Monsterpedia: Turbo Bachan

Turbo Bachan as depicted in the video game, Megami Tensei

Today, I am going to talk about Turbo Bachan (ターボばあちゃん). Turbo Bachan, also known as turbo-granny, is a popular urban legend originating around the highways of Mount Rokko in Hyogo Prefecture in Japan. The story soon gains traction. Soon, there were sightings all over Japan.

Landmarks: Doai Train Station

Do you think  the previous post on Kisaragi Station is creepy? 

Well, meet Doai station (土合駅)! The station has two single side platforms, one of which is located underground. Located some 70 metres (230 feet) below ground level, the underground platform makes the station (as of 2016) deepest in Japan!  According to hikers who used the station, it takes approximately 10 minutes to walk from the ticket gate down to the underground platform. If this is not troubling enough, the station is an unattended. On average, only 24 people use the station per day. 

Contraptions: Kanpai! Samurai Whisky

Kanpai! I am not into alcohol but I felt that this whisky bottle is too cool to miss out. The Nikka Gold & Gold Samurai edition was launched as a duty free exclusive. As of May 2016, the whisky bottle has a price of around 5000 Japanese Yen (around 60 Canadian Dollars). However, like any exclusive items that attracts a following , it had since found its way into various auctioning sites.

Urban Legends: The Nanshan Company

The story, The Headless Nanshan Company 南山連的無頭部隊, I am going to talk about today comes from Taiwan (aka. Republic of China).

It comes from Qingqi village 青岐村 in Kinmen. The village was heavily shelled by the PLA (People's Liberation Army) during the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis, which happened between August 23, 1958 and September 22, 1958. Today, many places in the village bored scars from the battle.  The village was also largely depopulated, as many young men and women have left the village for better opportunities in Taiwan, leaving behind the elderly. Qingqi village is truly haunted by its past. 


The best narration of this legend I found  came from a soldier who was once stationed in Kinmen. According to the soldier, his story came from an elderly store owner who ran a general store in Qingli Village. For the 60 years he lived, the old store owner stayed on Kinmen. Hence, he knew everything about Kinmen and is well versed with its many ghost stories.