In this classic novel by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, Jōji, a shy 28-year-old engineer, becomes infatuated with Naomi, a young, Eurasian-looking waitress. He decides to adopt her and mold her into his perfect, Westernized woman. However, as Naomi grows, she uses her burgeoning sexuality and cunning nature to dominate and control Jōji, reversing their roles and leading him down a path of willing degradation and obsessive devotion in a sharp critique of Japan's fascination with the West.