A Japanese couple, Osamu and Nobuyo, are stuck with part-time jobs and hence inadequate incomes, and so avail themselves of the fruits of shoplifting to make ends meet.
The unusual routine is about to change from care-free and matter-of-fact to something more dramatic, when, after one of their shoplifting sessions, Osamu and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter the girl, they decide to take care of her after learning of the hardships she faces.
As the couple open their doors to a beleaguered young girl, the reasons for the family’s habit and their motivations come under the microscope.