Kikuji, a young man grappling with the complexities of his father’s past, attends a tea ceremony hosted by one of his late father’s mistresses. There, he unexpectedly encounters her rival and successor, setting in motion a tumultuous tale of forbidden attraction and haunting consequences. Through the refined and ritualistic world of the tea ceremony, Yasunari Kawabata explores the fragile threads of human connection, desire, and the echoes of history.

Why You Should Read?

1. Experience Kawabata’s delicate, poetic prose that captures profound emotions with elegant simplicity.
2. Delve into the rich symbolism of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony as a lens to examine personal and cultural loss.
3. Explore themes of love, longing, and the shadow of familial legacy that resonate universally.
4. Gain insight into post-war Japanese society and the fading traditions that once defined it.
5. Discover the work of Yasunari Kawabata, the first Japanese author to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance