The story is set in a place very similar in appearance to Earth in the Edo period. However, Adachi (the mangaka) regularly reminds the reader all throughout the series that the setting is another planet in the distant future which just happens to look like Earth.

After the death of his mother, Shichimi sets out to join his step-brothers and -sister who live together in Karakuri Tenement, a place provided by the father they have never met. He finds out that each of them had different mothers (all of whom have died), but were fathered by the same man. Not long after Shichimi's arrival, the siblings decide to journey to visit the graves of each of their mothers. On this journey, they encounter many dangers.