Kintarou Oe doesn't look like it, but he's a genius who completed all his university courses and then quit before graduating. He becomes a wandering student, going from place to place on his bicycle, seeking to study what he can about life, the world, and women. He is willing and able to do any job he can to prove himself. His travels take him to a variety of locations and a variety of women, each who learns to love the hardworking guy, but not before he can run off.