Toshiden: Exploring Japanese Urban Legends: Volume Two

by Tara A. Devlin

  Yes, people technically have died after biting their tongues, but as in the above cases, this is generally because of another reason entirely; suffocation while being held down, or even unrelated heart attacks. It’s just not possible to bite through your tongue and die within seconds like they portray in old ninja movies. You might still die, but it’ll likely be for another reason. You can continue biting your tongue while chewing without fear of death!

  Entertainment

  Peach Water CM Curse

  Everyone has laid eyes upon it before. Suntory’s Peach Water. You probably remember Kahara Tomomi’s famous “hyuu hyuu” catch phrase. But did you know that, including Kahara, many of the entertainers who have promoted this drink over the years have ended up cursed, or even dead?

  ABOUT

  Suntory’s Peach Water, or as it’s known in Japan, Momo no Tennensui, is a drink first released by Japan Tobacco, or JT, in 1996. Production then moved to Suntory in 2015.

  Also commonly known by the shortened names of Momosui or Momoten, it wasn’t very popular when it first came out. As the product name implies, it is a natural spring water drink flavoured with peach juice; but unlike its competitors, which often have less than 1% juice to flavour their water, Peach Water uses as much as 10% peach juice in their flavouring.

  In 1998, popular singer Kahara Tomomi (24 at the time) appeared in commercials for the drink uttering the now famous “hyuu hyuu” catch phrase—“hyuu hyuu” being the Japanese sound for exhaling or whistling. Sales for the drink went through the roof and it became a top seller for JT. However, there was a mould outbreak in some bottles used during the same year and the drink was forced to be recalled all over the country.

  In 2015, the Peach Water brand was bought by Suntory, and although production stopped shortly thereafter, at present you can still find the drink sold in stores and vending machines around the country.

  So, how and why is it cursed?

  CURSE OF THE PEACH WATER COMMERCIAL

  Kahara Tomomi was the first entertainer to promote the peach-flavoured drink, but she wasn’t the last, nor was she the only person to fall victim to its curse. Of all the singers and actresses that have promoted Peach Water over the years, many have fallen victim to illness, financial difficulties, and even death.

  Kahara Tomomi seemed a natural fit to initially promote the drink. With her tennen (or airheaded) character, who better to promote “Tennenmizu”? Her catch phrase of “hyuu hyuu” while dancing around with a bottle of Peach Water stirred up sales countrywide.

  Until that point, her own career had also been on the rise. Disaster soon struck, however. Kahara was going through a very public breakup with her producer, Komuro Tetsuya, much of which became fodder for the tabloids. Many of the rumours surrounding them involved drug abuse.

  On January 17, 2009, Kahara was rushed to the hospital with acute medicinal poisoning. Doctors claimed it was an overdose from the large amount of tranquilisers she was on.

  On January 30, less than two weeks later, Kahara was found passed out in her own house from gas poisoning. She claimed she was cooking yakisoba at the time, and her younger brother, who lived next door, discovered her. Many in the media assumed it to be a suicide attempt. Kahara had also just announced that she was in a new relationship, which the tabloids were jumping all over.

  Dependent on sleeping pills and suffering from anaemia, her mental state was rapidly deteriorating. Kahara was eventually dismissed by her production company, and her time at the top was over.

  In 1999, Hamasaki Ayumi took over and promoted the drink. Still a fresh-eyed newcomer to the music scene and gaining in popularity all over the world, Hamasaki was a smart choice for the peach-flavoured natural spring water looking for a new star to promote it.

  In June 2000, however, Hamasaki suffered from an ear infection in her left ear. Against doctors’ orders she continued performing, and in 2006 she was diagnosed with Ménière's disease. In January 2008, she announced that she had lost all hearing in her left ear. On May 20, 2017, she announced that she had started losing hearing in her right ear as well.

  In 2000, a unit of three burgeoning idols was put together to promote the drink, consisting of Murata Yoko, Otani Mitsuho, and Yoshii Rei. Before long, Murata Yoko withdrew from promotions and was replaced with Kanbe Miyuki. Yoshii Rei then also withdrew and was replaced with Mitsuya Yoko. All five young women perfectly fit the image the drink was trying to promote, but regardless of their efforts, sales started to decline. Several of the women also seemed to fall victim to the Peach Water curse.

  Murata Yoko, the first to withdraw, was fired by her agency in the same year, and she withdrew from show business. Rumors abounded that she had eloped with her manager, but when Murata eventually returned to the entertainment industry in 2003, she claimed she retired because of illness, suffering from chronic lower back pain.

  Yoshii Rei, the second to withdraw, discovered the same year that she had acute myeloid leukemia. She received treatment for several months, and in 2001 received a bone marrow transplant from her mother. She suffered from graft-versus-host disease and lost 10 days’ worth of memories after the transplant. It also changed her blood type from A to O and left her infertile. She returned to show business in 2002 with a best-selling book recounting her battle against leukemia, and in 2003 started acting again.

  Kanbe Miyuki, who replaced Murata Yoko in the Peach Water trio, went on to become a well-known actress, model, and singer. However, her health started to fail in 2007, leaving her in and out of the hospital. On June 18, 2008, Kanbe passed away from sudden heart failure. She was 24.

  Ohtani Mitsuho and Mitsuya Yoko, the other two members who promoted as part of the trio, have thus far escaped any of the ill-effects of the Peach Water curse.

  In 2001, Peach Water wished to shift from a “cute” image to a “cool” image and Devon Aoki was employed to promote the drink. Commercials changed from cute dancing to a more stoic and laid-back approach. Aoki avoided the curse, but that didn’t mean it was over.

  In 2006, Kahara Tomomi came back to promote the brand once more in celebration of Peach Water going back to its original packaging. This also marked the 10th anniversary of Kahara’s debut in show business. We know from earlier some of the awful things that happened to her after this second stint, including the cancellation of her contracts and various hospital visits.

  In 2013, entertainer and model Rola appeared in commercials for the drink. Like Kahara, Rola was known as a tennen character on TV, making her a perfect fit for the brand. However, she too fell victim to the curse and in 2014, her father was arrested for health fraud. Although Rola had nothing to do with her father’s actions, this affected her standing in the entertainment world nevertheless.

  In 2018, weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun then revealed that Rola was locked into a 10-year “slave-like” contract with her agency and they wouldn’t let her leave. Her television appearances decreased, as did her commercial contracts. Even her fanclub was suspended. It wasn’t until April of the same year that Rola and her agency reached a settlement that allowed her to leave.

  POWER OF THE PEACH

  In Ancient China, it was thought the peach had powers to protect people from evil, and eating them would give long life. Peaches came to be viewed as talismans, or lucky charms, and that tradition transferred to Japan. In the Kojiki, Japan’s oldest historical record, there is mention of the creator kami Izanagi throwing peaches at monsters to get rid of them. One of Japan’s most famous fairy tales, Momotaro, features a boy born from a peach who goes on to kill many oni. So, if the peach is considered as a ward against evil, how did a peach-flavoured water come to be connected with a curse? Shouldn’t it have the opposite effect?

  The Chinese character for “peach” features in the Japanese word for utopia. In times of old, the peach was also likened to female genitalia. Female genitals were thought to be an earthly link to the underworld, so while the peach was revered for its demon-repelling powers, it wa
s also viewed somewhat vulgarly as well.

  If this earthly representation of the link to the underworld were made into a drink, like say, Peach Water, perhaps that drink might be a link to the other side as well. It’s not a difficult conclusion to jump to when you notice a bunch of coincidences lining up, and hey, it makes for a good tale to tell your buddies.

  CURSE OR COINCIDENCE?

  Nine women have promoted Peach Water over the years, and only three haven’t fallen victim to misfortune after filming their commercials. Was it truly just a coincidence, or something more sinister at work behind the scenes? That’s up to you to decide, but Peach Water is still successfully selling throughout the country to this day, so at the very least, drinking it seems unlikely to send you to the underworld.

  The Fan’s Present

  An idol held a fan event, and at the event she received numerous presents. Amongst those presents were several DVDs. They included B-grade horror movies, adult videos, and other such things. At any rate, she took all the presents home with her.

  A few days later, the idol was drinking with her friend. As things started to calm down, she suggested they watch one of the DVDs her fans had given her. The idol’s friend said they were probably just full of porn, but they had nothing else to do, so she agreed.

  The idol put the DVD on and a male face appeared. He was doing the infamous otaku dance (the dance fans of idols perform to express their admiration). The idols friend burst out laughing at the sight.

  “What the hell? That’s so gross!” Yet the idol wasn’t laughing. Her face turned pale, and her friend realised tears were running down her cheeks. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “That’s… That’s my room.”

  Looking closer, they could see the bed behind the dancing man. In the bed was the idol, blissfully unaware as she slept.

  ABOUT

  While it’s likely that this legend has been around for quite a while longer, it was made popular when it appeared on the July 25, 2008 episode of Yarisugi Cozy Urban Legend Special. The story, featuring gravure idol Minami Akina, was near word-for-word the story that’s still passed around today. An idol receives a bunch of presents, takes them home, watches one of the videos and discovers that the fan filmed the video inside her house while she was lying there asleep.

  While Minami acted in the short for the show, numerous fans contacted her afterwards to ask if the story was true. Minami posted on her blog on October 17, 2008, refuting that it was a real story involving her. “A lot of people have asked me whether that was a true story,” she said. “It’s not. I just appeared in the recreation, so don’t worry. It’s not about me.” If the story wasn’t about her, then who?

  The idol system in Japan began in the 70s and hit its stride in the 80s. The scene exploded with manufactured singers who promoted, above all, innocence and wholesomeness. Idols were forbidden from public dating and had to maintain high morals at all times. A certain distance was kept between idols and their adoring fans, particularly in the time before social media. They were someone to look up to and worship, an image of purity, and as you can imagine, this created some pretty lop-sided relationships.

  Around the early 2000s, this began to change with the introduction of social media, and in particular, the rise of handshake events where fans could directly meet and talk to their idols more frequently than in the past. Idols, once a symbol of the untouchable, became “the girl next door.” Anyone could buy a ticket, attend a handshake event, and directly talk to the girl of their choice. Do that enough times and they might even start to remember you.

  The lop-sided relationship of the 80s and 90s began to morph. The image they sold of purity and wholesomeness remained, but if you spent enough money and went to see your favourite girl enough times, then maybe, just maybe, a real relationship could blossom. There have been numerous instances over the years of idols being caught out dating fans, so it’s actually not that far-fetched to imagine.

  In 2016, an unnamed idol was sued by her management company for breaking the “no dating” clause in her contract. She was discovered to be dating a fan, and they wanted 9,900,000 yen in damages. The case was thrown out by the Tokyo district court, who ruled that the clause was a breach of her basic human right to happiness. Is it unlikely that a fan will end up dating an idol? Of course. Is it impossible? Of course not. And that’s all you need for dangerous situations to arise.

  On December 8, 2018, two fans reportedly broke into an idol’s home and attacked her. In light of the attack, which made worldwide headlines, several former idols came out and revealed similar situations where they were harassed or attacked in their own homes, and they’re not alone.

  In 2014, two members of a sister group were attacked by a saw-wielding fan at a handshake event.

  In 2016, another idol was stabbed over 20 times by a fan who was upset that she returned his gift.

  In 2017, one idol spoke on TV about the numerous stuffed animals she received as gifts from fans. She was aware that they might have recording devices inside, and so she always hit them to make sure.

  In 2018, members of a male dance troupe received a stuffed animal that had a GPS tracker inside, confirming that it is indeed a valid fear for idols to have. Shortly thereafter, idol group Batten Showjo-tai banned fan gifts entirely. The official reason was “they no longer had room to house the gifts,” but considering the dangers gifts often pose, it’s difficult to believe that as the only reason.

  Idols, while presenting an image of constant availability in the current market, must also constantly be aware of the potential danger waiting around every corner, even in their own homes. This urban legend serves as a sobering reminder—as if real life weren’t enough of one—that danger can lurk anywhere, even if the safety of one’s home.

  The Performer’s Disappearance

  A performer, A-san, went missing. His disappearance became news countrywide, but in reality A-san didn’t disappear; he was kidnapped.

  A-san went out fishing one night and happened to see people from a certain country kidnapping a Japanese person. Because he saw this taking place, A-san was taken as well. However, A-san’s job meant that his name was well-known, and if he disappeared, it would become big news.

  The kidnappers phoned someone to confirm that A-san was who he said he was, and once they did, told him, “If you tell anyone about what happened here today, even your family, you’re dead.” They returned A-san and then disappeared.

  ABOUT

  This urban legend is deliberately vague. The person is merely mentioned as being a performer, so they could be an actor, a singer, a comedian, or any mix of the above. That’s not the important part of the story, however. The important part is that this person is famous, and they are kidnapped by “a certain country.” That certain country is, no doubt, North Korea.

  During the 1970s and 80s, North Korea kidnapped numerous people from Japan in order to teach Japanese language and culture to North Korean spies, as well as to steal their identities. The North Korean government admitted to these kidnappings in 2002, but were vehement that they were no longer taking place. It remains a sensitive issue, however, and many people remain fearful of potential abductions to this day.

  But is there any truth to this rumour? It’s not out of the realm of possibility to imagine that this could happen, and it’s vague enough that nobody could say for certain that it didn’t. If a famous person really was kidnapped by North Korea, it makes sense that people would want to keep that quiet. It turns out, however, that this urban legend is based on reality.

  THE TRUTH

  On March 3, 1991, Sugano Akinosuke, a performer who was famous for mimicking the singing style of Go Hiromi, went fishing off the coast of Atami City in Shizuoka Prefecture with five friends and family members. Sugano, who went by the performer’s name of Wakado Akira and was 41 at the time, went for a walk alone at roughly 3 p.m. to a nearby breakwater to fish. His wife went to find him two hours later and discovered his fishin
g rod, hat, and glasses, but Sugano himself was nowhere to be seen.

  Three days later he reappeared in Odawara City in Kanagawa Prefecture, about 20 kilometres away. A student discovered him lying face down close to Odawara Castle Park. Sugano claimed he had no memory of what happened to him during those three days, and the incident became news countrywide. According to the doctor who examined him, Sugano had taken a heavy blow to the head, which is likely what led to his amnesia. To this day, Sugano, who now performs under the name Gashuin Tatsuya, claims that he has no idea what happened during those three days, but the incident terrifies him.

  Stories soon spread that the disappearance was all an act to make himself more famous. Sugano persisted that he had no idea what happened, which did nothing to dispel the rumours.

  In 2003, however, the magazine Shukan Shincho proposed a different theory. They suggested that Sugano had instead seen someone being kidnapped by North Koreans, and when they realised this, they kidnapped him as well. In a panic, Sugano explained that he was famous, and if he went missing it would be all over the news. Not wanting to deal with the fallout of kidnapping someone famous, the kidnappers let him go with a warning that if he ever said anything, they would return and kill him.

  When asked about this theory, Sugano responded, “There’s no way anything like that could be true.” Some found it strange that Sugano would refute the idea so strongly and immediately if he really had no memory of what happened. That’s something someone trying to hide the truth would say.

  Conspiracy theories aside, unless Sugano ever comes out to say that yes, he was abducted, we’ll likely never know what really happened. The legend took on a life of its own, however, and there are still whispers of the famous “A-san” who was abducted by people from a “certain country” and told he would be killed if he ever revealed the truth of what happened.