Oroku Comb is a beautiful comb made out of minebari or ono-ore-kanba (a kind of birch). This traditional handicraft has been handed down in Shinshu region since the Kyoho era (1716－1735) in the Edo period. One day a girl named Oroku, who had suffered from a headache all the time, visited to worship Mt. Ontakesan, she received a revelation that her headache would be cured if she combed her hair with a comb made of minebari. She went back home in Yabuharajuku and kept combing her hair every morning and night. Then to her surprise, her headache was completely cured. Thinking that she should share this benefit with other people suffering from the same pain, Oroku began to make combs and sell them. Oroku combs became popular among the travelers going along the Nakasendo Road, and came to be known all over the country as the specialty product of Yabuharajuku on the Kisoji Road. Minebari is very hard wood. It is sometimes called ono-ore-kanba (meaning birch which is so hard that even an ono (ax) is broken). Toughness of the wood is best suited for making durable combs. It is said that Oroku Combs can be used for three generations.