The anime is based on the essay Sushi and Beyond by British travel and food journalist Michael Booth. The book is about the author's 100-day trip in Japan with his family to sample Japanese cuisine from north to south.

In the TV anime adaptation, main character Michael becomes obsessed with Japanese cuisine after reading about it and travels to Japan with his wife Lissen and two kids, Ansger and Emil. They devour all kinds of Japanese cuisine to understand the flavors of Japan. The series features yakisoba (fried soba noodles), chanko (sumo stew), kani (crab) dashi broth from fine-dining restaurants, and other popular items. The story unfolds from the unique perspective of a foreigner and includes pictures and explanations of Japanese food.