Shiro（White）
【Masterpieces of Modern Japanese Literature㉒】
By Ryunosuke Akutagawa
Narrated by Nana Nagao
Buy from Retailers
A short story by Ryunosuke Akutagawa
“It was a spring afternoon. A dog named Shiro was walking along the quiet street, sniffing the ground as he went. On both sides of the narrow road, freshly sprouted hedges stretched continuously, with cherry blossoms blooming here and there between them. As Shiro followed the hedge, he suddenly turned into a side alley. However, the moment he did, he stopped abruptly, as if utterly startled. And it was no wonder—just seven or eight ken ahead, a dog-catcher in a marked short coat was lurking, hiding a trap behind his back, eyeing a black dog. Unaware of the danger, the black dog was calmly eating a piece of bread or something the dog-catcher had thrown to him. But Shiro’s shock was not just because of the scene itself. If it had been an unfamiliar dog, it might not have been so alarming. However, the dog now in the dog-catcher’s sights was none other than Kuro, the neighbor’s pet—his dear friend, with whom he exchanged sniffs every morning.”
This audiobook is a new recording of the “Reading Timeless Story Series” that was performed at the Museum of Modern Japanese Literature on July 13, 2024.
Author : Ryunosuke Akutagawa
Narrator : Nana Nagao
Produced by：Koé no Shoten
Special Thanks：Shigoto, Inc. / ROUDOKU.TALKER.JP
Listening Length：00:27:40
Release Date：2024/12/27
＊For how to listen, pricing, purchase methods, payment options, and more, please check each distribution site.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
1892 –1927
Born in Tokyo, he graduated from the English Literature Department of Tokyo Imperial University. While still a student, he co-founded the third iteration of the literary magazine Shinshichō. His short story The Nose was highly praised by Natsume Sōseki, and the following year, he published his first short story collection, Rashōmon. Drawing inspiration from history and classical literature from both Japan and around the world, he wrote numerous works, including Hōkyōnin no shi（”The Death of a Christian”）, Toshishun（”Tu Tze-chun”）, Kappa, Haguruma（”Spinning Gears” or “Cogwheels”）, and Aru Ahō no Isshō（”A Fool’s Life” or “The Life of a Fool”）.