Gou-ichi Takata (played by Ken Takakura), a fisherman who has been estranged from his son for many years, travels, at the request of his daughter-in-law Rie (Shinobu Terajima), to the Tokyo hospital where his son lies terminally ill - hoping to rekindle the relationship. The son refuses to see him. Disturbed by his son’s enduring hatred and impending death, Takata decides to travel to China to fulfill what appears to be his son's greatest wish: filming and recording a virtuoso opera singer in Yunnan, Li Jiamin, singing the classic story-song "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles." His mission is fraught with disappointments, bureaucratic problems, and cross-cultural and generational difficulties. He refuses to give up; ultimately his journey leads to understanding and redemption. Aside from the lead actors, the cast consists of amateur actors.