Fine Snow

The novel "Fine Snow" (Сасамэ юки) is one of the most famous works of Jun'ichirō Tanizaki (1886-1965), in which the writer's mastery is revealed in all its fullness and originality. It is a family saga depicting the lives of four sisters from an ancient merchant family. Raised in a traditional spirit, but notably Europeanized and not devoid of artistic talents, they act as guardians of culture in the face of impending war and new barbarism.

The key to understanding the novel is the poetic image contained in its title, which reveals its inner, hidden meaning. Snow, along with cherry blossoms, has long been considered in Japan an object of aesthetic admiration. The title of the book is read as a concise symbol of the beautiful, a symbol of fragile beauty and harmony, standing against the forces of chaos and destruction.