Kubitachi

This article is about a fictional location.Although this story is set in Mie Prefecture, the towns and villages are not associated with any real-world location.

## Information

### Inhabitants

Indou Family
Kurebayashi Family
Matsuura Family
Tsujinaka Family

### Debut

Chapter 1

**Kubitachi** (首 (クビ) 立 (タチ) , *Kubitachi*?) is a village in The Summer Hikaru Died.

## History

Kubitachi once belonged to a single, much larger domain. This domain may have been formed during or before the Keichō era, as 12 years following this era it was renamed to "the XX Domain Territory". Toward the end of the Edo period (1700s), this territory was split into the towns of Kubitachi, Udekari, Udeiri, Ashidori, and Darumasute. It remained this way until at least the early Meiji period (late 1800s).

Two years after the Kan'en era, Kubitachi suffered a famine and plague which nearly caused the village to collapse.

## Geography

According to the village map, there are two major roads in Kubitachi, one running north-south and the other running east-west. They intersect in roughly the center of the village.

### Neighboring Locales

* Ashidori
* Kibogayama
* Udekari

## Notable Locations

### Yamahisa

**Yamahisa** (山 (やま) 久 (ひさ) , *Yamahisa*?) is a small shop in Kubitachi. They appear to sell a variety of items – outside, there are toy dispenser machines, a shelf holding potted plants and gardening supplies, and a vending machine for drinks. They also sell ice cream from a freezer inside. It is located on the southern side of the village, alongside the main road running north-south.

### Kubitachi Mountains

The northern side of Kubitachi Village is bordered by four mountains, as depicted in Yoshiki's rough sketch of a village map.

From left to right:

* **Kasayama** (笠 (かさ) 山 (やま) , *Kasayama*?, lit. "Hat Mountain"): A mountain seemingly named due to its resemblance to traditional Japanese kasa hats.
* **Futakasayama** (二 (ふた) 笠 (かさ) 山 (やま) , *Futakasayama*?, lit. "Second Hat Mountain"): A mountain named similarly to the prior, likely because they are in very close proximity and bear a physical resemblace.
* **Nisayama** (丹 (に) 砂 (さ) 山 (やま) , *Nisayama*?, lit. "Red Sand Mountain"): The mountain where Indou Hikaru went missing. It contains a forbidden area and has ties to Nounuki-sama, and the Indou Family has performed some sort of ritual on this mountain for many generations.
* **Matsuyama** (松 (まつ) 山 (やま) , *Matsuyama*?, lit. "Pine Mountain"): The largest of the four mountains. This is where Hikaru's grandfather cultivates and farms shiitake mushrooms.

### Shrine

There is a shrine along the road leading to Matsuyama. The village's summer festival is held in this area, and it is close enough by foot that Kaoru elects to walk home and back to the festival for extra pocket money.

### Family Residences

Indou family home (Ch.5)Takeda family home (Ch.12)
## Residents

* Grandpa Takeda
* Indou Hikaru
* "Hikaru"
* Kurebayashi Rie
* Kurebayashi Iori
* Matsushima Yoshihiko
* Matsuura
* Matsuura's daughter
* Mikasa Tetsu
* Mince-aniki
* Takeda Hajime
* Tsujinaka Yoshiki
* Tsujinaka Kaoru

## Etymology

* The kanji in the village's current name are "head" (首 *kubi*) and "to stand up; to rise" (立 *tachi*).
* Formerly, the village's name was written with the kanji "head" (首 *kubi*) and "to sever" (断 *tachi*).

## Translation Notes

* In dialogue text, Kubitachi is written in katakana (クビタチ). It is written as "to raise the head" (首立) in the forum post "Hikaru" found, as well as on the sticky note that Yoshiki uses to label the map they assemble in the library. However, the map itself writes the village name as "to sever the head" (首断).

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Volume 4, Chapter 17
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Volume 4, Chapter 18
3. ↑ Volume 4, Chapter 19
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Volume 1, Chapter 1
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Volume 4, Chapter 21
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Mokumokuren, Twitter @mokmok\_len (Sept 18 2023). 「光が死んだ夏」第２１話-２
7. ↑ Volume 1, Chapter 5
8. ↑ Volume 2, Chapter 8