Today we are going to talk about a terrifying Japanese game.
Daruma-san's game, also known as the Bathtub Game, is inspired by a children's game called
Daruma San ga Koronda - which means, "Daruma doll fell down".
Daruma dolls are actually traditional figures symbolizing good luck and fortune.
The Daruma-san in this game isn't exactly like that.
Legend says that Daruma was a young Japanese woman who died in her bath.
She tripped and hit her head on the edge of the bathtub while she was taking a bath and
lost an eye when she hit the faucet.
The game is similar to what in Spain is known as one, two, three, English hide and seek.
In the dark version, we are the ones counting while Daruma-san is the one trying to catch
us.
There are several versions of the game, today we are going to talk about the most widespread.
In order to play we must make sure that we are alone, at home, after midnight, and we
have to have a bathtub.
The first thing we have to do is prepare the bath.
We started to fill the bathtub with cold water, I'm sorry if you thought you were going to
take a relaxing bath, here we have come to play.
In order not to freeze, we recommend doing it in the spring-summer season, where the
temperature is more pleasant.
Once we have the bathtub full, we undress as we normally do, turn off the lights and
get inside and sit in the middle in front of the tap.
We have to close our eyes.
You have to wash your head, neck, shoulders, arms and repeat the phrase “Daruma san fell
down, Daruma san fell down”, all the time without stopping.
You have to concentrate and keep your eyes closed, if you have done it right, what will
happen next will leave you breathless.
You will feel the sensation of a blow, you shouldn’t open your eyes and keep repeating
the words.
You may feel Daruma's head resting on your shoulder or strange movements in the water,
but don't open your eyes.
You have summoned Daruma.
If you hear any noise DON’T turn around and DON’T open your eyes.
Ask out loud, "Why did you fall in the bathtub?"
Don't wait for an answer.
Now is the time to get up and end our bath, being careful not to fall, because you will
have to do it with your eyes closed.
Get out of the bathtub and dry yourself very well, put on closed slippers that hold your
foot, we don't want you to slip.
Don't empty the bathtub, get out of the bathroom and close the door.
Now we can open our eyes and go to our room but without turning on the lights.
We put on our pajamas and go to bed to sleep as we would any day.
The next morning, the game will have started as soon as we open our eyes.
Daruma's ghost will start following you throughout the day.
You will feel a constant presence behind you.
If you turn around you won't see anything.
However, if you look over your right shoulder you might see her.
Her hair will be black and tangled, and she will only have one eye.
She will try to get closer and closer to you as the day goes on.
We can know if she is close by the nauseating smell she gives off or by the whispers she
emits.
If you start to feel uncomfortable, yell “Tomare!” , which is stop in Japanese, and Daruma will
stop for a moment that you should take advantage of to run.
But no matter how hard you run, Daruma will find you sooner or later.
DON'T LET SHE CATCH YOU.
You have to finish the game before midnight and you have to be fast.
You must turn to Daruma, look at her and yell “Kitta”, “I let you go” in Japanese,
while you raise your hand and move it up and down, similar to a karate chop.
If you have done it correctly you will have won.
Daruma will be gone.
If you haven't done it right, RUN.
We love discovering all kinds of spooky games but we don't recommend playing Daruma, you
never know what can go wrong.
If you decide to try it, we advise you to be very careful tiktakers, especially when
you get out of the bathtub.
Don't slip!