The Ghost In My Machine

Stories of the Strange and Unusual

The Most Dangerous Games: Tsuji-ura, Or The Fortune Game

by

Previously: Closet To Another World.

There are seemingly variations of what’s often referred to as Tsuji-ura, the Fortune Game, or Crossroads Divination all over the world — or at least, that’s what the lore of the game would have us believe. Tsuji-ura is obviously the Japanese version; in Europe, it’s supposedly known as Crossroads Divination; and more broadly, it’s often just called the Fortune Game. It’s all over the internet, and usually in the same form, so sometimes I wonder if it’s really just a creepypasta — but no matter what you call it or where you think it came from, the point of playing it is always the same: To get a glimpse of your future.

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Regardless of whether the Fortune Game is fakelore or folklore, though, crossroads do hold a certain reputation in the folklore of many cultures: For some, crossroads are where werewolves transform; for others, they’re places where the Fae can make their way into the world of humans; some believe that love potions or memory spells are more potent if performed at a crossroads; and for many, they’re places where one might meet with a demon or the Devil — and possibly strike a deal with whomever it is that you encounter. Crossroads are liminal spaces, places that are neither here nor there — and that gives them power.  

But although humans often long to harness that power, we’re not always successful. So, as always… play at your own risk.

Players:

  • One principal.

Requirements:

  • One comb.
  • Something with which to cover your face.
  • A crossroads.

Instructions:

The Summoning:

  1. Begin at night.
  2. Go to your crossroads. Bring your comb and your face covering with you.
  3. Make the comb speak: Strum its teeth with your fingers three times.
  4. Repeat the following words three times: “Tsuji-ura, tsuji-ura, grant me a true response.”
  5. Wait.
  6. Be patient.
  7. Wait.
  8. Watch.
    • If no one else approaches the crossroads: The ritual has failed. Do not proceed. You may try again another time.
    • If someone you know approaches the crossroads: The ritual has failed. Do not proceed. You may try again another time.
    • If a stranger approaches the crossroads: The ritual has succeeded. You may proceed.

The Stranger:

  1. As soon as you see the stranger approach, cover your face with your face covering. Do NOT uncover your face until it is safe to do so.
  2. When the stranger is close enough to speak to, you may request that they tell you your fortune. Be polite: Ask; do not demand. Do NOT uncover your face.
    • If the stranger does not answer: Do not proceed. Let them go. When they have gone, you may remove your face covering. Wait for another stranger to approach. Try again.
    • If the stranger refuses: Do not proceed. Let them go. When they have gone, you may remove your face covering. Wait for another stranger to approach. Try again.
    • If the stranger agrees to answer: You may proceed. Do NOT uncover your face.
  3. Listen to what the stranger says.
  4. Listen closely.
  5. Listen carefully.
  6. When the stranger has finished speaking, thank them for their time and let them go. Do NOT uncover your face… yet.
  7. When the stranger has gone, you may remove your face covering.

The Rest Of Your Life:

  1. Go home.
  2. Live your life.
  3. Are you comfortable, knowing what you now know?
  4. I hope so.
  5. I really, really hope so.

Additional Notes:

The game be played in any environment. Urban, suburban, or rural environments are all acceptable, as long as there is a crossroads present in your chosen location.

The game may be played with more than one player. Any additional players beyond the principal are bystanders.

Any item that may be used to hide your face is acceptable as a face covering. Recommended face coverings include, but are not limited to:

  • Veils, scarves, or cloths draped over the head;
  • Books or magazines held in front of the face;
  • Knit hats pulled down over the head and face;
  • Large-brimmed hats held in front of the face;
  • Etc.

Concerning Bystanders:

Bystanders do not need combs; however, bystanders should each have their own face covering.

Should a stranger approach in The Summoning: Step 8, bystanders should use their face coverings to cover their faces in the same manner as the principal. Bystanders should NOT look at the stranger. Bystanders should NOT remove their face coverings until it is safe to do so.

Bystanders should remain as quiet as possible throughout the game.

Bystanders should not interfere with the game in any way.

Concerning The Summoning Words:

There is some debate over whether the summoning words must be spoken entirely in one language, or whether it is acceptable to mix words from multiple languages. You may mix languages; if you choose to do this, your summoning words will remain as previously written (“Tsuji-ura, tsuji-ura, grant me a true response”). If you do not wish to mix languages, you may either:

Success is not guaranteed, but the choice is yours.

Concerning What The Stranger Tells You:

The stranger can only tell you what they know.

They cannot tell you what to do with that information.

That… is entirely up to you.

Act wisely.

Tsuji-ura: FAQ.

***

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[Photo via Seba Bertoni/Unsplash]

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Crossroads as in the one big enough for vehicles to pass(asphalt road etc) or can it be any road/path intersecting one another(dirt path, stepping stones etc)??

    Reply

    • I’m no expert on this subject, but I’d guess that any intersection of two defined paths would work. I don’t think supernatural beings are very picky about whether vehicles can pass or not.

      Reply

  5. By “stranger,” should we take this to mean a supernatural entity of some kind, like the entity in the Stranger Ritual (not that whatever comes to the crossroads would be the titular Stranger, per se; but some other kind of being with powers of foresight)? The rules state that this game can be played anywhere, but I’d think that it wouldn’t really work “properly” if you played it in crowded areas. Sure, you’d run into a lot of strangers, but they couldn’t really tell you a real fortune. Not if they’re your average, run-of-the-mill human being, anyway.
    Having said that, if you played by some crossroads in the middle of nowhere, it’s not out of the question that whomever approaches you is also a normal person too. But I figure the odds of being found by some strange entity are (arguably?) better in places where there’s less traffic by humans.
    I guess my question is, how much does your location factor in the success of this ritual? Are there locations that are more apt to bring a successful summoning (and therefore a more accurate reading of one’s future)?

    Reply

    • I can’t answer your question, but I can tell you why you are asked to choose crossroads. I did some research on this game and found out the following: In some cultures, probably Japanese, it is believed that the souls of the dead or even the devil walk along crossroads late at night. So, it means you might get to ask for your future to be predicted not just by a dead guy enjoying his nightly walk, but Satan himself. However, I still maintain that NO ONE can predict your future, your future is not decided, its all in your hands. You make your own future. If I did meet the devil himself while playing this game, I’d have another reason not to believe in this, because I wouldn’t trust the information given to me by someone who is called ‘The Father of all Lies’. You’ll just be fed wrong information by him or some random dead person, whichever you meet. Whatever you are told, DON’T BELIEVE IT. Don’t play this game in the first place. Instead work towards having a great future and do all the stuff everyone said you weren’t talented enough to do. Again, your future can’t be predicted. YOU MAKE YOUR OWN FUTURE.

      Reply

      • No, I get that. I knew about Satan’s penchant for strolling abroad near the crossroads at night, as well as his status as “the Father of all Lies.” I completely agree that any being who claims to know your future should not be trusted, and that playing this game would be a total crap-shoot. I have no intention of playing, don’t worry; but I appreciate the warning nonetheless.
        All that being said, though: for the sake of the argument, if indeed you could get your fortune told by “a dead guy enjoying his nightly walk” (great sentence, by the way), would you have a better shot of finding said dead guy in a more, or less, populated area? Do certain areas have better “reception” for fortune-telling dead guys? Liminal spaces, maybe?

        Reply

        • I don’t think the population thing is gonna matter in finding dead guys. After all, this has to be done late at night, so there wouldn’t be any other people around anyway. Glad you liked my dead guy sentence, by the way.

          Reply

      • I’d say it’s for the protection of your own sanity. Viewing the stranger’s face could paralyze you, curse your eyesight, cause them to feel intimidated, there’s tons of possibilities.

        Reply

  9. At the beginning of the ritual when you’re supposed to wait and if I see someone I know the ritual has failed right? Define “someone I know”. Do you mean “know” as a face I have seen or someone I socialize with. Along with that, if I were to see a stranger and if your answer to my first question was someone I socialize with, would someone I know in terms of face but not personally suffice as a stranger? Or is it some supernatural being?

    Reply

    • To help answer your first question, I’d assume it would be ANYONE you may have seen before, whether it be someone you know personally or someone you happened to glance by at in the grocery store. It says to make sure it is someone you positively do not know. The “stranger” could be a supernatural being, but to whether or not is this confirmed, I have not yet seen. But I would say it is some otherworldy being considering they are all knowing.

      Reply

  11. So, I don’t know about you guys, but this seems like a dangerous game to play in general, even if you’re a skeptic.

    Reply

    • It’s not.

      I happened to be the one stranger answering a player’s question. It all depends of how cool the person you meet is

      Reply

    • If the fortune doesn’t happen, then this game is just a game. But you still shouldn’t play anyway. Never know what will happen…

      Reply

  14. Oh, so that’s what the weird girl I met after work was doing!
    She was covering her face with a notebook and suddenly asked me about her fortune (I nearly scream because of the shock)

    I stood there puzzled for a moment until I realized she was not moving; so I straight-up answered: ”You’ll give someone a heart-attack someday”… then left XD
    Wonder how she felt about that fortune-telling.

    Reply

  17. I imagine a person runing home completely freaked out and telling a story about meeting a “ghost” on the crossroad, with covered face who was asking weird questions and refused to look at him. And that’s how creepy stories come to life 😀 P.S.: hope you understand, I am not a native speaker.

    Reply

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