Mariko Aoki Syndrome: The Bizarre Urge to Poop in Bookstores

In February 1985, a 29-year-old woman from Suginami, Tokyo, named Mariko Aoki sent a brief letter to a magazine detailing a peculiar experience. She wrote, “Since about two or three years ago, whenever I go to a bookstore, I am struck by an urge to move my bowels.”

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This seemingly trivial issue garnered significant attention, with many others reporting similar experiences. The phenomenon was eventually named after Mariko Aoki and is characterized by a sudden, overwhelming need to defecate when in a bookstore. Interestingly, this urge does not typically occur in libraries.

People have proposed several theories to explain this phenomenon. Some suggest it might be due to chemicals in the ink used in books. A Japanese TV show, The Real Side of Un'nan, attempted to test this theory by exposing people to the smell of ink, but the experiment failed to induce defecation. Additionally, if ink chemicals were the cause, bookstore staff would likely be affected too, which is not the case.

Another hypothesis is based on association, akin to a reverse Pavlovian response. The theory posits that people associate reading with defecating because they often read while on the toilet. However, this does not explain why the urge is specific to bookstores and not experienced in home libraries or public libraries.

A different explanation focuses on posture. When people bend down to pick up books, it might stimulate the rectum, triggering the need to defecate. Yet, this theory also fails to fully explain the phenomenon's specificity to bookstores.

Skeptics argue that Mariko Aoki syndrome might not exist at all and could be an example of frequency bias. According to this view, Mariko’s account drew attention to a common but previously unnoticed experience, leading others to believe they were experiencing the same phenomenon.

Until bookstores or publishers invest in serious research, the true cause of Mariko Aoki syndrome may remain a mystery.

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