Fuyu no kappa

is about the process of growing up and the problems it causes. Three young men - half-brothers because of their father's series of weddings and divorces - live together in an old Japanese house by a river in a suburb of Tokyo. The eldest, Ichitaro, was once a promising artist, the second, Takeshi, is a lazy student and the third, Tsuguo, is at art school. Each leads a rather strange life, but in this remote house that is no problem. But one dat their father decides to sell the house. A week before they leave, they receive a visit from their cousin Sakeko, who has just stopped working for health reasons. Sakeko and Takeshi always had a soft spot for each other and the fact that Takeshi now has a girl-friend doesn't worry them. Sakeko stays in the house and then it turns out that Ichitaro is also interested in her, while Tsuguo feels attracted to Ichitaro.