Pink Tentacle tackles Japan's urban legends, past and present

Internet sites like Snopes and TV shows like "Mythbusters" have made us forget just how pervasive urban legends and urban myths were in the past. Perhaps that is why popular Japan-based blog Pink Tentacle has dedicated the last few months to highlighting Japanese urban legends, rumors, curses and other contemporary folklore. 

So far the site has looked at rumors that the island of Eromanga was swallowed up by the sea, the secret trains and passageways of the Tokyo railway, the use of ririkan meat in fast food gyudon and the curse of Inogashira Park's rowboats. Pink Tentacle also went back to the Edo Period to look at a few urban myths of the early modern era, such as the use of virgin's blood for wire insulation. That urban legend apparently was not based in fact.

We are particularly fascinated with the supposed curse of the 1980s Kleenex commercial. Japanese commercials can be very odd, but this one does seem to be summoning soul-shattering satanic powers to get across its message of high-quality tissue.

Pink Tentacle's Edo writes about Japanese urban legends on a weekly basis so make sure to check his site on a frequent basis for more.