...means mulberry field. Considering its meaning, it can also be read "Kuwabata".
This traces back to the Chinese Legend. In the folk beliefs of China, thunders never strike mulberry field. Therefore, people believed that one can save oneself from getting struck by thunder by reciting "Kuwabara Kuwabara".
Then why does thunder never strike mulberry field? The reason is none other than the mulberry field being something special. In Chinese legend, there were two giant mulberry trees that were called Fuso . The sun we see rises to the sky through this Fuso. In this respect, Fuso is the symbol of Sun. On the other hand, thunders are lightning storms that are antithetical to the sun that brings fair weather. Fuso, in other words, mulberry is, so to say, the arch-foe of thunder. Therefore, thunders would never hit mulberry fields.