Osaka asked not to directly rub goblin godâ€™s feet as things slowly return to normal in the city

Jun 02, 2020 | News On Japan

Jun 02, 2020 (soranews24.com) - While still sitting on the possible cusp of second-wave coronavirus outbreaks in Japan, shops and attractions are slowly getting back to business. Far from a full blown reopening, however, tight restrictions are being exercised in several industries such as amusement park guests being asked to refrain from showing emotions and to practice social distancing with the ghosts in haunted houses.

Now, you might be asking: â€œWell, at least I can still go and rub the large feet of a monkey-like god statue in Osaka, right?â€

Wrong! As the following news report shows, visitors to Osakaâ€™s famous Tsutenkaku tower are instructed to instead â€œair touchâ€ the soles of its famous Billiken statue for the time being.

If you werenâ€™t asking the previous question, then you might now be asking: â€œWhat the hell are you talking about?â€

It all started back in 1908, when an American artist by the name of Florence Pretz (no relation to the snack) had a vision of this mysterious creature in a dream. After committing its likeness to paper and giving it the name Billiken, Pretz patented her newfound deity as â€œThe God of Things as They Ought to Be.â€

Around that same time the Meiji restoration was in full swing in Japan, and the country was rapidly embracing Western culture, partly by scooping up the licenses for iconic western figures left and right. This is about the same time that American Kewpie dolls were imported to Japan, only to ultimately become the face of its leading mayonnaise brand.

For better or for worse, a prime minister of Japan during the Billiken fad, Terauchi Masatake, bore an uncanny resemblance to the magical troll and was even nicknamed â€œPrime Minister Billiken.â€

For much of the early 20th century, Billiken lucky charms were enjoying huge popularity in both America and Japan and in 1912 a famous statue of him was placed in the original Tsutenkaku of Luna Park amusement park in what is now the Shinsekai area of Osaka. A Japanese superstition was also promoted that rubbing Billikenâ€™s large protruding feet will bless you with good luck.

Typhoons No. 28 and 29 Bring High Waves to Japan's Pacific Coast

Two typhoons moving across the Pacific southeast of Japan are expected to remain well away from the Japanese mainland, but powerful swells could bring rough seas to a wide stretch of the country's Pacific coastline throughout the three-day holiday weekend, according to forecasts updated at 3 a.m. on October 10.

Cyberattacks Spread Across Japan

A series of cyberattacks has disrupted business operations and exposed millions of customer records across Japan, with a ransomware attack on a cloud service provider affecting 495 companies and local governments nationwide, while convenience store operator Lawson has disclosed a separate breach involving more than 2.15 million personal information records.

Japan's First 360-Degree Projection Mapping Opens in Osaka

Japan's first 360-degree projection mapping show will open at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts on October 10, transforming the historic building into an immersive world of light, music, and seasonal imagery, with organizers hoping the attraction will also help stimulate the city's nighttime economy.

Tokyo University Professor Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Tokyo University of Science professor emeritus Kenzo Soai has been awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with French chemist Henri B. Kagan for discoveries that transformed scientists' understanding of how chemical reactions can favor one of two mirror-image forms of a molecule.

US Military Halts All Okinawa Operations for 48 Hours

The US military suspended activities by all forces stationed in Okinawa for 48 hours from noon on October 7, an unusual measure following the arrest of a US Marine in connection with a robbery and murder case that has renewed scrutiny of crimes involving American service members.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Most Sightings of Fugitive Yoichi Hatta Reported in Kanto

Police in Oita Prefecture have revealed that the Kanto region accounts for the largest number of reported sightings of Yoichi Hatta, a fugitive wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident in Beppu in 2022, with authorities preparing to distribute new wanted posters nationwide from November as the search enters its fifth year.