Although the story is set in the famous pleasure quarter of Edo, this story belongs to the shojo genre and has a surprising tame approach to the life of courtesans. It is also very much a crime thriller. The young heroine, Akane, is a samurai's daughter whose family were murdered and stripped of rank. She voluntarily sells herself into high class prostitution not so much to fend for herself but out of determination to find, amidst the underworld, who killed her parents and obtain justice. Akane, at times very naive of the ways of the world, shows iron-will both in her enquiries and in thedangerously competitive atmosphere of the courtesans. While an apprentice, she must learn to entertain men without sleeping with them and hopes to reach her objective early enough that she can buy her freedom again and preserve her prospects for a later respectable life. Yet nothing goes as planned and Akane must rely on the help of Sosuke, a young devil-may-care rice merchant who intends to become her exclusive client. Their feelings also gradually evolve.

The story is superbly illustrated and offers a highly detailed picture of the historical period, its lifestyles, society, arts, fashion, and food. Truly a hidden gem.