In the depths of the Internet, there is room for all kinds of urban legends of different natures, each more terrifying than the last. One that has gained popularity thanks to the phenomenon of social networks and creepypastas is known as the "Tomino's poem," an ancient Japanese composition that carries with it a (they say) terrible curse.
The confusing story of Tomino's poem, a deadly poem
As a good legend from the underbelly of the Internet, the data about the poem Tomino's Hell is confusing and not at all reliable; rather the result of rumors than of reliable research.
Who wrote Tomino's poem?
Many cyber portals claim that the cursed poem was written in 1919 by a certain Yomota Inuhiko and that it was included in a book, "The Heart is Like a Rolling Stone." According to accounts, this work was published decades later by another author, Saizo Yaso.
Here things get complicated: several links agree that the original writer of the poem was a university professor based in France, with a tendency to include certain macabre symbolism in his works, many of which were titles for children. Others argue that he was actually a renowned literary critic in Japan.
Likewise, we find another confusing fact about the writer who supposedly included Tomino's poem in his collection. In many creepypasta links, he is listed as Saizo Yaso, while others mention that it is a typographical error and that his real name was Saijo Yaso. It is true that Saijo Yaso was a writer of poetry and novels, but nowhere is it stated that one of his creations was titled as we mentioned above.
More diffuse data
However, the battle to unravel the mystery of the macabre poem doesn't end with the name of who wrote or found it. If we enter the title of the supposed collection book in the search engine, we do not find any information about its plot that is not linked to the legend of Tomino, nor about where it can be obtained, or even a simple image of the cover of any edition.
What happens if Tomino's poem is read aloud?
The legend that has become popular on the Internet holds that whoever reads Tomino's poem aloud and in its original version will suffer a curse from which they can't escape.
If read to the end, several tragedies (including, who knows, death) will begin to befall both the person who dared such recklessness and their relatives.
The new Internet challenge: recording oneself reading Tomino's poem
It is not well known at what point the conjectures about the legend of Tomino's Hell began to spread (it is said that it could have been the 2ch forum, one of the largest communities on the web). Whether due to collective panic or simply a desire to fuel the rumors, many do not dare to recite these verses for fear of what might happen to them.
But, as we well know, social networks are the loudspeaker through which many make themselves known to the world, through personal channels or private accounts. Now, the challenge that is in vogue among creepypasta lovers is the following: recording oneself reading live (and in Japanese) the verses of Tomino's Poem while broadcasting to subscribers.
From the 2ch portal, the ominous writing gained fame and caught the attention of those who do not mind risking it to gain more followers. While it is true that many YouTubers and webcamers returned to their cameras shortly after without showing signs of having suffered any trauma from the experience, others did not upload more videos or post anything. Had something really happened, or was it a desire to fuel the myth, trying to spread fear to other users?
Tomino's Poem
Tomino's poem is about a boy, Tomino, who dies under tragic circumstances; and whose soul is doomed to descend into hell. Verse by verse, we are horrified as his spirit encounters all kinds of ominous images that bring him closer and closer to a destiny of eternal torture.
We do not know if the legends about Tomino's Hell are true or pure invention, so we leave it to your responsibility whether to recite it aloud or not.
Tomino's Poem
Tomino No Jigoku
His older sister vomited blood, his younger sister vomited fire
Ane wa chi wo haku, imoto wa hihaku,
And the cute Tomino vomited glass beads
kawaii tomino wa tama wo haku
Tomino fell into hell alone.
hitori jihoku ni ochiyuku tomino,
Hell is wrapped in darkness, and even flowers do not grow
jigoku kurayami hana mo naki.
Is the person with the whip Tomino's older sister?
muchi de tataku wa tomino no aneka,
I wonder whose whip it is.
muchi no shubusa ga ki ni kakaru.
Strike, strike, without striking
tatake yatataki yare tataka zutotemo,
A single path of familiar hell
mugen jigoku wa hitotsu michi.
Would you guide him to the dark hell?
kurai jigoku e anai wo tanomu,
toward the golden sheep?, toward the nightingale?
kane no hitsu ni, uguisu ni.
I wonder how much was put in the leather pocket
kawa no fukuro ni yaikura hodoireyo,
For the preparation of the journey through familiar hell
mugen jigoku no tabishitaku.
Spring comes even in the forest and steam
haru ga kitesoru hayashi ni tani ni,
Even in the steam of the dark hell
kurai jigoku tanina namagari.
The nightingale in the cage, the sheep in the cart
kagoni yauguisu, kuruma ni yahitsuji,
Tears in the eyes of the cute Tomino.
kawaii tomino no me niya namida.
Cry, nightingale, for the rainy forest
nakeyo, uguisu, hayashi no ame ni
His cries that he has lost his little sister.
imouto koishi to koe ga giri.
The crying reverberated throughout hell
nakeba kodama ga jigoku ni hibiki,
The peony buds
kitsunebotan no hana ga saku.
Making circles around the seven mountains and the seven streams of hell
jigoku nanayama nanatani meguru,
The lonely journey of Tomino
kawaii tomino no hitoritabi.
If they are in hell, bring them to me
jigoku gozarabamo de kitetamore,
The needle of the graves
hari no oyama no tomebari wo.
I will not pierce them with the red needle.
akai tomehari date niwa sasanu,
In the mark of little Tomino
kawaii tomino no mejirushini