[JapanUrbanLegend] Chiisai Ojisan
Little Old Man (ちいさいおじさん) is one of Japan's urban legends. As the name suggests, it refers to a small person resembling a middle-aged man, and it began gaining attention around 2009.
According to eyewitness accounts, the "Little Old Man" is said to be between 8 centimeters and 20 centimeters tall. There are reports of sightings where he was found stuck to a window or in a bathroom, and there are also stories of him carrying empty cans by the roadside or sitting in trees in parks. Websites have been established with forums and posts about the "Little Old Man."
Akio Seki, known for narrating urban legends, mentioned on the TV program "Yarisugi Koji" on March 15, 2009, that "a fairy follows visitors at a shrine in central Kanto." Afterward, actor Koji Matoba, who claimed to have seen the "Little Old Man," also frequently visited the same shrine. Although the name of the shrine was edited out during the broadcast, many rumors suggest that the "Little Old Man" resides at the Omia Hachiman Shrine in Suginami Ward, located in central Tokyo. After the broadcast, the number of visitors during the March holidays doubled compared to previous years, and it has gradually increased since then.
In 2010, a character merchandise item called "Lucky Little Old Man" was released as a mobile strap, advertising that spotting the "Little Old Man" brings small happiness and success afterward.
In 2011, a photograph taken in Akita Prefecture in 1972, which allegedly shows a small person about 15 centimeters tall, was reported in newspapers along with an explanation by yokai researcher Bintaro Yamaguchi as a picture of the "Little Old Man."
