This snake dance has its origins in a rain dance by farmers in the Shizume district as a petition for relief from drought. It has been performed every year in the festival at Ogi Aso Shrine, which is dedicated to the local Shinto deity of the area. In what used to be Jonan Town it was a Designated Intangible Folk Cultural Property, but it was discontinued in 1995. However, when the town merged with Kumamoto City, a preservation society was formed in 2010, and the dance has been revived.