the preventative measures in the setting of Mushishi often took the form of superstition or local myth. Things like don’t cross this mountain after dark or don’t store food in this building that are just common knowledge among the locals, but they don’t really understand why. Well, it turns out that the actual why is often because otherwise you will interact with mushi in a bad way. It reminds me of how religions basically created supernatural origins and explanations for physical phenomena that were not understood at the time.

Exactly my thoughts, though I forgot to mention it in my original comment. Thanks for pointing it out / reminding me.