Kiki, a young witch, decides to go out on her own, which all young witches must do, taking her talking black cat, Jiji, with her. Her mother insists that she take her mother’s old, reliable broomstick. Kiki flies off into the night, searching for a …
Kiki, a young witch, decides to go out on her own, which all young witches must do, taking her talking black cat, Jiji, with her. Her mother insists that she take her mother’s old, reliable broomstick. Kiki flies off into the night, searching for a new town to settle into. She encounters another witch and her cat who she finds pretentious but they cause Kiki to wonder what her special "skill" is. Kiki finds the town of Koriko and accidentally flies through traffic, causing disruptions. She is approached by a policeman but a boy named Tombo helps her escape.
Kiki looks for a place to live and work in her new town. She finds the Gutiokipanja bakery, owned by Osono and her husband, Fukuo, who are expecting a child. Osono invites her to live in a room above the bakery. Kiki opens a business delivering goods by broomstick, known as the "Witch Delivery Service". Her first delivery is of a small stuffed toy of a black cat that looks like Jiji. Along the way, she is caught in the wind and ends up in a forest filled with crows, which attack her, causing her to lose the toy. They come up with a plan in which Jiji pretends to be the toy until Kiki can retrieve the real one. She finds it in the home of a young painter, Ursula, who repairs and returns it. With the help of a dog, Kiki successfully retrieves Jiji and replaces him with the stuffed cat.
The next day, Tombo gives her an invitation to visit his aviation club. However, she gets busy with her deliveries, and when she gets caught in a thunderstorm on her way back, she decides not to go. She falls ill and Osono cares for her until she recovers. Osono secretly arranges for Kiki to see Tombo again by assigning her a delivery addressed to him. Kiki apologizes for missing the party, and Tombo takes her for a test ride on the flying machine he is working on, fashioned from a bicycle. Kiki warms up to him but is intimidated by Tombo's friends.
Kiki becomes depressed and discovers she can no longer understand Jiji. She has also lost her flying ability and is forced to suspend her delivery business. Ursula determines that Kiki's crisis is a form of artist's block. She suggests that if Kiki can find a new purpose, she will regain her powers.
Kiki witnesses an airship accident on television. Tombo is seen trying to help tie the dirigible to the ground, but a gust of wind pushes the aircraft away with him clinging to the rope. Kiki rushes to the scene and asks to borrow a broom from a local shop-owner. She manages to regain her flying power so she can rescue Tombo. She recovers her confidence, resumes her delivery service, and writes a letter home saying that she and Jiji are happy.
