The theme of poverty permeates the entire story of “Rashōmon.” This can be seen in the state of the city, the state of the gate, and the characters in the story. The narrator openly states that the city has been in decline, primarily due to a string of natural disasters that made repair efforts nearly impossible. This is reflected by the Rashōmon gate, which is rusted, has crumbling steps, and is littered with abandoned corpses. Thieves have also made Rashōmon their gathering place, signifying a breakdown of societal structures as lawlessness and immorality take over.

The city’s decline has a severe impact on its populace, which is reflected in the characters within the story. The former servant finds himself without employment, and with no other honest means of making a living. The old woman’s background is never stated, but her physical descriptions make it clear that she has been living in poverty for some time. The dead woman, whose hair the old woman steals, also lived through dishonest means, further proof that Kyoto has been in decline for some time. The actions of the servant and the old woman are primarily driven by a need to survive; it is implied that both of them have always had the capacity for immoral actions, but that, under better circumstances, neither of them would engage in thievery.