In the tranquil countryside of Yamanashi Prefecture , near the therapeutic springs of Isawa Onsen , a powerful legend has flowed down through the centuries like the river that inspired it. This is the story of Ukai Kansaku , a cormorant fisherman whose death by drowning sparked one of Japan’s most haunting ghost stories—and a ritual of compassion that remains honoured to this day. Here, along the banks of the Isawa River , nestled in what was once called Kai Province , spirit
