Higurashi no Naku Koro ni takes place in the fictional village of Hinamizawa in June 1983. Shortly before then, the main character, Keiichi Maebara, moves to the village and befriends classmates Mion Sonozaki, her twin sister Shion, Rena Ryuuguu, Rika Furude and Satoko Houjou. Keiichi soon learns of the village's annual Watanagashi Festival, a celebration to commemorate and give thanks to the local deity Oyashiro. Hinamizawa initially seems calm and peaceful, but shortly before the festival, Keiichi learns that from 1979-1982, after the festival, one villager would die and another would disappear. This series of mysterious incidents remains unsolved, and is named the "Oyashiro-sama's Curse" by the superstitious villagers.