Akemi's desire for independence and aversion to marriage are unusual in her small village. A gift for drawing allows her to move to Tokyo to study medical illustration, and though she's ignored by the more privileged girls in her rooming house, she finds satisfaction in the precision and purpose of her work. Sayako is the first roommate to pay Akemi attention, and they quickly become inseparable - Sayako drawn to Akemi's humble origins, so distinct from her own insufferable, wealthy family; Akemi attracted to Sayako's rebelliousness and her aspiration to be a painter. As Akemi begins to model for Sayako, their connection deepens. Together, they begin to attend 'happenings', encounters arranged by two enigmatic artists, Nezu and Kaori, in random locations, intended to free them from their worldly attachments. Following a devastating betrayal, Sayako disappears, and Akemi becomes determined to find her - and in the process, must newly face herself. Tender, enthralling, and evocative of the energy of Japan in the 1970s, The Art of Vanishing is the story of a young woman struggling to see and be seen; of authenticity and art; of the thin line between loyalty and obsession. It explores the depths of female friendship, and the transformative power of love.