A luminous story of desire regret and the almost sensual nostalgia that binds the living to the dead--from the acclaimed Nobel Prize winner and author of Snow Country. A stunning economy delicacy of feeling and a painter s sensitivity to the visible world. --The Atlantic While attending a traditional tea ceremony in the aftermath of his parents deaths Kikuji encounters his father s former mistress Mrs. Ota. At first Kikuji is appalled by her indelicate nature but it is not long before he succumbs to passion--a passion with tragic and unforeseen consequences not just for the two lovers but also for Mrs. Ota s daughter to whom Kikuji s attachments soon extend. Death jealousy and attraction convene around the delicate art of the tea ceremony where every gesture is imbued with profound meaning.