe
  • The Ark Sakura
  • Beasts Head for Home
  • Beyond the Curve (includes prize-winning The Crime of S. Karuma)
  • The Box Man
  • The Face of Another
  • Inter Ice Age 4
  • Kangaroo Notebook
  • The Ruined Map
  • Secret Rendezvous
  • The Woman in the Dunes
  • Learn more about Abe, The Crime of S. Karuma, and The Woman in the Dunes with the RJL podcast.
• 1949: Yasushi Inoue (Akutagawa Prize winning author)
  • The Blue Wolf: A Novel of the Life of Chinggis Khan
  • Bullfight (prize winner)
  • The Counterfeiter and Other Stories
  • The Hunting Gun
  • Confucius
  • Life of a Counterfeiter
  • Lou-Lan and Other Stories
  • Roof Tile of Tempyo
  • Shirombamba: A Childhood in Old Japan
  • The Samurai Banner of Furin Kazan
  • Tun-Huang
  • Wind and Waves
  • Featured in Annotated Japanese Literary Gems
  • Featured in The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature
  • Featured in The Izu Dancer and Other Stories
  • Featured in The Modern Japanese Prose Poem
  • Featured in Modern Japanese Short Stories
  • Featured in Modern Japanese Stories: An Anthology
  • Featured in The Showa Anthology
• 1937: Ozaki Kazuo
  • Rosy Glasses and Other Stories (prize winner)
  • Featured in The Columbia Anthology of Japanese Literature
  • Featured in Modern Japanese Short Stories
• 1936: Jun Ishikawa
  • The Bodhisattva (prize winner)
  • The Legend of Gold and Other Stories

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