Shibushi-shi Shibushi-cho Shibushi no Shibushi Shiyakusho Shibushi Shisho.
Okay, now say it fast and be sure to pronounce it properly.
This dastardly tongue twister, my friends, is the name of a municipal support center in Japan.
What a mouthful.
Located in Kagoshima Prefecture, specifically in Shibushi district of Shibushi Town, the building has even become iconic among locals thanks to its mouthful of a name.
Can you imagine telling a friend, "Hey, I'll be at Shibushi-shi Shibushi-cho Shibushi no Shibushi Shiyakusho Shibushi Shisho at sharp six o'clock. See you!"
How did the tongue twister come about?
The tongue twister came about following the merger of three towns, Ariake, Matsuyama, and Shibushi into Shibushi City.
Due to this, locals began writing their addresses in this fashion: Shibushi Town Shibushi district.
The official name of the building when translated to English is: Shibushi Branch Office of Shibushi City Hall, Shibushi Town Shibushi, Shibushi City.
This is where the fun happens when you translate the entire thing into Japanese because 'city' is called 'shi' and 'branch office' is 'shisho'.
Thus the building is called Shibushi-shi Shibushi-cho Shibushi no Shibushi Shiyakusho Shibushi Shisho in Japanese.
But it's undergoing a slight change of name.
According to Sora News, the building will have a tiny change of name.
On January 4, 2021 it'll be called Shibushi-shi Shibushi-cho Shibushi no Shibushi Shiyakusho Shibushi Honcho.
While it's no longer as fun as it used to be - since the challenge, according to many locals, is to hit the 'Shisho' correctly - it's still a challenge saying the name quickly.
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