The Sound of the Waves book by Yukio Mishima

In a remote fishing village in Japan, two very different young people fall in love. Shinji is a hard-working fisherman, Hatsue is the beautiful daughter of the wealthiest man in the village. She is also a diver for pearls and seaweed with the other women of the community. Shinji is entranced at the sight of Hatsue in the twilight on the beach and a relationship develops via secret notes and meetings. But when the villagers' gossip threatens to divide them permanently, Shinji must risk his life to prove his worth. 'A work of art...altogether a joyous and lovely thing' New York Times 'A sunny masterpiece' Los Angeles Times Published By Random House on 2000