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According to popular mythology, Mount Osore (literally "Mount Fear") marks the entrance to Hell, with a small brook running to the neighboring Lake Usori that is equated to the Sanzu River, a river that deceased souls needed to cross of their way to the afterlife. The Sanzu River, or “River of Three Crossings,” is believed to be the boundary between the realms of the living and the dead. Based on Buddhist beliefs, depending on how well a person lived their life dictates how easy their transition across the river will be, whether it be via a bridge, ford, or wading through snake-infested waters. There are four alleged Sanzu rivers in Japan; the one located near Mount Osore is the most northern. The reputation is not surprising, given that the very volcanically-active site is a charred landscape of blasted rock filled with bubbling pits of unearthly hues and noxious fumes. These fumes are caused by the sulfur fumes emitting from the volcano below, which undoubtedly add to the underworld connotation of the site. The site is guarded by Jizo, the bodhisattva of Hell and guardian of children. Thus Jizo statues may be found throughout the area. Among the statues, many visitors have presented offerings, also known as nuigurumi. The nuigurumi consists of children’s toys, clothes, and stones in attempts to help the departed gain entry to heaven.
The Bodai temple (菩提寺 Bodai-ji?) presides over it all and organizes the area's main event, the twice-yearly Itako Taisai festival. The grand festival is held over a period of five days beginning on July 20. In a ritual called kuchiyose (口寄せ?), blind mediums known as itako claim to summon the souls of the dead and deliver messages in their voices. As of 2009, only four known itakos particiated at the festival; the previous year three itakos had died (Fackler, 2009). With the surge of technology and disapproval from the Japanese government, the itako are seen as a fading tradition.
