The Most Dangerous Games: The Kagome Séance Ritual Game

Previously: The Three-Mask Ritual Game.

In Japan, there’s a commonly-played children’s game called Kagome Kagome. The Kagome Séance ritual game is… not that game. Sure, it uses the rhyming song used in Kagome Kagome as a sort of summoning chant — but then after that? It’s something else entirely.

Kagome Kagome itself has been around for quite some time; we have record of it dating back to the late Edo period. In this form, it’s is similar to Western nursery rhyme games like London Bridge Is Falling Down, Blind Man’s Buff, or even Duck, Duck, Goose. To play it, first, one player is chosen as the oni — the demon — and blindfolded. The other players, usually numbering five or six, then form a circle around the oni and join hands. They sing a song while rotating around the oni; then, when the song ends, the oni must guess which player is positioned behind them.

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The precise lyrics for the Kagome Kagome rhyme have regional variations; sometimes even the game itself changes a bit depending on where you are. But the broad strokes are usually quite similar, if not identical, and it’s not hard to see the connective tissue between all of the different versions of it that exist.

Not unlike the Western nursery rhyme game Ring Around The Rosy, there are also a wide variety of theories about what the lyrics to Kagome Kagome mean and where the rhyme originated. Some of them are… let’s call it a little more out there than others.

This, perhaps, is what led to the development of the séance version of Kagome Kagome: The original rhyme sounds creepy; ergo, why not make it even creepier?

And so, we have Kagome Séance, which seems to be relatively recent, in the grand scheme of things. To the best of my knowledge, it started circulating the internet via 2ch/5ch around 2017, and saw greater spread elsewhere on the internet — including YouTube — in 2023 and 2024.

The paper dolls you’ll create for this game are katashiro — stand-ins for people often used in Shinto rituals or rites. Here, they’re standing in for the five or six human players traditionally used in Kagome Kagome.

Do NOT attempt to play this game with other humans instead of the katashiro. It… will probably go poorly.

As always, play at your own risk.

Players:

• One principal.

Requirements:

• Paper — several sheets. Better to have too many than too few.
• Scissors.
• A writing implement.
• A mirror.
• A candle. (See: Additional Notes.)
• Matches or a lighter. (See: Additional Notes.)
• A fire extinguisher and/or other fire safety tools. (See: Additional Notes.)
• A small, fireproof dish.
• A dark, quiet room in which to play.

Instructions:

Making The Preparations:

1. You may begin at any time, although nighttime is recommended.
2. Gather your supplies. Take them to your playing space.
3. Clear a large, empty space on the floor. Move any flammable items or fire hazards out of the way, or remove them from the room entirely. Dim the lights; make the environment as dark as you can stand, while still being able to move about the room with relative ease.
4. When the room is ready, ensure that you will not be disturbed for the duration of the game. Then, close the door.
5. Take stock of your paper supply. Set aside one single sheet.
6. Using the scissors, take up the remaining sheets of paper and cut five or six human-shaped figures from them. A template for these paper dolls may be found here, if you require one; additionally, you may use your writing implement to sketch out the paper dolls on the paper before you cut them. Do NOT cut the sheet of paper you previously set aside. Leave that sheet whole and untouched.
7. Choose a name for each paper doll. (See: Additional Notes.)
8. Then, using the writing implement, write these names on each of the paper dolls.

9. Retrieve the sheet of paper you previously set aside. Using the writing implement, write the following words — the following rules — on it:

“I am a bird — a bird in a cage.

You are the cage. When you are the cage, you may speak with me as you will.

But there is a limit to this: Only while the candle is lit and melting away.

When the candle melts and the flame goes out, I am no longer a bird and you are no longer a cage.

This is the moment when the ties between you and me are severed.”

10. Place the paper dolls on the ground in the shape of a pentagram or hexagram — a pentagram if you chose to cut out five paper dolls; a hexagram if you chose to cut out six. The dolls should be placed such that the sides on which their names are written are facing up.
11. Sit down in the middle of the pentagram or hexagram. Keep the piece of paper with the rules of the game written upon it with you.
12. Place the mirror in front of you.
13. Place the candle behind you.
14. Place the lighter nearby.
15. Place the fire extinguisher within easy reach.
16. Light the candle.
17. Now: Begin.

Singing The Song:

1. Once the candle has been lit, take up the sheet of paper with the rules written upon it and read those rules out loud, clearly and distinctly. Then, place the list of rules on the ground between yourself and the mirror in front of you.
2. Now: Close your eyes.
3. Now: Recite or sing “Kagome Kagome.” The rhyme is as follows:

“Kagome Kagome, the bird in the cage,

When, when will you come out?

At dawn, the crane and the turtle slipped away.

Who is behind me?”

4. Now: Open your eyes.
5. Look in the mirror — but not at yourself. Look into the space behind you. What do you see?
   • If you see nothing: The ritual has not succeeded; nor, however, has it failed. You may speak to the mirror in an attempt to coax your correspondent out. Do this either until you see… something, or until the candle melts to nothing.
     • If you eventually see… something: Proceed to Singing The Song, Step 6.
     • If the candle melts to nothing: Proceed to Ending The Game, Step 1.
   • If you see… something: The ritual has succeeded; your correspondent has arrived. You may proceed.
6. You may now speak to your correspondent. You may ask questions, although do not demand answers; you may converse with then, although do not insist upon replies.
7. Do NOT leave the center of the pentagram or hexagram until the candle has melted away to nothing and there is no wax left to burn.
8. If the candle goes out while there is still wax to burn, relight it IMMEDIATELY.
9. Do NOT attempt to end the game before the candle has melted away to nothing and there is no wax left to burn.

Ending The Game:

1. When the candle has melted to nothing — when there is no wax left to burn, and the flame has gone out — then, and only then, may you end the game.
2. To end the game, clap your hands together once and speak aloud the following words: “Thank you for your hard work.”
3. Gather up the paper dolls and place them in the fireproof dish. Then, burn them — all of them. Burn them as completely as possible, until nothing but ash remains. Dispose of the ash in running water.

Additional Notes:

Due to the use of candles and open flames, this game should be considered a fire hazard. Should you choose to play, it is recommended that you exercise commonsense fire safety precautions, including removing flammable items from the area, ensuring you have one or more fire extinguishers available and within easy reach, etc. We are not responsible for anything that may befall you or anyone else, should you choose to play this game.

Regarding the candle: A very small tea light is ideal, due to the relatively short burn time and self-contained construction. It is NOT recommended that you use large candles, multi-wick candles, or candles with very long burn times. Remember: You CANNOT end the game before the candle has exhausted its own wax reserves and is no longer capable of remaining lit. You wouldn’t want to set yourself up for a 45-hour game, now, would you?

Regarding the mirror: The mirror may be of any size; it is, however, recommended that you choose a mirror that is able to stand up on its own. Do not lay the mirror flat on the ground.

Regarding the paper dolls and their names: The names may belong to real people, either living or dead; or, they may be the names of animals. Additionally, you need not choose a different name for each paper doll, although you may if you like. The dolls may all bear the same name, or they may all bear different names; the choice is yours.

Regarding The Rules, And Your Correspondent:

Do NOT neglect to lay out the rules clearly and precisely for your correspondent.

If you do not, you may find that you have opened yourself up to an… unwanted visitor.

And once they take up residence inside you — you might find it difficult to convince them to leave.

***

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[Photos via blackrabbitkdj, PublicDomainPictures, kascreates, Pezibear/Pixabay]