A really phenomenal development upon Onikakushi-hen, Watanagashi-hen roots the exceptional horror story at its core with something even more fearsome than ghosts and curses: the unreconciled feudal remnants left behind in a rapidly imperializing nation. Ryu07's knows horror doesn't come from pulp or genre, but from the unmistakable shocks of reality, when what happening in front of you cannot possibly be understood alone. Watanagashi is a heart-rending and essential entry in Ryu07's repertoire and in the crawling mystery of Hinamizawa.
Less nailbiting than Onikakushi in my opinion, and not even really cause of the slice of life, but just the increased amount of exposition dumps. However, it's punctuated with plenty of emotional climaxes that make it nearly just as enjoyable as the first chapter. Super interested to see where it will go from here.