The film is set in Tokyo at some unknown time when the yen, the Japanese currency, was very strong. For this reason immigrants who have come to work in the city call it ""Yen Town"". The story centers on a sixteen-year-old girl whose mother has just died. The girl is passed on from person to person until she is taken in by a Chinese prostitute named Glico , who names her Ageha (Japanese for swallowtail). Under Glico's care, Ageha has many experiences with the other immigrants in Yen Town. The immigrant characters, who speak Japanese, English, Mandarin, or Cantonese, earn their living by committing petty crimes and engaging in prostitution. Ageha does not participate in any of these activities, but is protected by Glico and the other immigrants.Eventually, due to a sudden twist in fate, the immigrants are given a chance to realize their various dreams. But in doing so, they destroy their solidarity, and have to face their problems separately.