Four sisters live under the fading name of an old Osaka family. As modern Japan gathers pace, the Makioka sisters hold fast to custom, family and one another.

In the years leading up to the Second World War, four sisters live in dilapidated houses in Osaka and Ashiya, each navigating her own complex relationship to the fading lustre of the Makioka family name.

Rich with breathtaking descriptions of ancient customs and an ever-changing natural world, Junichiro Tanizaki evokes in loving detail a long-lost way of life even as it withers under the harsh glare of modernity.
At the centre are the sisters themselves, bound by family duty, private longing and the expectations of a social world already passing away. Marriage negotiations, domestic rituals, seasonal beauty and quiet disappointments become part of a larger portrait of change.
Tanizaki finds drama in the quiet pressures of domestic life. The sisters hopes, compromises and obligations reveal the fading power of an old Osaka family, and the beauty of customs that can no longer fully protect those who live by them.
TRANSLATED BY EDWARD SEIDENSTICKER
VINTAGE JAPANESE CLASSICS: five masterpieces of Japanese fiction in gorgeous new gift editions.
‘An exquisite novel about four sisters living though a turbulent decade…I’d put it in the 10 greatest books of the 20th century’ David Mitchell
‘A near-perfect novel’ Hanya Yanagihara

Non-Fiction Travel Memoir. A Humorous, Contemplative Journey Through Bhutan, Where Happiness And Simplicity Shape Daily Life. Ideal For Adults And Travel-Minded Readers Seeking Cultural Insight And Personal Growth.

Presented As A Narrative Of Daily Life, The Memoir Blends Humor With Vivid Observations Of Language, Customs, And Religious Rituals. It Follows The Experiences Of Living In Bhutan And A Surprising Romance With A Buddhist Artist, Offering A Front-Row Seat To A Culture That Prizes Happiness Over Material Wealth.

Readers Discover Practical Lessons In Cross-Cultural Understanding, Mindfulness, And Adaptability, Presented In An Accessible, Entertaining Voice. The Book Invites Reflection On What Happiness Means And How Simple, Intentional Living Can Reshape Your Own Outlook.

• Immersive Cultural Observations Of BhutanS Daily Life And Happiness Ethos
• Personal Growth Through Language Learning, Customs, And Relationships
• Humor-Filled, Reflective Storytelling With Vivid Sensory Details Of Landscapes And Rituals
• Exploration Of Buddhist Traditions, Etiquette, And Festival Celebrations
• Accessible Insights Into Mindfulness, Resilience, And Cross-Cultural Communication
• A Thoughtful Travel Narrative That Invites Empathy And Curiosity

Readers Finish With A Refreshed Perspective On Happiness, A Renewed Sense Of Curiosity About The World, And Motivation To Pursue Mindful Travel Or Personal Growth In Their Own Lives.