Toki loves ghost stories, which people see as being odd. She also finds the world unfair. This is the Meiji era at the turn of the 20th century—Japan is careening towards industrialization, Westernization, and becoming a "first rate" nation on par with the other players on the international stage. Once proud samurais suddenly find themselves out of employment. Many struggle to adjust, and Toki's "upper class" samurai clan is no exception. It is Toki who must work to feed the family after her father's business fails. But Toki's life takes a turn when she accepts a job as a live-in maid to the new English teacher in town, who is also a foreigner. Discovering their mutual love for ghost stories, the two embark on a road to find a place where they belong. Filled with muted humor and loving attention to a culture and way of life being erased by modern technology, a quirky story of love—especially for ghost stories.