Back in the day, Yanagawa residents used canal water for everything from washing their faces to brushing their teeth. They scooped the water with their own hands, and this necessitated some ground rules for the community:

Number one: Polluting the river is strictly prohibited to one and all. For that reason, drainage holes were dug in house gardens.

Number two: Doing laundry in the river anytime between late night and morning hours is prohibited. This was to ensure the water remained clean enough for drawing in the morning.

Number three: No swimming until after 10 o’clock, even on the hottest summer days. Restless kids had to sit on their hands until that time. Then, someone would give the cue, and all at once the kids would jump into the canal. Also, it’s said that kids were scared off peeing in the canal with threats of divine retribution, as well as warned against swimming at night, for fear of “kappa” water monsters taking them away.