There’s a fascinating legend in this village that has been passed down through generations. It’s said that a particular family experienced a remarkable event while tending to their rice field. Despite having only one field left to plant, they decided to postpone the task due to a sudden change in the weather. To their surprise, when they returned the next day, the seedlings had been meticulously planted, and this particular field yielded white rice unlike any other.
This extraordinary occurrence continued for many years until one fateful night when a member of the family witnessed a mysterious sight in the dimly lit, mist-covered rice field. Upon closer observation, an ogre was seen skillfully planting the seedlings while singing in a beautiful voice. When the ogre realized it had been spotted, it vanished and was never seen again.
The family’s experience has led to the household chant of “Fuku wa uchi, oni mo uchi” (good fortune in, ogres also in) on Setsubun, instead of the traditional chant of “ogres out.” This captivating and mysterious tale continues to intrigue both the village locals and visitors.