Snow Country

In this classic 1968 short novel, wealthy Shimamura travels to the desolate snowy mountains in western Japan, where strong winds from the nearby sea blanket the region in snow so deep that it sometimes makes travel between the small towns and villages impossible. While there, Shimamura meets Komako. Nothing can come of their affair as she is a geisha but feelings arise nonetheless. With its moving storyline and palpable sadness, this Nobel winner is widely considered to be Kawabata’s masterpiece.