War photographer W. Eugene Smith travels back to Japan where he documents the devastating effect of mercury poisoning in coastal communities.

Lynn is a cheerful 22-year-old who works at a cafe and lives with her brother. Though she has no real direction in life, she is happy. Conversely, her boyfriend, David, is a career-driven swimmer who seems to care only about his training. Then Lynn meets Japanese exchange student Koji, and, though they speak different languages and spend most of their time together in silence, the two soon become closer than she and David had ever been.

Agnes, a teacher from the Hessian provinces, has come to Berlin to identify a dead girl who might be Lydia, her runaway daughter. It turns out not to be Lydia, but Agnes stays in the city anyway. Still frantically looking, she comes a young stray called Ines who no longer leaves her side...