Piet, who is studying computer science, is as inexperienced sexually as he is intelligent. When he notices that his feelings for Klara, a fellow student, are not really reciprocal, he is deeply hurt. After trying out sleeping pills on himself, he drugs Klara, with unexpected consequences.
A young Dutch woman, Rosa, comes to Japan to learn the art of preparing fish from Master Hon, the best fish-chef in the world. Against her expectation Rosa has to work in the cleaning-kitchen, together with other unpaid novices. Here begins her lonely journey through the alien and hierarchic world of the famous fish restaurant.