Adapted from a celebrated Meiji-period novel by Ichiyo Higuchi, Growing Up tells of a young girl (Hibari Misora) who is destined from birth to become a prostitute. Though she is the sister of a "star" prostitute, nevertheless Midori is slow to realize that this is her own fate as well. She falls in love with an acolyte at a nearby temple and after their bittersweet romance the final, wordless scene in which she is inducted into her trade is unforgettable. The film's enduring richness is due to Gosho's instinctual avoidance of cliche (Donald Richie describes how Gosho gives new life to old symbols, such as the caged bird that figures first subtly, then centrally in the story); his authentic use of setting-Tokyo's Yoshiwara red-light district-for dramatic, rather than pictorial, effect; and extraordinary performances from the entire cast.