Long ago, when the pond was made, water would leak from the embankments, so it would not hold water well enough. When the pond was going to be improved, a story started somewhere that it would never hold water unless a “hitobashira” was put in the embankments. A “hitobashira” was a person who was buried alive for prayer. Everyone was greatly troubled by this, and in the end, they drew lots to decide. A beautiful girl who lived alone on the outskirts of the village was chosen as the human sacrifice. The girl was saddened night and day, and lamenting her misfortune, she bit off her tongue the night before she was to serve as the “hitobashira,” threw herself into the pond, and died.
This tale has been passed down, causing local people to call the pond “Shitakui,” which means “Tongue-eating.”