The Spider's Thread - 蜘蛛の糸

The Spider’s Thread Reader brings Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s classic short story, The Spider’s Thread (蜘蛛の糸), to your fingertips. This timeless tale of redemption and human frailty follows Kandata, a sinner in hell, as he seizes a fleeting chance to escape through a single spider’s thread. Presented in both the original Japanese and an English translation, the app allows readers to experience the depth of Akutagawa’s prose while exploring the cultural and moral themes woven into the story.

Designed for simplicity, the app offers a side-by-side reading experience with the option to tap on Japanese words for meanings and pronunciations. Whether you’re captivated by the vivid imagery of paradise and hell or drawn to the story’s moral reflection on selfishness and compassion, this app provides a focused space to appreciate one of Japan’s most enduring works of literature.