Located in the Yoshikubo Area, Yoshiga-ike Pond once covered a large area of approx. 30,000 m2 before drying up. All that remains now is a stone monument and a board that provides information. The Legend of Yoshiga-ike Pond, passed down to the present, tells of a girl named Yoshi who threw herself into the pond after suffering a terrible heartbreak. Her soul becomes a poisonous snake. In the story, Shinran Shonin returns to the pond over several days to pray for her soul to find peace. As part of his prayers, Shinran Shonin threw small pebbles into the pond each day.
Set during the Karoku era (1225-1227), Yoshi was part of a household in the Yoshikubo area that had continued for 27th generations. It was said that pebbles Shinran Shonin threw into the pond each day as he prayed for her were under a cedar tree near the pond.
There are records of performances of Yoshikubo Bijin Kagami and Shinran Shonin Gohokai “Dokuhebi Saido-no Dan,” which are based on this legend, at the foot of Sasago Pass by people performing traditional Japanese theatrical puppet shows (ningyo joruri) to welcome travelers.