I got really bored, and I have definitely been seeing quite a few people talking about how scythes are not practical weapons for fighting. While I do agree with that in some ways, it doesn't really change anything for me. I then came to realize that I never stated WHY Shiori and her family (not including her mother) use scythes for weapons. The reason why they use scythes is because of an old story passed down their family line. Before we begin with the story, there are some things you need to know.

☆ Masato, Shiori and Satoru's father, was named after Masato Nakamura, one of their ancestors. His parents name him Masato because they were hoping it would bring him the strength and luck of their ancestor.
☆ The village where Masato lived is now abandoned. The only inhabitants are the spirits of the children who suffered a cruel fate at the hands of the Sakura Demon.
☆ The Sakura Demon was a large, ugly demon that looked like a mix between a wild boar and a disfigured cat. It was called the Sakura Demon because it only came about in spring, the cherry blossom season, and is said to have slept in a bed of fallen sakura petals.
     
                                                            That's it. Now we can begin!

       As the story goes, one of Shiori and Satoru's ancestors, Masato Nakamura, a farmer in a small village somewhere near the mountains lived peacefully with his family and neighbors until a vicious and cruel demon began to torment the villagers. Supposedly, the beast would lure children from the village with sweets, flowers, coins, and toys, and would devour them as soon as they were out of the sight of the villagers. After eating the children, it would cough up their bones and wrap them in a bundle of fine red silk and leave the package on the parents' doorsteps.
       Masato discovered that one of his own children had been spirited away by the demon when he, on the way to the fields to begin the day, found a small parcel wrapped in red silk lying on the wooden steps of his home. Filled with anger and sorrow at the loss of his child, a young and clever boy named Sen, who was missing from his bed, he refused to watch the village endure the torment of the beast any longer. He convinced other men in the village to form a small army to slaughter the beast. Masato's only weapon was his scythe, an old, rusty scythe he used in his fields. He brought it along, as he felt it would be his best option. To him, the scythe was trusty and was good luck, as his crops became plentiful after purchasing it. When they reached the forest, the beast revealed itself, the legs of a child dangling from its large, ugly mouth, the child later revealed to be the daughter of the village's leader. The villagers attacked the demon, and eventually defeated it. However, Masato was wounded severely and died from blood loss. His act of bravery was not forgotten. He had died a hero.
       As a tribute to their ancestor, they use scythes as weapons, even though they require an extensive amount of training to master and use as weapons. Not only is the scythe a tribute to Masato, but they also believe the scythes to be good luck, just as Masato did.