Chizuru, the beautiful daughter of a Kyoto restaurant owner, feels trapped by the marriage plans her mother has arranged for her. When an older university professor and longtime admirer of her mother invites her to Tokyo, she sees it as a chance to escape her traditional life. In the city, Chizuru is drawn to a sophisticated businessman and begins searching for independence, romance, and her own identity while uncovering unsettling truths about her family and the people around her.