Yukio Mishima published 26 novels, 4 novellas, 4 short story collections, 7 plays and 2 other books, beginning with Confessions of a Mask (1949). The series is The Sea of Fertility (4 books, starting with Spring Snow).
Updated September 2026
The Sea of Fertility books in order (4)Series page
Reading order: 1 Spring Snow (1969) · 2 Runaway Horses (1969) · 3 The Temple of Dawn (1970) · 4 The Decay of the Angel (1971)
- 1.
Spring Snow (1969)
- 2.
Runaway Horses (1969)
- 3.
The Temple of Dawn (1970)
- 4.
The Decay of the Angel (Feb 1971)
Where to start with Yukio Mishima
Start here
Confessions of a Mask
Yukio Mishima's most-read book.
Shortest way in
The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea
One of the most-read, at about 181 pages.
Standalone novels in order
Thieves (Nov 1948)
Confessions of a Mask (Jul 1949)
The Blue Period (1950)
Thirst for Love (Jun 1950)
Forbidden Colors (1951)
The Sound of Waves (Jun 1954)
The Temple of the Golden Pavilion (1956)
Kyōko No Ie (Sep 1959)
After the Banquet (Nov 1960)
The Frolic of the Beasts (Sep 1961)
Beautiful Star (Oct 1962)
The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea (Sep 1963)
Silk and Insight (Oct 1964)
The Music (Feb 1965)
The Way of the Samurai (1967)
Forbidden Colours (1968)
Life for Sale (Dec 1968)
Spring Snow. Translated from the Japanese by Michael Gallagher (1969)
Chinsetsu Yumiharizuki (Nov 1969), with KYOKUTEI Bakin
The Samurai Ethic and Modern Japan (1978)
Confession D'un Masque (1981)
Sound Of The Waves (1981)
Novellas in order
Sun and Steel (Oct 1968)
Sun & Steel (1970)
Patriotism (1995)
Star (2019)
Short story collections in order
Death in Midsummer and Other Stories (Feb 1953)
The Sea of Fertility (1968)
Acts of Worship (1989)
My Mother; Madame Edwarda; And, the Dead Man (2012)
Plays in order
Iwashi Uri Koi Hikiami (Nov 1954)
Five Modern No Plays (Apr 1956)
Rokumeikan (Mar 1957)
Koto of Joy (Feb 1964)
Madame De Sade (Nov 1965)
Black Lizard (Aug 1968), with Edogawa Ranpo
My Friend Hitler (Dec 1968)
Other books in order
Confesion of a Mask (1958)
Decay of Angel (1981)
Film and TV adaptations
- Enjō (1958)Film · from The Temple of the Golden Pavilion
- The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea (1976)Film · from The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea
- Spring Snow (2005)Film · from Spring Snow
About Yukio Mishima
Kimitake Hiraoka , known by his pen name Yukio Mishima , was a Japanese novelist, playwright, short story writer, actor, martial artist, model, and the leader of an attempted coup d'état that culminated in his seppuku.
He is considered one of the most important postwar stylists of the Japanese language.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Yukio Mishima FAQ
- How many books has Yukio Mishima written?
- Yukio Mishima published 26 novels, 4 novellas, 4 short story collections, 7 plays and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Yukio Mishima's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start The Sea of Fertility with Spring Snow. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Yukio Mishima's last book?
- The Decay of the Angel (1971).
- What is Yukio Mishima's most famous book?
- Confessions of a Mask (1949) is Yukio Mishima's most widely read book.
- Are Yukio Mishima's books connected?
- 4 books belong to 1 series (The Sea of Fertility); the other 39 books stand alone.
- Does Yukio Mishima write under a pen name?
- Yes: Yukio Mishima has also published as 三島由紀夫 and 榊山保.
- Which Yukio Mishima books have been adapted?
- 3 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Temple of the Golden Pavilion (as Enjō, film, 1958), The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea (film, 1976) and Spring Snow (film, 2005).
Authors like Yukio Mishima
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.