[JapanUrbanLegend] hikyaku no fundoshi
Starting in late 1991, a urban legend spread among elementary school students, which became widely popular among high school girls by 1993. On the trucks of Sagawa Express, there was a character depicted wearing a red fundoshi (traditional Japanese loincloth). Rumors began circulating that touching the fundoshi would bring good luck. The myth escalated to the point where it was said that touching the fundoshi while the truck was moving fast would bring even better luck.
Sagawa Express received numerous inquiries regarding this legend, but the promotional team maintained that it was unfounded. However, due to concerns about damaged image after the Sagawa Kyubin incident in 1992, the company used this urban legend as an opportunity for image revitalization, producing 300,000 "good luck fundoshi dolls" to distribute for free to customers. As the urban legend intensified, incidents occurred where people chased moving trucks to touch the fundoshi, leading the company to reinforce safety training for their delivery drivers.
In 2007, the character was changed to a general delivery person, completely erasing the past memory of the urban legend.