A review by jain
The Scarlet Gang of Asakusa by Yasunari Kawabata

4.0

A self-consciously modern novel about Tokyo's Asakusa district in interwar Japan. The plot alternates between frenetic activity and long descriptive passages of Asakusa and its inhabitants--juvenile gang members, prostitutes, beggars, actresses and revue dancers, famous writers--all conveyed in Kawabata's strong, clear prose.

I especially enjoyed Kawabata's explorations of gender, which feel surprisingly fresh even after eighty years.