SEO Title: Mystery of “King Oyama” Sign Still Unsolved Meta Description: The mysterious “King Oyama” signs spreading across Japan remain unsolved. Here’s the latest progress report and key Japanese phrases to learn.
About a month ago, a Japanese news site published an article asking a simple question: Who is “King Oyama”? Despite a wave of reader tips, the mystery remains unsolved — and now we have an official progress report.
The phrase used in Japanese is 経過報告 (keika houkoku), meaning “status update” or “progress report.” That’s exactly what this follow-up article provides.
The Expanding Mystery of “King Oyama”
According to the original report, mysterious signs reading キング大山 (Kingu Ōyama) began appearing across the Kanto region in the second half of last year. Since then, their numbers have steadily increased.
Recently, a reader even reported that a King Oyama sign had 出現した (shutsugen shita) — “appeared” — in Hakata, far from Kanto. This suggests the signs may be spreading nationwide.
What makes these signs distinctive?
- A man wearing a hat (possibly King Oyama himself)
- The bold text キング大山
- A symbol modeled after the shape of a right hand
Interestingly, readers also noted small variations. Some versions show different types of cards in the man’s left hand. Others show no card at all. So while the signs look almost identical, there appear to be multiple versions.
And here’s the strangest part: There’s no URL. No QR code. No explanation.
The purpose of the signs — and the 正体 (shoutai), or true identity, of King Oyama — remains completely unknown.
Contacting a Possible “King Oyama”
After the first article was published, many readers 情報をお寄せいただいた (jouhou o oyose itadaita) — “kindly sent in information.”
Among the tips, one stood out: King Oyama might be the CEO of a certain company.
The writer chose to 控える (hikaeru) — withhold — specific details for now. However, based on attached images, the person in question does resemble the man on the sign.
So what happened next?
The reporter submitted an interview request through the company’s website. In Japanese, the article uses a humble expression:
取材申請をした次第である。
This formal phrasing adds distance and professionalism. It reflects a common style in Japanese reporting.
Unfortunately, there has been no reply so far. Just before publishing this update, the reporter tried contacting the company again.
At present, they are simply waiting for a response.
Still Investigating — Not Giving Up
The author admits they had hoped to reveal the mystery completely before publishing another article. They even describe their situation as 私の力不足 — “my lack of ability.”
However, because so many readers have been asking, “What’s happening?”, the site decided to provide this 経過報告 (keika houkoku).
Importantly, they emphasize:
They have not forgotten about King Oyama. They have not given up.
The investigation will 引き続き (hikitsuzuki) continue.
And if you have information, they want to hear from you.
Cultural Context: Why This Is So Japanese
Mysterious advertisements are not unheard of in Japan. Sometimes they’re guerrilla marketing campaigns. Other times they’re personal projects that quietly grow through curiosity.
What’s especially interesting here is the tone of the reporting. Japanese media often uses very polite and humble phrasing, even in casual web articles. Expressions like 〜させていただく (~sasete itadaku) appear frequently when the writer wants to show respect toward readers or interview subjects.
That politeness reflects broader Japanese communication culture — even when chasing a mystery.
Learn Japanese from This Article
Let’s break down some key vocabulary and grammar you can use in real life.
Key Vocabulary
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 正体 | shoutai | true identity; real nature |
| 経過報告 | keika houkoku | progress report; status update |
| 出現する | shutsugen suru | to appear; to show up |
| 情報をお寄せいただく | jouhou o oyose itadaku | to kindly receive information |
| 控える | hikaeru | to refrain from; to withhold |
| 辿り着く | tadoritsuku | to finally reach after effort |
| 引き続き | hikitsuzuki | continuously; hereafter; keep on |
Example Sentences
犯人の正体はまだ不明です。 Hannin no shoutai wa mada fumei desu. The criminal’s true identity is still unknown.
調査は引き続き行います。 Chousa wa hikitsuzuki okonaimasu. The investigation will continue.
やっと答えに辿り着きました。 Yatto kotae ni tadoritsukimashita. I finally arrived at the answer.
Grammar Spotlight
1️⃣ 〜させていただく (Humble “let me do”)
Structure: Verb (causative て-form) + いただく
Used to politely say “I will humbly do…” or “Please allow me to…”
Example from the article context:
- 経過報告をさせていただきます。 Keika houkoku o sasete itadakimasu. I would like to provide a progress report.
This structure is extremely common in formal Japanese. It shows humility and respect.
2️⃣ 〜つつある (Gradually doing / In progress)
Structure: Verb stem + つつある
Meaning: Something is in the process of happening.
Example based on the article:
- 全国に広がりつつある。 Zenkoku ni hirogari tsutsu aru. It is gradually spreading nationwide.
This grammar often appears in news writing when describing trends.
Useful Expression
- 現段階では返信待ちです。 Gen dankai de wa henshin machi desu. At this stage, we are waiting for a reply.
You’ll see 現段階 (gen dankai – “current stage”) frequently in formal updates.
Continue Learning
📚 Want to understand the verb forms used here? Check out Masu Form: Mastering Polite Everyday Speech.
📚 To understand more about lifestyle, explore our Greetings and Self-Introductions: Authentic Entry Phrases lesson.
📚 Curious about the Japanese used here? Our Basic Vocabulary Building: Embracing Words Without Latin Ties lesson covers this in depth.
Basic Vocabulary Building: Embracing Words Without Latin Ties
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