20世纪初的日本，坐落于山形县最上川上游的小山村被积雪掩盖。谷村一家团团围坐，贫苦度日。 7岁女孩阿信不可以进入课堂，反而被父亲作造命令去木材店帮佣。为了不让母亲和奶奶为难，阿信只得和家人分离。 木材店的生活艰苦，阿信吃不饱睡不暖，还被诬陷偷钱，她愤而逃脱，结果在寒风凛冽的山中得到逃脱兵役的猎人俊作的救助。 寒冷的冬天，阿信体会到久违的温暖。只不过好景不长，她终将和俊作哥哥分开。即使短暂回到家中，前方路上还有更多的艰苦和考验等待着这个倔强不服输的小女孩。

Oshin comes from a family of poor rice farmers. Her father and brother must work in the fields and her grandmother and mother, who is expecting another child, barely have enough to eat. In order to make ends meet for her family, 7-year-old Oshin gives up school and decides to become a servant in the household of a wealthy family, where she faces trials and tribulation beyond her worst fears.