In Japan, there are scary stories that involve the listener, known as "Stories That Become Scary Once You Understand the Meaning" (abbreviated as "Imikowa"), which are a kind of puzzle (riddle) game. If you listen to the story as usual, you might think it's just an ordinary tale if you don't pay attention, but once you notice something strange, the abnormality becomes clear and it turns into a scary story. Of course, these stories are in Japanese. Through translation, some of the ambiguity may disappear, which could become a turning point in the story. Therefore, I would like to choose stories that can be translated without giving away the twist. The answers are at the end!
Stories That Become Scary Once You Understand the Meaning: You Forgot Something!
This happened when I was working as a delivery driver.
I was working as both a driver and a delivery person. My job was to deliver packages to specific addresses.
One time, I had to deliver a package to a 20-story apartment building.
The recipient's room was on the 19th floor, so of course, since it would be tough to walk up 19 flights of stairs, I took the elevator.
There were two elevators, but one was under repair and couldn't be used. So, I took the other one.
The owner of the room was a beautiful woman. Her gentle-looking outfit left a strong impression.
Maybe it was because she was so beautiful.
I was so nervous that after handing her the signature sheet, I forgot to take back the pen she used to sign.
But as soon as I got out of the elevator and was about to head back to my car, I suddenly heard a sound from behind me.
“You forgot something!”
Of course, the voice belonged to the woman from the room where I had just delivered the package. She was holding the pen in her hand.
I hurriedly thanked her and took the pen, but...
Then, I realized something that made my hair stand on end.
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That was pretty easy, right? If you still don't get it, feel free to check the answer at the end!
Let's move on! The next one is a bit more difficult!
Stories That Become Scary Once You Understand the Meaning: Hit-and-Run
I was the victim of a hit-and-run and had to be hospitalized for a while, but I was finally discharged.
A former close friend came to visit me at home.
“I'm sorry I couldn't visit you in the hospital at all.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Did you see the culprit’s face?”
“No, they disappeared so quickly that I don’t remember.”
“I see.”
“You be careful too, okay?”
“Yeah, I’m heading home now. Next time, I’ll definitely come visit you in the hospital!”
“Thanks.”
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That was still pretty easy, right? Okay, next!
A Chilling Story Once You Understand: The Son’s Premonition
My son had a strange habit.
Sometimes, he would point at people’s faces (in photos or on screens) with his finger.
Recently, I realized something: anyone he pointed at would die within three days.
Today, as I was about to turn on the TV, my son pointed at the screen.
A famous figure appeared on the TV.
Ah, so this person is going to die…
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Many of you are probably wondering who the person on TV was! But wait, if you try to recreate the situation, you’ll figure it out right away!
Now then, let’s move on to the final story!
A Chilling Story Once You Understand: My Sister’s Atelier
This is a story from when I was a student.
I have an older sister who works as an art teacher.
She rented an old-fashioned apartment with a bedroom, kitchen, and living room to use as her art studio.
But it wasn’t for living in—she used it only for painting.
It seemed like a waste not to live there when she was renting it!
So I asked, “Can you let me use one of the rooms so I can live alone?”
The first day of living alone. I was excited as I returned to the atelier.
My sister told me, “Make sure to lock up,” so as soon as I got back, I locked the front door with the chain.
Then I made dinner, read a book, and enjoyed my first night living on my own.
Before I knew it, it was already midnight. I double-checked the locks and the gas valve, then went to bed.
Some time later, around 2 or 3 a.m., I heard the front door open.
I wondered if my sister had come to paint.
Working at this hour—she really is a workaholic, I thought sleepily, as she entered the room next to where I was sleeping.
The next room was where she kept her art supplies and canvases.
I could hear my sister muttering and laughing to herself.
“Artists and weirdos really are two sides of the same coin.”
That’s what I thought as I drifted off to sleep.
When I woke up in the morning, my sister was gone. I guess she had already left.
I came to respect my sister’s passion for painting. Then I got ready to leave the apartment.
When I tried to open the front door, I was suddenly overcome with fear.
Since then, I have never set foot in that art room again.
Answers to the "Stories That Become Scary Once You Understand the Meaning"
Now, let's take a look at the answers. If you want to try to figure them out yourself, don't scroll down any further and do your best!
Episode 1: You Forgot Something
Only one elevator was available for use. The narrator rode the elevator alone and went down from the 19th floor to the 1st floor.
So, how was that woman able to return the pen so quickly? Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh…
Episode 2: Hit-and-Run
- “Former close friend” signifies that it was the past
- “Did you see the face of the culprit?” is a question about whether the truth has already been found out
- “You be careful too” The narrator already knows that the culprit is that friend
- “Next time, I’ll definitely come visit you in the hospital!” Next time, he intends to hit hard enough to kill
Even if you know someone, you can never truly know what’s in their heart.
Episode 3: The Son’s Premonition
What appears on the TV screen before it’s turned on is the son’s own reflection.
So, the one who will die is not the important person on TV, but the son…
Episode 4: The Sister’s Atelier
The door chain was attached from the inside. Even though the older sister had a key, she could not open the door from the outside.
There are two possibilities for why she was overcome with fear in the morning.
- The chain was still attached as before. This means that the person who entered last night either never left the apartment and the chain is still on, or it was not a person (someone who could come and go without touching the chain).
- The chain was broken, indicating there was a break-in during the night.
In any case, the person muttering or giggling at night was definitely not the older sister…
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