The founding date is unknown. According to legend, around the late Heian period during the reign of Emperor Go-Shirakawa, a divine white fox messenger warned, "A famine is approaching soon. Store rice, cotton, and other supplies from now." In that year, the 2nd year of Kanki (1230), a great famine occurred. While many people died in Kyoto the following year, during the 3rd year of Kanki (1231), it is said that this region did not suffer.