Ken spends his time in the streets of Tokyo, occasionally playing the violin, and dreaming of becoming a violinist, like his father, who he was told had died long ago.
The Moscow Circus comes to town, Ken makes his way inside without a ticket, and, chased by the ushers, ends up in the dressing room of Yuri Nikulin, a famous and beloved clown (and film actor).
He hitches a ride on a truck toward Kyoto, and then reaches Nakhodka Bay as a stowaway on a ship transporting the circus's equipment, although the performers had departed by plane.
When he is discovered on the ship, contrary to expection — or due to a secret magic wish on a Matryoshka doll — he is not deported to Japan, but is allowed to continue toward Moscow by train.
Unable to communicate with the locals verbally, occasionally getting his message across by drawing, he travels, meeting various mishaps and challenges, but advancing steadily westward by various means.