Set in Osaka during Japan's cultural change, this story follows the breakdown of Kaname and his wife, Misako, who have lost their passion but are in the process of divorcing. Kaname is divided between two worlds: his attraction to a modern, but empty, Western lifestyle and his craving for the elegance, yet modesty, of ancient Japanese traditions. Junichiro Tanizaki's nuanced narrative shows the inner conflict of a man attempting to find his identity in the midst of changing circumstances, where he must choose between pursuing future advancement and dwelling on the fading beauty of the past.