# 🎄 2024 Aozora Short Story and Essay Advent ☃ **URL:** \ **Category:** Reading\ **Tags:** aozora-bunko, advent-challenge, bookclub\ **Created:** [November 28, 2024, 4:44am UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035 "2024-11-28T04:44:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![moka](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/moka/32/12361_2.png) [@moka](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/moka)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2024, 12:25am UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/21 "2024-12-02T00:25:47Z")
I think I’m gonna try reading both stories of the day if I have enough time for each. reading the guide linked in the OP beforehand was very useful for ピアノ. I was only aware before that old verbs ending in ふ are written today as う, but never thought that the h kana were used so often, it would’ve confused me a lot if I had gone in blind. I assume this version of 蜜柑 was modernized except for the kanji spellings, but personally I thought that was enough to make a difference, and it felt a bit easier than ピアノ both were pretty interesting reads. I hadn’t noticed that both were by the same author, only decided to check when I noticed the use of repeated phrases (又不可解な、下等な、退屈な人生 in one, 桃色、水色、薄黄色など in the other) and thought it was too similar 😛 ---
**Author:** ![javerend](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/javerend/32/6985_2.png) [@javerend](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/javerend)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2024, 1:18am UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/22 "2024-12-02T01:18:43Z")
Read ピアノ today and really enjoyed it. Great sense of atmosphere, and a lot of the old kanji were fun 😆 (yet more okami flashcards came in handy as well , saw 鼬 and did the leonardo dicaprio point meme) Then listened to it again after with the read-along. That’s my first 芥川, and if he writes shorts like this it definitely wont be my last. Will try to go back and read 蜜柑 when I’m back at home tomorrow, but it’s got a little too much going on to read while being at my parents still. > [@soggyboy](#): > > Wow, so much fun!! See! nothing to be scared of!! ---
**Author:** ![soggyboy](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/soggyboy/32/4090_2.png) [@soggyboy](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/soggyboy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2024, 1:41am UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/23 "2024-12-02T01:41:59Z")
> [@javerend](#): > > See! nothing to be scared of!! Already fighting the urge to feel like I’m better than everyone because I read ~literature~ now. ---
**Author:** ![cat](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/cat/32/2344_2.png) [@cat](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/cat)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2024, 2:57am UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/24 "2024-12-02T02:57:09Z")
Getting done with the N1 (I don’t know how to feel but exhausted) and then having such a lovely little store as 蜜柑 to relax into 😍 I didn’t even notice I put 芥川 as the first story author for both calendars 😅 I did some last minute shuffling of the order and totally missed that. Happy accident! > [@MintTea](#): > > I’m not usually a fan of Akutagawa, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I couldn’t stand him til last year 😂 My first few introductions to him were awful. I think in general I like his short stories but can’t stand his essays or moral story telling. I also accidentally read his suicide note as my very first intro to him which soured me for awhile. > [@読み蛙](#): > > In the Japanese version, the narrator’s description seemed much more mean. So mean! I was like ‘wow, he’s really going in on this poor kid’ > [@soggyboy](#): > > I thought that since I’m at a lower level, literary writing and difference in writing styles wouldn’t come across, but the story felt very evocative and I loved the atmosphere and way it was written. Ahh I’m glad you enjoyed it! And isn’t it amazing how some Japanese writers just evoke such intense imagery and atmosphere with only a few pages? I remember reading my first Dazai (another famous author we’ll see in this challenge!) and being so wowed by it > [@mita](#): > > Now I’m intrigued to learn more about old kana spellings! It’s crazy how quickly you get used to them, too! If I go a long while I need a refresher, but usually by the end of an Aozora binge I feel like a pro 😂 > [@moka](#): > > I assume this version of 蜜柑 was modernized except for the kanji spellings I suspect you are right. You can see the source they took from at the bottom of the Aozora page and most are modern publications and I guess it’s up the editor/publisher at that time to decide if they want to modernize it for their audience. ---
**Author:** ![soggyboy](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/soggyboy/32/4090_2.png) [@soggyboy](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/soggyboy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2024, 4:06am UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/25 "2024-12-02T04:06:50Z")
> [@cat](#): > > Ahh I’m glad you enjoyed it! Yesss!! It was v. rewarding, glad I jumped in! Def. won’t have time to do every story because I have a lot of reads to focus on rn, but will try and read a couple more when I can. > [@cat](#): > > And isn’t it amazing how some Japanese writers just evoke such intense imagery and atmosphere with only a few pages? So good!! I’m impressed. Went back to my werewolf survival game children’s book after this and somehow the prose was not quite as evocative… 😂 ---
**Author:** ![Biblio](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/biblio/32/81_2.png) [@Biblio](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/Biblio)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2024, 8:29am UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/26 "2024-12-02T08:29:22Z")
> **[天才になりそこなつた男の話 | L37](https://learnnatively.com/book/e664e9c0d1/)** > > Book, Difficulty: Level 37 (Advanced, ~JLPT N1) I am not sure I fully get, what the author was trying to say, but that’s OK. Quite a few words I didn’t know, but the 朗読 as always helps a lot. 🫣 とかく日本人は病室の壁ばかり睨んで、めいつた気持を深めてしまふやうです。西洋人は気がめいると、ちよつと立ち上つて窓から外を眺めてきます。 I do, indeed, like looking outside the window when I am feeling down. 😅 ---
**Author:** ![Biblio](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/biblio/32/81_2.png) [@Biblio](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/Biblio)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2024, 9:11am UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/27 "2024-12-02T09:11:02Z")
I liked 一房の葡萄. Brought back some childhood memories. Sometimes kindness hits you much harder than punishment. ---
**Author:** ![CatDQ](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/catdq/32/670_2.png) [@CatDQ](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/CatDQ)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2024, 9:30am UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/28 "2024-12-02T09:30:12Z")
I’ve decided to make this a listening challenge for me using the easier advent of the 2, so I’ve listened to the first 2 between yesterday and today, will be doing a read through at a later date. Today’s one was definitely easier and I understood the majority of it without look ups. ---
**Author:** ![cat](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/cat/32/2344_2.png) [@cat](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/cat)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2024, 2:32pm UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/29 "2024-12-02T14:32:25Z")
> [@Biblio](#): > > Quite a few words I didn’t know, but the 朗読 as always helps a lot. 🫣 Haha, I looked up sooo much and I’m probably going to reread it after work because I still feel a bit puzzled 🤣 Here are some things I looked up: > **天才になりそこなった男の話** > > 襷掛け - style of wearing a kimono. Looks like this: > > ![image](https://do4ryrayvtpwi.cloudfront.net/original/2X/f/f34d43c425e7b0abcb8acfae47bc62a3eb785473.jpeg) > 千人針 - ‘soldier’s charm’ - seems to be for wishing for the safe return of soldiers. Looks like this: > ![image](https://do4ryrayvtpwi.cloudfront.net/original/2X/e/e6b16b2c198ddea343ad272d5867871aafe200f7.png) > 四谷お岩, who his face was said to be swelled up to look like, is a youkai > ![image](https://do4ryrayvtpwi.cloudfront.net/original/2X/7/7c4122181ec5e06bddd977eebe6eb3761d263d06.jpeg) > And finally I don’t know if I’ve encountered 羅府 to mean Los Angeles before (my IME won’t even let me write it, had to copy it) but I looked it up and sure enough, the Manchuria invasion was 1931 and the Los Angeles Olympics were 1932 ---
**Author:** ![cat](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/cat/32/2344_2.png) [@cat](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/cat)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2024, 2:01am UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/30 "2024-12-03T02:01:59Z")
Ok I reread today’s story (天才になりそこなった男の話) and liked it so much on reread. Since I wasn’t splitting my attention so much I could just enjoy the story for what it was. As an aside, what he describes in the story isn’t actually that far off base! It’s rare, but it can happen. It’s called Acquired Savant Syndrome - [source](https://www.brain-injury-law-center.com/blog/acquired-savant-syndrome/) ---
**Author:** ![Biblio](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/biblio/32/81_2.png) [@Biblio](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/Biblio)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2024, 8:08am UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/31 "2024-12-03T08:08:09Z")
[マスク | L29](https://learnnatively.com/book/205839c398/) could have been written today, ngl. 👀 [バキチの仕事 | L27](https://learnnatively.com/book/ce202dc994/) I… eh… what? 🤔 Seems like the story was left unfinished. ---
**Author:** ![javerend](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/javerend/32/6985_2.png) [@javerend](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/javerend)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2024, 9:26am UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/32 "2024-12-03T09:26:00Z")
I wasn’t quite sure what to think of 一房の葡萄 at first, and as I was reading it I kept thinking of the time period and trying to figure it out as some sort of political allegory, but when I read a little more about the author and the collection this was published in, I think it’s fine to treat as just a children’s story. Good depiction of those kinds of random strong memories you hold on to from childhood. Language wasn’t too bad other than the one funny kanji jumpscare, ballpark it somewhere in the mid-high 20s, natively didn’t give me the option to compare, but it felt pretty similar to 怪人二十面相 difficulty at like 27/28 ---
**Author:** ![cat](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/cat/32/2344_2.png) [@cat](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/cat)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2024, 2:31pm UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/33 "2024-12-03T14:31:04Z")
> [@Biblio](#): > > [バキチの仕事 | L27](https://learnnatively.com/book/ce202dc994/) I… eh… what? 🤔 Seems like the story was left unfinished. I swear 宮沢賢治 always has me googling things to see if I missed something 🤣 The opinions of laypeople is also ‘errr…is this a scrap of a story?’. The intentional writing of 〔以下原稿空白〕makes me think that this is intentional, though. ---
**Author:** ![Biblio](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/biblio/32/81_2.png) [@Biblio](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/Biblio)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2024, 9:47am UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/34 "2024-12-04T09:47:57Z")
[桜の樹の下には | L32](https://learnnatively.com/book/6307ce27bc/) This was a re-read for me. Last year I only gave it 2 stars, but it has actually improved to 3 stars… I don’t love it, but 2 stars was too harsh. It’s got vibes, for sure. [正月の思い出 | L30??](https://learnnatively.com/book/ba68521fff/) This seems to be nonfiction of an autobiographical nature. Was an interesting snippet. I think most people will experience a similar disconnect in their life at least once. ---
**Author:** ![javerend](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/javerend/32/6985_2.png) [@javerend](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/javerend)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2024, 9:49am UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/35 "2024-12-04T09:49:23Z")
> [@Biblio](#): > > [マスク | L29](https://learnnatively.com/book/205839c398/) could have been written today, ngl. 👀 Wow, yeah, no kidding. Other than everything being written with kanji forms and using all the kana repeater marks, really all the feelings in this could’ve been from something written in the last few years ---
**Author:** ![pm215](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/pm215/32/1320_2.png) [@pm215](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/pm215)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2024, 12:31pm UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/36 "2024-12-04T12:31:29Z")
> [@Biblio](#): > > [正月の思い出 | L30??](https://learnnatively.com/book/ba68521fff/) This seems to be nonfiction of an autobiographical nature. Was an interesting snippet. I think most people will experience a similar disconnect in their life at least once. Published in 1937, apparently – given the time period, the tail end of the essay seems to strike a subtly antimilitaristic note. But maybe I’m reading too much into it. ---
**Author:** ![cat](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/cat/32/2344_2.png) [@cat](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/cat)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2024, 2:31pm UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/37 "2024-12-04T14:31:57Z")
> [@pm215](#): > > Published in 1937, apparently – given the time period, the tail end of the essay seems to strike a subtly antimilitaristic note. But maybe I’m reading too much into it. I can see that given the time period, yeah. Feels a bit like a commentary on pointless death. I submitted feedback to have it recategorized as nonfiction. ---
**Author:** ![javerend](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/javerend/32/6985_2.png) [@javerend](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/javerend)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:43am UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/38 "2024-12-05T07:43:39Z")
桜の樹の下には is an odd one all right, and one that I feel like I’ve seen referenced before in contemporary stuff, although I can’t remember any off the top of my head. I’ll keep an eye out for it, though Went and found a translation to compare to after reading it because there were a few parts that felt too strange to be what was actually being said, but no, they were 😆 ---
**Author:** ![pm215](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/pm215/32/1320_2.png) [@pm215](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/pm215)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 12:43pm UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/39 "2024-12-05T12:43:25Z")
Wikipedia has this to say about the author of 蠅を憎む記: > the difficulty and richness of his prose has been frequently noted by fellow authors and critics Dunno about richness, but difficult seems on the mark 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Biblio](https://deyr2qldo994j.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.learnnatively.com/biblio/32/81_2.png) [@Biblio](https://forums.learnnatively.com/u/Biblio)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 1:47pm UTC](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035/40 "2024-12-05T13:47:25Z")
[蠅を憎む記 | L32??](https://learnnatively.com/book/9b10a00b7e/) I still don’t like surrealistic stories. 😅 Skipping the vetted calendar, as I have read that story before and can’t be bothered to read it again… 🫣 [Previous page](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035.md?page=1) [Next page](https://forums.learnnatively.com/t/2024-aozora-short-story-and-essay-advent/13035.md?page=3)