[1] Historically, this area near Asakusa was prone to frequent flooding due to its proximity to the Sumida River, which would overflow its banks from Edo Bay.

[2][3] In the 1800s, a local umbrella and raincoat merchant named Kihachi Kappaya started an effort to create a system to reduce the amount of destructive flooding in the area.

[5] There are several folktales about the building of this flood reduction setup that included controlled canal water drainage and bridge systems.

[3] Many tales describe Kihachi receiving assistance to complete this project from a kappa, the Japanese folklore figure.

[3] Kappa statues and depictions in a variety of forms surround the neighborhood and shopping district near the temple.