Beneath valleys that lie near a glacier, a small kingdom struggles to survive. The kingdom contains many residents who live alongside herds of red elk, but the land and its produce barely sustain the population. Despite their state of poverty, the people dedicate themselves to their work, and they have come to terms with their modest condition. But Shuna, the country's young prince, is unwilling to accept this situation.

After receiving mysterious grain seeds from a dying traveler, Shuna sets out on a quest for the land of golden grain to change the fate of his kingdom. Along his journey, he discovers strange places and hears many unsettling rumors about his destination. Shuna witnesses the horrifying realities of human slavery: he encounters two young girls, Thea and her younger sister, who have been taken into captivity. Facing a new dilemma while determining the golden grain's whereabouts, Shuna resolves to still achieve his goal.

Shuna no Tabi is a loose adaptation of the Tibetan folktale The Prince Who Turned into a Dog. Using watercolor spreads instead of small panels, the manga is closer to the format of a Japanese illustrated story called emonogatari. Hayao Miyazaki originally intended to create an animated film adaptation, but he felt the manga's themes would not be popular in Japan. Encouraged by the publisher Tokuma Shoten, however, Miyazaki resolved to shape this story into a different kind of visual product. A radio drama adaptation of Shuna no Tabi broadcasted on NHK FM Japan on May 2, 1987. The manga was published in English as Shuna's Journey by First Second Books on November 1, 2022. The English publication was nominated for the 2023 Eisner Awards in the Best US Edition of International Material—Asia category.