What is the kotoribako?
The kotoribako (“child-taking box”) is a cursed object in the shape of a small wooden puzzle box decorated with marquetry. Gruesome materials are said to be sealed inside, and a powerful curse takes the lives of women and children who are near it.
The original story
The kotoribako story comes from an account posted in 2005 to the “seriously scary stories” thread on the occult board of an internet forum. A strange wooden box found in a friend’s family storehouse leads a man connected to a Shinto shrine to explain its origins, and the history of cursed boxes made in a certain rural community unfolds. Specific details in the post, such as how the boxes were made and names like “hakkai,” made the story all the more chilling.
Does the kotoribako exist?
The kotoribako spread purely as an internet story or account, and no material showing that it actually exists has been found. Consideration is also needed for the real people of the area named as its setting. It is still passed on as one of the most accomplished works of Japanese internet horror.
