In front of Kyoto Station, Yukihira Itsuka mistakes Irino Nagomu for her missing father. She never imagined that he was the son and heir(?) to a wagashi shop called Ryokushou—the same shop where she's been staying. When Nagomu and Itsuka begin working together at Ryokushou, they run into a little trouble.

Horikawa Mitsuru, a high school student, works at Ryokushou with Itsuka. Seeing the two of them chatting happily together by the sink makes Nagomu feel a little jealous. While Mitsuru works part-time at Rykoushou to help supplement her large family's finances, she's also actively making music. And her musical activities kick up some trouble.

On a day off from work, Itsuka and Mitsuru run into Nagomu's ex-girlfriend, Matsukaze Kanoko, in town. Mitsuru and Kanoko haven't met before, though Itsuka knows them both. The three decide to have lunch together. Mitsuru and Kanoko both get excited talking about Nagomu while Itsuka is perplexed by the unusual atmosphere between the two women.

A new artisan, Kisaichi Hiiro, arrives at Ryokushou. Enchanted by artisan Tatsumi Masa's sculpted sweets, Hiiro decides to become a wagashi artisan herself. However, her overly serious mindset and perfectionism cause her to lose sight of her surroundings and to make mistakes. She becomes despondent, then Masa teaches her about the spirit of an artisan. Amidst all of this, due to a whim of Nagomu's, Ryokushou holds a "Hands-on Wagashi Class" at the elementary school Itsuka attends.

The new year begins, and as Ryokushou welcomes it they sell a sweet called hanabira mochi. They only made enough to accommodate their advance orders, but a man without a reservation suddenly appears. After hearing the man's feelings toward his late mother, Nagomu makes a decision to... Later, everyone from Ryokushou goes to Yamakuni Jinja for hatsumode—the first sacred visit of the year.