Yoshiro, a merchant living with his new wife and mother was recruited in army 450 years ago during the civil war. 

He reluctantly followed the army attacking Odawara, but he fought against the enemy. However, he was very worried about his family and ran away from the army to return home. When he got home, no one was there and he found two spirit tablets on the table. He immediately asked his relatives nearby what had happened.

He was told that a merchant Yoshiro was killed in the conflict and his wife and mother felt sorrow and his mother died soonafter. His wife was in fatal despair and she threw herself down into Shimo Numa pond.

Yoshiro felt sad and thought that he must be found out and and should be killed by the army, so he drowned himself in Kami Numa pond. After these tragic affair, people in the village call Kami-Numa as O-Numa (male pond) and call Shimo-Numa as Me-Numa (female pond).

As to the path from Me-Numa to O-Numa, it is known as the matchmaking walking path.

(E&OE)