This is a biography of the famous Buddhist monk Ikkyu from the late Hisashi Sakaguchi. Set in 14th century Japan, Ikkyu must learn to live and excel as a monk, despite the fact that his father is the emperor. His intelligence and purity help him succeed, but he continues to get the short end of the stick in life. Can Ikkyu persevere in his quest for spirituality in spite of everything that is set against him?