The narrative is set in old Tokyo, specifically during August and September 1923 (Taishou 12). At this point in time, the city represents a blend of extremes... past and present, rich and poor, good and bad. It is a city where one sees both horsecarts and motorcars, swords and pistols, lords and businessmen. A wealthy woman from an upper-class family finds herself attracted to a handsome young man, Taka. He and his younger brother appear to be allied, perhaps not entirely willingly, with elements of the city's criminal underground (Yakuza). The lady's lovely young maidservant, Sara, also meets him, and a conflict ensues that can only lead to tragedy, passion, and dishonor. However, as events unfold and days pass, the viewer witnesses a terrible date approaching... that unforgettable day of September 1, 1923, at 11:58, when the Great Kanto Earthquake and tidal wave struck Tokyo, causing the death of almost 100,000 people, one of the greatest disasters in human history.