The sleepy mining town of Joban is slowly heading for the hills, so town leader Yoshimoto decides to start a Hawaiian Centre amongst the coal mines to attract tourists. As a further gimmick, local girls will give hula performances.
He hires dance teacher Madoka from Tokyo, and goes about recruiting dancers, but most of the girls balk when they realize hula involves hip shaking and mid-riff baring.
The motley bunch that remains consists of sassy Kimiko, her star-struck friend Sanae, mousy Shoko, and big-boned Sayuri.
None of the girls can dance, Madoka isn't all that interested in teaching, and many of the townspeople are less than happy about this newfangled hula business.
The whole idea seems destined for failure, but when Madoka sees the girls' fighting spirit, she becomes determined to teach them how to hula.