Chihaya Ayase had only one dream as a child: to see her older sister Chitose become Japan's most successful model. However, after defending her ostracized classmate Arata Wataya from his bully—childhood Chihaya's friend Taichi Mashima—she discovers the world of competitive karuta and quickly falls in love with it. This card game based on the Ogura Hundred Poets anthology necessitates excellent memory, agility, and tremendous endurance from the players. Chihaya joins the Shiranami Society, along with the newly reconciled Arata and Taichi, to embark on an exciting journey for the title of Queen of Karuta, which is awarded to the top-ranked female player. Chihaya had grown estranged from a dispassionate Taichi and from Arata since middle school.