The Floating World

Liza, a young American, moves to Japan to study butoh, 'the dance of utter darkness,' with master teacher Oshima Kenzo, supporting herself by working in one of Tokyo's notorious hostess bars, where she meets Maboroshi, who introduces her to the maiko, a group of neophyte geisha who practice a dark and violent art that draws Liza into a dangerous underworld that could claim her, body and soul. A first novel. Reader's Guide included. Reprint.