Daigo, a cellist in an orchestra that has just been dissolved, finds himself jobless. He answers a classified ad entitled "Departures" thinking it is from a travel agency, only to discover that the job is actually for a "Nokanshi" or "Encoffineer", a funeral professional who prepares deceased bodies for burial and entry into the next life. While his wife and others despise the job, he begins to find a certain pride in his work, acting as a gentle gatekeeper between life and death, between the departed and the family of the departed. The film follows his profound and sometimes comical journey with death as he uncovers the wonder, joy and meaning of life and living.