Hanako-san
Hanako san or Toire no Hanako-san (Hanako of the toilet) is a Japanese urban legend about a young girl who haunts school bathrooms. She will appear if you shout her name.
The Legend
If you go to the last stall in the girls bathroom and knock three times before asking 'Are you there, Hanako-san", a voice will answer "I'm here". If you enter the stall you'll find a small girl in a red skirt, waiting for you.
Variations
Hanako-san has various origins and behaviors which differ depending on area or school and his a widespread legend across Japan. She can be either mischievous, malevolent or benign. Yamagata prefecture: After Hanako-san has answered you and you enter the stall, you'll find a three headed lizard who had mimicked a girl's voice, who will then eat you. Iwate prefecture: After you have called Hanako-san, a large white hand emerges from the door. Kanagawa: After you have called her, a blood stained hand will appear.
Origins
'Hanako' the name was a common and typical common girl's name in the Japanese 1950s when the legend supposedly began. The legends popularity was at it's peak during the 1980s.[1]
With variations across the country, there are multiple origin stories for the spirit, including a girl killed by a WWII bombing raid; a young girl murdered by a pervert or parent; a bullied girl who committed suicide and a former student of the school who died in an accident.
References
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