A Beautiful japanese novel?

Question:

i just got interested in the japanese culture, and i would really like to learn more by reading a novel i feel that novels are the best way to reflect a society's true identity
and it would be more appreciated if the era and time was old and ancient like the samurai and geisha time

lol thanks

Answer:

川端康成「掌の小説」is translated in English.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm-of-the…

this is a book full of short stories of his imagination from his youth.
Its not staged on Edo era or Geisha, but Meiji era or Taisho era. not so modern.

mysterious, poetic.. short stories telling something...

In my words, freshy air in the country side in old era.
Mysterious death about a virgin girl.
Divine shy love.
expression of DNA in Japanese character.
some end only in 2 pages but reflect us so deep in the forest and pond.