The Itoi family sail to Japan on the Arabia Maru to visit Grandfather Itoi. All of the children are excited to go, apart from Kenji, Sone’s younger brother, who vehemently wants to stay in America.

On arrival in Japan, the family are greeted by Mr. Itoi’s brother. The children are surprised that although the brothers have not seen each other, they do not embrace, but “bowed their heads and plunged into an elaborate greeting” (90). There are other customs to get used to, such as taking off shoes before entering certain spaces and dining on low tables.

Sone realizes that she is very tomboyish by Japanese standards and is irritated by her haughty cousin, Yoshiye, who wears a lovely silk kimono and has “restrained delicate movements” (92). When Yoshiye will not give Sone a kimono and runs off crying, Sone hates her even more; at night, when they are sharing a room, Sone slaps her in the face. She is surprised when Yoshiye does not retaliate.

Mr. Itoi takes the family sightseeing, where Sone observes the Shinkyo Bridge that only the emperor is permitted to cross. Sone cannot resist trying to scale the bridge, but what looks like an accessible arch is more like a vertical wall, and her approach fails.