Newcommers to Tokyo are often blissfully deluded that not only are they surviving, they are thriving in the Big Sashimi. Nothing could be further from the truth, a harsh reality soon enough discovered by American couple Larry and Lily (and their everbaffled friend, Buck) once confronted with the inscrutable instructions on a bank ATM or computerized toilet. Navigating the lanes of Japan's capital is equally challenging for locals like the Koyama family, headed by formidable grandmother Junko. The Koyamas too juggle demands of work, home, and culture, finding refuge in friendship with their American neighbors from the puzzling conundrums of twenty-first century Tokyo. Mystery loves company.