When Lesley Hebert and her husband travel to Japan with their son and his young family, she hopes their shared journey will bring her closer to her reserved Japanese daughter-in-law. She reconnects with old friends in the countryside, travels to Tokyo for a special family celebration, and meets her daughter-in-law’s extended family in Fukushima and tours Kyoto, Uji and Nara. She meets fascinating characters and discovers how tradition co-exists with modern Japanese life. But although she journeys into the heart of Japan, its true nature remains as elusive as the heart of her daughter-in-law.