Ochikubo Monogatari's well-formed plot and vivid description of characters influenced many writers such as Murasaki Shikibu, author of The Tale of Genji.
After suffering from relentless harassment from her stepmother, Princess Ochikubo meets a man named Michiyori who is a general.
Michiyori starts to take revenge on Princess Ochikubo's family, setting up a series of humiliating events.
He never treated Lady Ochikubo with affection and feels sorry at times towards his daughter for living through the loneliness and without care from family.
Her existence in the mansion is unknown to people and receives no care or affection from anyone other than her special attendant named Akogi, also known as Ushiromi.
She is kind hearted but yet a very humble and reserved character where she makes careful moves around the house for the fear that her step-mother will inflict on her even more suffering and humiliation than she already endured.