The player, a second-year high school student (17 years old), travels from Tokyo to Sapporo in Hokkaid? (hence the basic title of the game Kita E (To The North). There, he encounters eight different girls, including the lead character Kotori Haruno, whose family he stays with during his time up north. In the game, the player explores the island, plays video games, does karaoke, goes shopping — and most of all, tries to find that special someone to share his heart with. The main period of the game is set during summer vacation (August 1 to August 14), by which, at the end, the player returns to Tokyo. The conclusion of the game falls around December 28, when the player returns to Sapporo to witness the “White Illumination Countdown” on New Year’s Eve (similar to the New Year’s Eve Times Square celebrations. To win the game, the player must meet his chosen one at the Countdown on New Year’s Eve, then kiss her at 12:00 midnight on New Year’s Day.