Urban Legend

Last Monday was a holiday in Japan, called 「敬老の日」 (“Respect For The Elderly Day“). On this day, people often give gifts to ....
23 Sep 11:38 am from Tokyo Five

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OTT urban legends in Japan

To make up for my short off-line period, here’s an excellent survey from goo Ranking, looking at what over the top urban legends people wo....
13 Jun 11:46 pm from What Japan Thinks

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Okiku doll

A mysterious doll possessed by the spirit of a child has captured the curiosity of people across Japan for decades. The legendary Okiku dol....
28 Apr 12:14 pm from Pinktentacle

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Is the legendary Lost Ark buried in Japan?

The fabled lost Ark of the Covenant — described in the Bible as the sacred container of the Ten Commandments — lies buried near the top ....
21 Apr 1:01 pm from Pinktentacle

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Hanako-san, terror of the toilet

Hanako-san — a spooky young girl that haunts school restrooms across Japan — has in recent decades become one of the nation’s most fam....
14 Apr 10:48 pm from Pinktentacle

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‘Kaikidan Ekotoba’ monster scroll

Here is a look at the Kaikidan Ekotoba, a mysterious handscroll that profiles 33 legendary monsters and human oddities, mostly from the Kyus....
7 Apr 5:55 pm from Pinktentacle

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Cow head

For centuries, rumors have circulated in Japan about a ghost story so horrific that people die of fright soon after hearing it. The dreadf....
31 Mar 8:17 pm from Pinktentacle

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Human-faced dog

Animals with human-like faces have long been rumored to exist in Japan. In recent decades, countless people have reportedly encountered huma....
24 Mar 7:17 pm from Pinktentacle

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Human pillars

Tales of “human pillars” (hitobashira) — people who were deliberately buried alive inside large-scale construction projects — have c....
17 Mar 10:23 pm from Pinktentacle

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Tokyo terror: Severed samurai head in Otemachi

A severed samurai head buried in central Tokyo has struck fear and awe in the hearts of locals for over 1,000 years. The head that refused ....
10 Mar 1:05 pm from Pinktentacle

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Cursed Kleenex commercial

An eerie Kleenex commercial featuring a baby red demon sparked a host of rumors and fears after airing on Japanese TV in the mid-1980s. (Wat....
3 Mar 1:38 pm from Pinktentacle

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Urban legends from Meiji-period Japan

In the Meiji period (1868-1912), Japan ended centuries of isolation and entered a period of rapid modernization after opening its doors to t....
24 Feb 3:03 pm from Pinktentacle

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Rent a rowboat, wreck a relationship

At first glance, a romantic ride in a rowboat might seem like a pleasant activity for lovers. Lakes and ponds across Japan commonly offer bo....
16 Feb 9:24 pm from Pinktentacle

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Eromanga Island has disappeared

Eromanga Island, a tiny island in the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu, has been swallowed up by rising sea levels, according to a long-stand....
10 Feb 12:29 pm from Pinktentacle

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Now hiring part-time cadaver cleaners

Want to earn 50,000 yen ($550) a day? If you have a strong stomach, you might consider a part-time job washing cadavers in Japan. Strapped f....
3 Feb 12:17 pm from Pinktentacle

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Secrets of the Tokyo underground

A vast subway system, extensive subterranean shopping arcades and miles of pedestrian tunnels make Tokyo’s underground city a hotbed of h....
27 Jan 5:39 pm from Pinktentacle

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‘Ririkan’ fast-food mystery meat

Whether it’s genetically-modified mutant chickens or burgers made of eyeballs, tales of tainted fast food are favorite fodder for urban le....
20 Jan 11:11 am from Pinktentacle

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Secret ‘Sony timer’ kills products after warranty?

Call it the rumor that wouldn’t die. For decades, people in Japan have alleged that Sony installs a secret timer in its products that caus....
13 Jan 6:09 pm from Pinktentacle

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‘Ningen’ humanoid sea creatures of the Antarctic

Over the past few years, rumors have circulated in Japan about the existence of gigantic humanoid life-forms inhabiting the icy waters of th....
6 Jan 3:11 pm from Pinktentacle

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Japanese urban legends people believed in

This set of Japanese urban legends that people just thought were true from goo Ranking is interesting, especially when compared to a previou....
3 Jan 12:20 am from What Japan Thinks

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Ugly Legend

(DISCLAIMER: The following is the English approximation of an article which was originally published in the November 10th issue of Spa! Dire....
21 Nov 11:39 am from Tokyoscum

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