OKIKU DOLL

 

There is no doubting that dolls are creepy. Those big bug-like eyes are enough to turn the stomach. But what about a doll possessed by a girl’s ghost? Introducing the Okiku doll, named after the doll’s first owner. The doll is quite big—40 centimeters (1’3″) in height—wears a kimono, and has hair that grows. Yes. Hair that grows.

The Okiku doll can be found at the Mannenji temple in Iwamizawa, in Hokkaido prefecture. When the doll first appeared in the temple it had cropped hair, but over the years the hair has grown like a hippie’s—to a whopping 25 centimeters (10 in). According to some, the hair is annually trimmed.

The legend goes that a teenage boy bought the doll for his two-year-old sister, Okiku. Okiku loved the doll; she played with it every day, dressed it up, spoke to it. Tragically, their friendship was short-lived: The girl died. Her family refused to get rid of the doll. After some time, they noticed its hair was growing, so they concluded that the spirit of their daughter resided within the doll. In 1938, they made the executive decision to hand the doll over to the temple, where it remains to this very day.

 

 

 

THE RED ROOM CURSE

 

Pop-ups are annoying at the best of times. Well, how about ones that threaten you with imminent death? We are talking Japanese urban legends, so if the gaming glove fits . . . 

The “Red Room Curse” is simple. A pop-up appears on your computer with a red door and the question “Do you like the red room?” in Japanese script. Once you click through a series of questions in the rudimentary Flash design, your name appears at the bottom of a list of other names. You may even recognize some of them as your friends. This will be the last thing you do. The next day you’ll be found dead in your room; you’ve committed suicide and your walls are painted with your own blood. As internet memes go, it’s safe to say that Grumpy Cat is a lot more fun.

As with so many urban legends, there’s an element of truth to the tale. In 2004, a 14-year-old student known as “Girl A” killed her best friend in a infamous crime called the “Sasebo slashing.” When police investigated her computer, they checked its browser history. The number one bookmark? The “Red Room” video.

 

 

 

THE INOKASHIRA PARK CURSE

 

Boat rides are pretty romantic. All that serenity and calm air. The sound of birds landing on the water. Wind rushing through your hair. The curse that will cause the end of your relationship. Say what?

At the famous Inokashira Park in Tokyo, beware all those lovers who take a rowboat out on the lake. The urban legend goes that any couple that takes a ride on the water will soon fall out of love, their relationship broken forever.

The legend’s mystery can be found at the edge of the lake. Here, a shrine to Benzaiten—goddess of water, beauty, and words—overlooks the romantic setting. Being a jealous goddess, she curses all couples that dare show their love for one another on her lake. Should you ever visit Japan on your honeymoon, maybe give Inokashira a wide berth.