Chapter One Old Books
- Folklorist's Note 1 -
The Ceremony Master, Mr. Kurosawa, gave me a very warm welcome.
The village has no chief
. The Ceremony Master presides over the village.
I wonder if this village was founded by people who wanted to preserve their sacred rituals and festivals?
Most notable among All God's folklore is the gate to hell
legend that has been passed down for years.
It is an archetypal tale of a gate or hole that marks the border to the world of the dead, also called Hades, the underworld, or the netherworld.
It is a forbidden place that is feared and hated, but is also worshipped as well.
The idea of hell has been a core belief of humans since ancient times.
This village supports the theory that the belief is universal.
The Forbidden Ritual regarding this gate to hell
that takes place here is something no one is allowed to see or speak of.
This strict taboo is probably the result of a ceremony concerning the border with hell coming closer to the living world.
Villagers lead a simple life.
Deep in the mountains, they struggle to forage food for their daily meals.
The village has little contact with the outside world.
They continue to practise the ways of old, frozen in time.
