Rougetsu Island
The largest island in the Rougetsu Archipelago, situated in the sea south of Honshu. A festival called the "Rougetsu Kagura", performed there once a decade on the night of the lunar eclipse, is a big draw for tourists.
Rougetsu Hall
A sanatorium built in a Western style, for the purpose of treating Getsuyuu Syndrome, a disease endemic to Rougetsu Island and its surrounding area.
Haibara Hospital
An old hospital that has been on the island since before Rougetsu Hall was built. The islanders call Rougetsu Hall the "New Building" and Haibara Hospital the "Old Building".
Yomotsuki Residence
Ruka's parents' house. It is an old Japanese building inhabited by a family of mask-makers. It includes areas decorated with masks, and places for making masks.
The Moon
On Rougetsu Island, the moon is the subject of religious beliefs. The appearance of its surface is contrasted to that of the sun, and specifically the moon = memories = personality = the soul.
Lunar Eclipse
Something that chips away* at people's lives and souls. On the day of the lunar eclipse, the hearts of all living people sink into the side of the dead, and the souls of the dead return from Hell.
*(Note: This word also refers to the waning of the moon.)
Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
A mask created by the master mask-maker Souetsu Yomotsuki. It is said that the wearer's memories become "nothing", and take them to the forbidden area.
Rougetsu Kagura
A ritual performed on Rougetsu Island once every decade, on the night of the 17th of September. It is performed by a dancer and five shrine maidens.
On the day of the festival, the villagers put on masks and gather at the Lunar Eclipse Hall, the Kagura stage.
Kiraigou
Different from the Rougetsu Kagura staged for tourists, it was the Kagura's original form, a Shinto ritual. It is said that it took on the same format, but the dancing shrine maiden danced to a more primitive melody.
It brought about a big disaster on the island, so no records of its performance remain.
Utsuwa (Vessel)
The dancer in the Rougetsu Kagura. The woman who was most suitable as a spirit medium was chosen to become the Utsuwa.
Kanade (Instrumentalists)
The five shrine maiden girls who performed the music for the Rougetsu Kagura.
Girls of up to the age of about 10 years were chosen.
Lunar Melody
Generally refers to the music passed down on Rougetsu Island. Listening to the "Lunar Melody" while wearing a mask has some kind of mental effect.
Utsusemi (empty body)
A state of trance caused by the Kiraigou and Rougetsu Kagura, in which it is easy to become possessed by a spirit. A mental state close to death.
Blooming
When the mind arrives in that forbidden area it should not come into contact with, memories are lost, and their faces look strange or are unrecognisable. On Rougetsu Island, this is represented as "Blooming".
Resonance
Refers to when the Utsuwa, in her state of trance, infects attendees of the Kiraigou or Kagura.
It also refers to those who see a Blooming face and Bloom themselves.
Getsuyuu Syndrome (Moon-Calming Syndrome)
A local phrase that refers generally to memory impairment witnessed in the area around Rougetsu Island.
It was being researched at Haibara Hospital.
Case of the Dead Shrine Maidens
A case in which at the climax the Rougetsu Kagura the shrine maidens suddenly collapsed, and died.
Since then, the tourist-drawing Rougetsu Kagura has been stopped.
Case of the Spirited Away Girls
When the Rougetus Kagura was suspended, five girls of the same age went missing, and were discovered two weeks later in the basement of Haibara Hospital by Detective Kirishima.
Case of the Rougetsu Island Disappearances
An incident in which most of the islanders vanished.
Several islanders died around Rougetsu Hall, and the remaining islanders went missing. Every single one of the dead were covering their faces, and the few islanders who were confirmed to be alive were also in a state of mental and physical loss.