What is the purple mirror?
Murasaki kagami (“purple mirror”) is an urban legend that if you still remember the words “purple mirror” when you turn 20, you will die or suffer misfortune. Because the harder you try to forget it after hearing it, the more you remember, it has been told among children as a scary story where “once you know it, it’s too late.”
A rumor that spread among children
The rumor spread among elementary and junior high school students all over Japan from the late Showa to the Heisei era. Various origin stories are told, such as a girl who died after scribbling on a mirror with purple paint, but where it really came from is unknown.
Words that cancel the purple mirror
The legend comes with words that cancel the curse: remember “white crystal,” “light blue mirror” or “pink mirror” along with it, and you will be fine. Since most adults who know the story are living perfectly well past 20, it is often told as a childhood memory.
