Nagatsu Ryoko, who belongs to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, is found dead in the mountain. One month ago, she discovered a Buddha statue at a mountain shrine. Her death seems accidental, caused by Ryoko slipping, but Itomura Satoshi determines that her death was not accidental.
Itomura Satoshi is back again, but in Kyoto and with a new team. He begins work at the 1st Investigation Division of the Kyoto Prefectural Police Station. The 1st investigation division with deals with the most difficult cases.
Uno Meiko is the daughter of parents who run a western style restaurant in Tokyo. She marries and moves to Osaka with her husband. Meiko experiences cultural differences between Tokyo and Osaka, as she lives as a mother and wife in Osaka.