Kyoto

Kyoto serves as the main setting during Nori's childhood. The Kamiza estate is located in this city, which is the traditional seat of power in Japan. Emperors ruled from Kyoto for centuries before relocating to Tokyo. The city survived World War II relatively unscathed, and it remains a bastion of cultural heritage. Its status as a former imperial power and as a cultural site contributes to the traditions that bind the Kamiza family, feeding Yuko's obsession with the past.

The attic

Nori spends two years of her life locked away in the attic of her grandparent's house. The attic functions as her whole world, and it is where she dreams of freedom and of making her family happy. The attic's significance stems from being Nori's childhood home and the setting where her ideas about shame and obedience are originally formed. The attic is where Yuko had absolute control...