In this humorous paean to the joys of food, a pair of truck drivers happen onto a decrepit roadside shop selling ramen noodles. The widowed owner, Tampopo, begs them to help her turn her establishment into a paragon of the "art of noodle-soup making". Interspersed are satirical vignettes about the importance of food to different aspects of human life.

A noble samurai serving the Shogun as 'Kogi Kaishaku-nin' (Official Executioner) is the target of a plot by the evil Yagyu Clan to take away his position and replace him with a member of their own family. When his wife is murdered and evidence is produced that he was plotting against the Shogun the Code of Bushido calls for him and his son to commit sepuku. Instead he defies the Shogun's orders and takes up arms against his enemies, becoming an assassin for hire.

Shinichi and Chikako Ohara have been married for 50 years. After Shinichi retired from his job, he has stayed at home, which Chikako stresses over. They are on the verge of having a divorce. Meanwihle, their daughter, Aya runs a food truck. She meets Ryota Kanno who is her customer. Ryota recently began working as a funeral undertaker and invites Aya to attend the Oshukatsu Fair. Aya also recommends to her mother Chikako to attend the Oshukatsu Fair. Chikako gets the latest information on preparing for death at the fair, but Shinichi doesn't like that. Their relationship gets even worse.

In 1924 Yuri killed 57 people as a spy before going underground as the madam of a small brothel. There, she encounters an orphan whose family was murdered and holds the key to finding a large sum of money reported missing by the Imperial Japanese Army. But with an army of soldiers after them, they must fight to survive.