{{Short description|Japanese group activity to test courage}} {{redirect|Test of courage|the 1991 boxing match of that name|Ray Mercer vs. Tommy Morrison}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2018}}
'''Kimodameshi''' ({{lang|ja|肝試し}} or {{lang|ja|きもだめし}}, {{ipa|ja|kʲimodaꜜmeɕi|pron}}; {{lit.}} "testing one's liver"),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ygzPAAAAMAAJ&q=kimodameshi+liver|title=History of Traditional Medicine: Proceedings of the 1st and 2nd International Symposia on the Comparative History of Medicine--East and West : 1st Symposium: October 22-28, 1976, 2nd Symposium: October 23-29, 1977, Susuno-shi, Shizuoka, Japan|first=Teizō|last=Ogawa|date=April 20, 1986|publisher=Division of Medical History, the Taniguchi Foundation|accessdate=April 20, 2018|via=Google Books}}</ref> known in English as a '''test of courage''', is a Japanese activity in which people explore frightening and potentially dangerous places to build up courage.<ref>[https://kotobank.jp/word/%E8%82%9D%E8%A9%A6%E3%81%97-475896 肝試し] - コトバンク</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VBHQAgAAQBAJ&q=kimodameshi&pg=PT312|title=Tuttle Compact Japanese Dictionary, 2nd Edition: Japanese-English English-Japanese|first=Samuel E.|last=Martin|date=February 12, 2013|publisher=Tuttle Publishing|isbn=9781462910823|accessdate=April 20, 2018|via=Google Books}}</ref>
At night, usually during the summer, a group of people visits an ominous place such as a cemetery, haunted house, or secluded forest path to carry out specific missions there.<ref>[https://okinawa.stripes.com/news/kimodameshi-putting-chill-japanese-summer Kimodameshi: Putting a chill in the Japanese summer] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409183619/https://okinawa.stripes.com/news/kimodameshi-putting-chill-japanese-summer |date=April 9, 2018 }} - Stripes Okinawa</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JS3rAAAAMAAJ&q=kimodameshi+game|title=Yoshitoshi's Strange Tales|first=John|last=Stevenson|date=April 20, 2018|publisher=Hotei Publishing|isbn=9789074822718|accessdate=April 20, 2018|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/06/miyamoto_and_the_super_mario_kart_team_on_drifting_battle_mode_and_creating_tension_on_the_track|title=Miyamoto And The Super Mario Kart Team On Drifting, Battle Mode And Creating Tension On The Track|date=June 29, 2016|website=nintendolife.com|accessdate=April 20, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mHvYAAAAMAAJ&q=kimodameshi+game|title=The Children's Folklore Review|author=|date=April 20, 2018|publisher=East Carolina University|accessdate=April 20, 2018|via=Google Books}}</ref> The exercise teaches the group that, working together, they can overcome their fear.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/orientstrikesbac0000hend|url-access=registration|quote=kimodameshi game.|title=The Orient strikes back: a global view of cultural display|first=Joy|last=Hendry|date=October 1, 2000|publisher=Berg|isbn=9781859733332|accessdate=April 20, 2018|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
== History == In ''Ōkagami'', a Japanese historical tale from the early 12th century, it is written that Emperor Kazan sent three of Fujiwara no Kaneie's sons to a house purportedly haunted by ''oni'' at 3 o'clock in the morning; only Fujiwara no Michinaga succeeded in visiting the house, returning with a sword-damaged wooden post as evidence. This suggests that the idea of a "test of courage" had existed near the end of Japan's Heian period.
== Modern day == Kimodameshi may be overseen and carried out by school clubs or summer camps. In such instances, some preparation may be involved, and others may assume the role of scaring the participants.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}
=== Law === Without proper consideration, kimodameshi can result in crimes being committed, such as trespassing (per Article 130 of the Penal Code of Japan), vandalism (Article 261), and intimidation or coercion of those unwilling to participate (Articles 222 and 223).
==See also== * Ghost hunting * Haunted house * Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai * Kaidan, Japanese ghost stories * Legend tripping
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Culture of Japan Category:Ghosts Category:Parapsychology Category:Pseudoscience Category:Hobbies Category:Summer traditions
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