This film intends to portray a working/ living environment rather than tell a strongly plotted story. Major themes are money and the lack of it, the power of the police, the decline in geisha popularity and standards and the exploitation of girls by management.
Otsuta is running the geisha house Tsuta in Tokyo. Her business is heavily in debt. Her daughter Katsuyo doesn't see any future in her mothers trade in the late days of Geisha. But Otsuta will not give up. This film portraits the day time life of geisha when not entertaining customers.