This fantastically varied and exciting collection celebrates the great Japanese short story, from its modern origins in the nineteenth century to the remarkable works being written today... The Penguin Book of Japanese Short stories is filled with fear, charm, beauty and comedy. Curated by Jay Rubin, who has himself freshly translated several of the stories, and introduced by Haruki Murakami, this book will be a revelation to its readers.

Japan and the West: The story of Tomoda and Matsunaga / Tanizaki Jun'ichirō, translated by Paul Warham ; Behind the prison / Nagai Kafū, translated by Jay Rubin ; Sanshiro / Natsume Sōseki, translated by Jay Rubin -- Loyal Warriors: The last testament of Okitsu Yagoemon / Mori Ōgai. translated by Richard Bowring ; Patriotism / Mishima Yukio, translated by Geoffrey W. Sargent -- Men and Women: Flames /Tsushima Yūko, translated by Geraldine Harcourt ; In the box / Kōno Taeko, translated by Jay Rubin ; Remaining flowers / Nakagami Kenji, translated by Eve Zimmerman ; Bee honey / Yoshimoto Banana, translated by Michael Emmerich ; The smile of a mountain witch / Ohba Minako, translated by Noriko Mizuta ; A bond for two lifetimes: gleanings / Enchi Fumiko, translated by Phyllis Birnbaum -- Nature and Memory: Peaches / Abe Akira, translated by Jay Rubin ; The tale of the house of physics / Ogawa Yōko, translated by Ted Goossen ; Unforgettable people / Kunikida Doppo , translated by Jay Rubin ; The 1963/1982 girl from Ipanema / Murakami Haruki, translated by Jay Rubin ; Cambridge Circus / Shibata Motoyuki, translated by Jay Rubin -- Modern Life and Other Nonsense: Closet LLB / Uno Kōji, translated by Jay Rubin ; Mr English / Genji Keita, translated by Jay Rubin ; Factory town / Betsuyaku Minoru, translated by Royall Tyler ; Dreams of love, etc. / Kawakami Mieko, translated by Hitomi Yoshio ; Shoulder-top secretary / Hoshi Shin'ichi, translated by Jay Rubin -- Dread: Hell screen / Akutagawa Ryūnosuke, translated by Jay Rubin ; Filling up with sugar / Sawanishi Yūten, translated by Jay Rubin ; Kudan / Uchida Hyakken, translated by Rachel DiNitto -- Disasters, Natural and Man-Made: The Great kanto earthquake, 1923: The great earthquake and General Kim / Akutagawa Ryūnosuke, translated by Jay Rubin ; The atomic bombings, 1945: Hiroshima, City of doom / Ōta Yōko, translated by Richard H. Minear ; Insects / Seirai Yūichi, translated by Paul Warham ; Post-war Japan: The silver fifty-sen pieces / Kawabata Yasunari, translated by Lane Dunlop ; American Hijiki / Nosaka Akiyuki ; translated by Jay Rubin ; Pink / Hoshino Tomoyuki, translated by Brian Bergstrom ; The Kobe earthquake, 1995: UFO in Kushiro /Murakami Haruki, translated by Jay Rubin ; The Tohoku earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown, 2011: Weather-watching hill / Saeki Kazumi, translated by David Boyd ; Planting / Matsuda Aoko. translated by Angus Turvill ; Same as always / Satō Yūya, translated by Rachel DiNitto.