Upon the death of her mother, Ito Kana, who is currently working for a living in Tokyo, decides to return to her hometown of Okuhida, Gifu. Due to her traumatic childhood there, Kana actually hates Okuhida. Morita Shinichi was Kana's classmate and he is still living in Okuhida, helping out at the onsen that his parents, Tetsuharu and Haruko, run. Shinichi too detests his current life, but has no choice but be resigned to it, giving up his dreams altogether. During her stay at Okuhida, Kana and Shinichi both run into Kotani Yoshio, a native there who loves Okuhida very much. To Kotani, the mines and the rail tracks are the treasures of Okuhide, and he finds it unbelievable for anyone to think otherwise. For Kana, talking to Kotani brings back the memories of the one happy thing that has ever happened to her during her life there. At the base of the Northern Alps, their encounter with Okuhida's treasures changes both Kana's and Shinichi's take on life.
In January 1946 a British military transport plane departs from Shanghai on its to Tokyo, Japan. During the flight the airplane makes an emergency landing on Sado Island. The residents on the island have heard stereotypes of the British soldiers and have mixed feelings about the their new "guest." Nevertheless, for the next 40 days the islanders take care of the crew members until the plane can take off once again. This includes Chiyoko Morimoto who is the daughter of the inn owner where some of the British crew members stay.
High school student Mio (Mari Iriki) lives in Kagoshima. Since her novelist father was lost, she has refused to go to school and lived on her father's yacht, which is anchored at a dock. Kiyomi (Asami Tanaka) likes yachting, because of her father's influence back in her childhood days. During a practicing yachting, Kiyomi lost her friend and she also quit her special yachting school. Kiyomi then transfers to a regular high school. Finally, these two girls meet.
A dragon fish is stolen by Tetsu Tobiyama and biologist Thomas Earwing seeks its return. Poo is led to Natsuro after she worms her way into a top secret file at Delta headquarters for information.
