So through out the show, you get to follow certain characters around and learn how they think of people and about life. I really can't say too much except that there are plenty of "wtf?!?!" moments in the show, whether it is plot related, character related, or just settings related. Anyway, if you watch it for the first time, you will get confused and will not understand what exactly is going on. My advice is to just remember what has happened, and think about how it all blends in throughout the show.
Besides the story, the sound effects, music, and other ambiance noises, are amazing. The sounds used when you see people change personalities, is extremely haunting! Best case of this, is episode 3, near the beginning-middle to middle when there is a "late night conversation". The music in the OP and ED are very creepy and fit the show, perfectly. As for the overall ambiance sound, you hear the cicadas crying in the trees and bushes, which is also why the show is called Higurashi, in the first place.
I personally enjoyed this show and then went and watched the second season. As for last bits of advice, there are a few graphic murder/torture scenes, but they are not that bad, but can be skipped if needed. Also, if you watched the season and feel like not everything was explained, then I highly recommend watching season 2 because it goes into great amounts of detail in explaining a lot more about the story, the characters, and other things as well.
