In the west of Takashima City there spread mountains which once provided the cities of Nara and Kyoto with lumber for construction. The raft riders who used the rivers to transport this timber worshipped the "Shikobuchi Gods" to keep them safe from the demons of the river, and alongside temples and shrines special sites devoted to Shikobuchi are still carefully maintained today. Limited to just the region around the Adogawa River basin and its source, this is truly a unique regional faith with close ties to water.