Haunted Doll of Hokkaido

Haunted Doll of Hokkaido
A photo of the doll
Background
Type	Haunting
Continent	Asia
Country	Japan
One-Time?	No
Theories	· Ghost  · Demonic presence

The Haunted Doll of Hokkaido is a supposedly-possessed doll that currently resides in the Mannenji temple in Japan. The doll is notable for its hair, which constantly grows no matter how many times it is cut.

Manifestations

• Constantly-growing hair

Background

The story begins in 1918, when Eikichi Suzuki bought a doll for his baby sister, Okiku. Clothed in a kimono with a traditional black bob, Okiku loved her doll so much she named it after herself and the two became inseparable until tragedy struck the following year when Okiku fell gravely ill. The girl soon died from complications of severe influenza and fever, and the mourning family placed her beloved doll in a family altar in memory of their daughter.

Soon the family noticed something odd about the doll: its hair was growing. The short, neat bob soon became a long, shaggy mess that would grow to the doll’s knees. The family cut the hair, but it always grew back, stopping just at the knees. The family came to believe that Okiku’s spirit now lived in her doll.

When the family moved in 1938, they were wary of taking the doll with them. Though the doll had never shown any malevolent tendencies, it made them nervous. But if their daughter’s spirit really did live within the doll, they certainly didn’t want to just throw it away. Instead, they gave it to the Mannenji temple, who took it even after being told about the hair. The doll’s hair continued to grow in the hands of the monks and trimming it became a regular chore among the order. (theoccultmuseum.com)

Notable Accounts

There are no notable accounts that we could find.

Trivia

• Samples of the doll's hair has revealed that it is in fact human hair.

Gallery

Photo Gallery

A photo of the doll

A photo of the doll