Kihachi (Takeshi Sakamoto) wanders around the industrial flatlands of Tokyo's Koto district with his two young sons, Zenko (Tokkan Kozo) and Masako (Takayuki Suematsu), looking for work. Unable to find a job, Kihachi relies on his sons to catch stray dogs for the reward money, but Zenko wastes the bounty buying himself a much-desired officer's cap. Later, the brothers quarrel and lose the family's bundle. Kihachi tells them that they no longer have enough money to pay for both a meal and a bed for the night. They choose a meal. At a cafe they meet Kihachi's old friend, Otsune (Choko Iida), who finds Kihachi a job and allows the family to rent a room at the cafe.