Urban Legends, Vol. 1: Japanese Urban Legends

Okiku Doll

The Okiku doll, named after the doll's first owner. The doll is quite big—40 centimeters (1'3″) in height— and wears a kimono.

The Okiku doll can be found at the Mannenji Temple in Iwamizawa, in the Hokkaido prefecture. 

The legend goes that a teenage boy bought the doll for his two-year-old sister, Okiku. Okiku loved the doll; she played with it every day, dressed it up, spoke to it. Tragically, their friendship was short-lived: The girl died. Her family refused to get rid of the doll. After some time, they noticed its hair was growing, so they concluded that the spirit of their daughter resided within the doll. In 1938, they made the executive decision to hand the doll over to the temple, where it remains to this very day.

Some people say that her hair is trimmed annually.