Tomino’s Hell (Tomino no Jigoku) is a famous Japanese poem written by Yomota Inuhiko (a pseudonym of Saijo Yaso) and published in 1919 in the collection “Sakin”.
Characteristics of the Poem
The poem is renowned for its reputation of being cursed; it is said that reading the poem aloud brings bad luck or misfortune, even death.
It describes Tomino’s journey through hell, using dark and disturbing imagery to represent pain and suffering.
Tomino’s Hell is a composition rich in vivid and macabre descriptions, evoking feelings of anguish and terror. Images of blood, pain, and despair predominate, creating a dark and unsettling atmosphere.
It has a style that recalls Japanese traditions, with language that creates a powerful emotional effect and words that convey a sense of horror and suffering.
Over time, the poem’s fame began to fade until 2004, when the essayist Inuhiko Yomota brought it back to light. The composition was included in one of his books, and the cursed legend of Tomino began to circulate again.
But who was Tomino?
(The Story of the Curse)
According to the legend, Tomino was the true author of the poem: a disabled Japanese girl confined to a wheelchair.
The girl was very sad and angry because, due to her condition, she was not loved by her parents. Through the verses of the poem, she gave free rein to all the resentment she felt towards her illness and her family.
But that’s not all: Tomino, fearing that someone might find her poem, composed it in great secrecy and cursed anyone who read its verses.
Fate had it that her parents found the composition. They were so shocked that they decided to punish the girl by locking her in the cellar, in the cold and dark, without water or food. Not long after, Tomino contracted bronchitis and died.
Before passing away, she transformed her composition into a demonic text.
And so it was that, following her death, a true fusion between the words of the poem and the soul of the unfortunate girl occurred.
From then on, reading that composition aloud has brought terrible calamities.
The first victims of this curse were Tomino’s parents.
Do You Dare to Read It, Dark Souls?
For the bravest, I leave the full text of the poem below. It is said to be dangerous only if read in Japanese and not translated into other languages.
However, if I were you, I would still avoid reading it aloud.
Tomino’s Hell
The older sister vomited blood, the younger sister vomited fire, And the adorable Tomino vomited shards of glass. Tomino fell alone into the deep hell, hell is wrapped in darkness, and even flowers do not bloom. It is Tomino’s sister who has the whip in her hand, I wonder who the person with the whip is. Strike, strike, but without hitting, The familiar hell has only one road. Would you lead him into the darkness of hell, to the golden sheep, from the magnificent singing bird? I wonder how much he put into his leather pocket, in preparation for the familiar hell. Spring is coming even in the forest and the stream, even in the stream of the dark hell. The singing bird in the cage, the sheep in the cart, tears in Tomino’s eyes. Cry, little bird, through the rainy forest. Missing the younger sister. Scream, the echo of the cry reverberates through hell, the peony flowers bloom. Turning in circles for the seven mountains and the seven streams of hell, The journey of the adorable Tomino continues. If they are in hell bring them to me, the needles of the graves. I will not be pierced by the red needle, at the milestones of little Tomino.
Conclusions
The superstition linked to the poem has contributed to its popularity on the internet, where it has been widely shared and discussed on various forums and websites. Despite the unsettling nature of the legend, there is no concrete evidence that reading the poem can cause any harm.
“Tomino’s Hell” has become a classic example of how urban legends can amplify the allure and influence of literary works, especially in the digital age. The poem continues to fascinate and frighten readers, keeping its reputation of being cursed alive.
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