A woodcutter meets a wounded deer in the mountains.  He saves it from a hunter and watches until its wounds are healed... The Fox comes to see the river otter, who is good at catching fish.  He takes fish from the river otter but never gives any himself.  And so the River Otter comes up with an idea... A young man in the village of Matagi, Hachirou Tarou, goes to the mountains with two of his friends, but as he gets ready for dinner he gives into his hunger and eats their fish.
Eventually hot springs were 
found all along the river,
Después, encontraron más lugares 
de aguas termales cerca del río.
Después, encontraron más lugares 
de aguas termales cerca del río.
Com o passar do tempo, passou a se encontrar
água quente por toda a extensão do rio