The story centers around two geisha sisters, Umekichi and Omocha, who live in their own lodging house (okiya) in the licensed pleasure district of Gion, Kyoto.

Umekichi, the elder sister, underwent classical geisha training and wears kimono, and has a strong sense of loyalty (giri) to her patron.

Omocha does not believe that her sister should support Shimbei, that doing so will prevent her from providing for herself by finding a new patron, and that she owes him nothing as, in her view, he has received more than he has given in the past.

However, in the process of helping her sister, Omocha has previously taken advantage of the owner's clerk, who has stolen from the shop to provide a kimono for Umekichi and been found out.

Umekichi is abandoned by her patron Shimbei when he is given the chance to manage a factory in the country where his wife has retired, and she ends up caring for Omocha after her hospitalization for her injuries.