Octopus charm helps students pass entrance examinations!
Entrance exam season is starting, and companies all across Japan are scrambling to release products that bestow academic prowess and/or luck upon test-takers. One company located in a fishing town of Ariake in Kumamoto Prefecture, which is nicknamed “Octopus Town,” has started selling good luck charms shaped like studious octopi. Why would an Octopus bring good luck for studying? Apparently somebody came up with the idea that, when said in English, “Octopus” is pretty close to “Octo-PASS,” which means that the charms will no doubt help their owners pass their exams! A lot of people seem to believe in the power of this lame pun, since they seem to be selling very well.
「タコ＝オクトパス＝置くとパス」
tako=okutopasu=oku to pasu(Which might mean, “Put it in place and pass,” although I’m not exactly sure what the 置くと translates as in this case.)
[More information can be found in this article (Japanese)]
