Hanako San is the name of the ghost of a young girl that is said to haunt school toilets in Japan.
Etymology
Toire no Hanako-san lit. Hanako of the toilet
Description
Hanako-san is usually described as a young girl in school uniform having bobbed hair and wearing a red skirt.
Origin
The urban legend linked to Hanako-san became famous in the 1980s but has existed in parts of Japan since the 1950s. Some stories claim she is the ghost of a WWII-era girl who died in a bombing raid on the school while she was playing hide-and-seek. Other stories claim she is the restless spirit of a young girl who met her end at the hands of an abusive or deranged parent (or a perverted stranger, according to some stories) who found her hiding in the bathroom. In some cases, she is the ghost of a former student who died in an unfortunate accident at the school (one story from Fukushima prefecture, for example, claims she is the ghost of a girl who fell out of the library window).
Behavior
Hanako San is often found in the third stall in the restroom on the third floor — usually the girls’ room — but this can vary from school to school. Hanako-san’s behavior also varies according to location, but in most cases, she remains holed up in the bathroom until an adventurous student dares to provoke her. Hanako-san can be conjured up by knocking on the door to her stall (usually three times), calling her name, and asking a particular question. The most common question is simply “Are you there, Hanako-san?” If Hanako-san is indeed present, she says in a faint voice, “Yes, I’m here.” Some stories claim that anyone courageous enough to open the door at this point is greeted by a little girl in a red skirt and then pulled into the toilet.