Long ago in Japan, Lily promises her dying grandmother that she will never remove the lacquered bowl the old woman placed on her head to protect her from those who would take advantage of her beauty. But Lily faces a life of hardship as a servant to a wealthy farmer whose hateful wife is determined to be rid of her. When their son falls in love with Lily, she must perform an impossible task to find her happiness, in this dramatic adaptation of a Japanese folktale.