Nikuko is a brash, jolly, scattered and passionate woman who lives in a coastal town in northern Japan. She is also the single mother of 11-year-old Kikuko, who is her opposite in many ways. Kikuko is a pensive, quietly curious child. Nikuko embarrasses her daughter as any mother of a pre-teen would, but her bold spirit makes her especially well-known in a town where all Kikuko wants is to simply blend in.