This set of Japanese urban legends that people just thought were true from goo Ranking is interesting, especially when compared to a previous Japanese urban legends survey I translated a while back.

Demographics

On the 19th of November 2009 1,166 members of the goo Research monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 59.9% of the sample were female, 13.4% in their teens, 20.6% in their twenties, 28.2% in their thirties, 23.2% in their forties, 8.3% in their fifties, and 6.3% aged sixty or older.

Number 2 is actually true, although it is for promotional reasons:

Number 5 is also actually almost true, although the school is in Shizuoka, I think. The kids gargle with it, as green tea has an anti-bacterial effect. I’ve seen it on the television, so it must be true!

When I was a kid, the one I believed the most was that Malboro was secretly sponsered by the KKK due to various hidden ciphers.



Ranking result

Q: What urban legends did you just somehow believe in? (Sample size=1,166) Rank Score 1 If you find an “Eyebrow Koala” in Koala no March you’ll get good luck 100 2 Pom Juice (satsuma juice) comes out of a tap in Ehime Prefecture 60.9 3 If two lovers ride a boat in a pond in a certain park they will split up 60.6 4 There are secret streets underneath the city 54.2 5 Green tea comes out of a tap in a school in Uji 44.2 6 If you set your mobile phone wallpaper to a picture of Akihiro Miwa something good will happen 43.7 7 If you find a four-leafed clover and give it to someone, you will get twice the good fortune back 42.5 8 Men haven’t actually been on the moon 40.3 9 If you collect ten Milky wrappers with Peko-chan’s face intact, something lucky will happen 26.3 10= If you keep a wild strawberry plant and it produces fruit you will marry 22.9 10= Particular mosquitos are attracted to particular blood types 22.9 12 If you see a yellow Volkswagen you’ll have good luck 22.4 13 If you get a certain number of piercings you’ll have good luck 21.5 14 If lovers see the moment that the Tokyo Tower lights are turned off they’ll have good fortune 15.5 15 If you feel Miyazaki governer Higashikokubaru‘s head you’ll have good luck 13.4 16 If you catch a falling cherry blossom petal between two fingers your wish will come true 13.1 17 If you rub the head of the statue of Hachiko the dog in front of Shibuya station your wish will come true 11.7 18 If you stand close to NTT Docomo’s head office your mobile phone signal strength indicator will be five bars 10.5 19 If you hit a foul ball on the 36th pitch you’ll be out 7.2 20 If you collect together three Oodama Milky wrappers and put them in you wallet you’ll get a boyfriend 6.2