Our new favorite hole in the wall.
Every city has a few mystery spots here and there where something is created and left for others to discover, but the reason why is sometimes only known to the people who did it. Our reporter Mr. Sato discovered one such spot not too far from him in Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood, where there’s been some buzz on social media about a wall that gives you your fortune.
After some online research, Mr. Sato found the location of this wall of fortune called “Kabe Uranai” and set out to see it in person.
The wall is located in the Miyamasuzaka area of Shibuya, but it’s a little tucked away. According to Mr. Sato, you have to take the exit from Shibuya Station heading for Miyamasuzaka and walk up the slope. When you see an Excelsior Caffe on the corner, turn right. From there you’ll see a restaurant called Steak Rice no Mise that has “Japanese Steak Bowl” written on the sign in English.
I suppose we could give you a map, but there should be some element of adventure when seeking out a mysterious fortune-telling wall.
The wall is just to the right of the steakhouse, and it’s rather easy to miss. Although it is slightly different from its surrounding wall, it’s very unassuming, with what looks like an ordinary electrical box connected to it.
However, that box is actually the control panel for Kabe Uranai.
Inside is a terminal that you can use to purchase your fortune. It costs 999 yen (US$6.30), and the wall accepts credit card, QR code payment, and other digital payment services, but does not accept cash. Mr. Sato was able to use his Suica prepaid card here.
On the inside of the door were instructions explaining that if you pay the money and touch the wall, you’ll receive a pack of fortune cards with instructions to follow. As you can see, the wall of fortune has full English guidance so even people from other countries can enjoy it.
After paying the money, Mr. Sato placed his hand on the wall…
Suddenly, it made a rumbling sound and the stone began to move!
Underneath it was his treasure: a pack of fortune cards bathed in a golden beam of light.
It was all pretty exciting and made Mr. Sato feel like Indiana Jones for a moment. He took his cards and the stone slid back into place.
Inside each pack are nine cards. The first two are instructions, and the other seven are randomly selected. Mr. Sato won’t spoil the surprise, but they’re kind of a mix between fortune-telling and sending you to certain places in the area.
Regardless of where Mr. Sato’s cards took him, the whole experience was very fun, and he’d recommend it to anyone in the area. And for those not in the area, it appears that Kabe Uranai walls will be appearing elsewhere too. One is scheduled to open in Ikebukuro in November, Nagoya in December, and Osaka in 2027.
Who knows where one will appear after that? You’d need some kind of fortune-telling wall to figure that out.
Wall information
Kabe Uranai / 壁占い
Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Shibuya 1-12-24
東京都渋谷区渋谷１丁目１２−２４
Open 24 hours
Website
Photos ©SoraNews24
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