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 to die The head -- supposedly buried in the Otemachi district -- belongs to Taira no Masakado, a rebellious warrior who led an insurgency against the central government in […]
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Cursed Kleenex commercial
03 Mar 2010
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. (Watch at your own risk.) + Video After the ad ran, rumors began to circulate about the unfortunate fate of everyone involved. Keiko Matsuzaka, the actress in the commercial, was rumored […]
Rent a rowboat, wreck a relationship
16 Feb 2010
At first glance, a romantic ride in a rowboat might seem like a pleasant activity for lovers. Lakes and ponds across Japan commonly offer boats for rent, making them popular spots for couples on a date. But beware: these ponds are often dogged by superstitions claiming that couples who venture out in the boats are […]
Eromanga Island has disappeared
10 Feb 2010
Eromanga Island, a tiny island in the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu, has been swallowed up by rising sea levels, according to a long-standing rumor in Japan. View of Eromanga Island on the Wii weather channel Erroneous news about the island's watery demise appears to have begun ten years ago as a tidbit of fake […]
Now hiring part-time cadaver cleaners
03 Feb 2010
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 for cash? Rumors about the existence of lucrative cadaver-washing jobs have circulated on Japanese college campuses for over 50 years. For the most part, these stories are regarded as urban […]
Secrets of the Tokyo underground
27 Jan 2010
A vast subway system, extensive subterranean shopping arcades and miles of pedestrian tunnels make Tokyo's underground city a hotbed of human activity -- and a fertile source of mystery and intrigue. Here is a look at six of the most persistent rumors to emerge from beneath the city's streets. * * * * * Rumor […]
‘Ririkan’ fast-food mystery meat
20 Jan 2010
Whether it's genetically-modified mutant chickens or burgers made of eyeballs, tales of tainted fast food are favorite fodder for urban legends. In Japan, one juicy rumor claims that a popular gyūdon (beef on rice) restaurant chain secretly substitutes its beef with the meat of the ririkan, a type of giant rat from Australia. Where's the […]
Secret ‘Sony timer’ kills products after warranty?
13 Jan 2010
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 causes them to fail after a specific period of time. Speculation about the existence of this so-called "Sony timer" emerged in the 1980s and 1990s as consumers grew increasingly suspicious of […]
‘Ningen’ humanoid sea creatures of the Antarctic
06 Jan 2010
Over the past few years, rumors have circulated in Japan about the existence of gigantic humanoid life-forms inhabiting the icy waters of the Antarctic. Hello, Ningen Reportedly observed on multiple occasions by crew members of government-operated "whale research" ships, these so-called "Ningen" (lit. "humans") are said to be completely white in color with an estimated […]