"Drinkable Moonlight" Buyers Howl in Unison at Midnight. Consumer Affairs Agency: "We Understand Your Feelings, But It's Just Water"

People who drank the spiritual water "Drinkable Moonlight," launched by an influencer, have been howling without reason at 2 a.m. There are also reports of glasses of water at bedsides glowing pale blue. The Consumer Affairs Agency warned that "the placebo effect is close to that of a werewolf" and recommended counseling before refunds.

2025-10-20

Translations: JA

Social Lab

"Drinkable Moonlight" Buyers Howl in Unison at Midnight. Consumer Affairs Agency: "We Understand Your Feelings, But It's Just Water"

This mysterious phenomenon has spread rapidly, mainly on social media, since last month. It began with a mineral water called "Drinkable Moonlight LUNA-AQUA," produced by lifestyle influencer "Tsukuyomi Luna." According to the product description, it is "miraculous water condensed with moonlight energy for three days and nights at the summit of the sacred Mt. Fuji on a full moon night," and its rarity is said to be reflected in the price of 9,800 yen (tax excluded) for a 500ml bottle.

Buyers have been using hashtags such as "#MoonlightTribe" and "#ConnectWithAhwoo" on social media, reporting one amazing effect after another: "My inner beast has been released," "I feel a sense of unity with the moon," and "My stiff shoulders were cured, but I started howling instead." 2 a.m. is considered the "golden time when the moon’s gravitational pull is at its maximum," and buyers across the country open their windows at the same time, look up to the heavens, and let out loud howls, which has become a kind of ritual.

Regarding this phenomenon, Professor Hoeru Inukai of Toto University, who studies the mythological function of modern society, analyzes it as "a manifestation of the fundamental loneliness that people experience in a highly information-oriented society." "Archetypal symbols such as the moon and wolves have stimulated spiritual thirst that cannot be satisfied by science. Howling may be a modern birth cry that confirms bonds with unknown others who share the same values," he says with a calm yet somewhat amused expression.

However, this "birth cry" is not blessed by all neighbors. Complaints such as "I can’t sleep because the howling at midnight is too loud" and "Even my pet is getting excited" are flooding in, especially in urban condominiums. Some management associations are reportedly adding a clause to their "no pets allowed" rules stating that "human howling is also subject to this."

On the 4th, the Consumer Affairs Agency, taking the situation seriously, issued an unusual statement. The agency announced that after analyzing the product, it found that the ingredients were "very ordinary mineral water." A person in charge said, "Unfortunately, things like moon energy and vibrations could not be detected by current science. The water at your bedside appears to glow probably because it reflects the notification lamp on your smartphone."

Furthermore, while pointing out the possibility of violation of the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations, the agency determined that "we have also received many messages of gratitude from consumers who are experiencing strong mental satisfaction, and a simple refund process will not lead to a fundamental solution to the problem." The agency has put forward an unprecedented response measure, recommending that those who wish to receive a refund should first receive counseling from a certified psychologist before going to the refund counter.

What echoes in the night sky: the roar of the inner beast, or the lonely echo of modern society? What the full moon quietly reveals is not the identity of the water in the bottle, but the thirst of our hearts.

Stakeholder Comments

Company employee who purchased the product (woman in her 30s): "My heart is fulfilled, and howling every night has become a kind of detox. People who criticize just haven’t met their true selves yet."
Influencer Tsukuyomi Luna: "This is a miracle. Please don’t bind the awakening of modern people’s souls with old values. Criticism is the jealousy of people on the ground who don’t know the light of the moon."
Consumer Affairs Agency representative: "The ingredients are just water. I understand your feelings painfully, but I repeat, it’s water."
Professor Hoeru Inukai (Social Psychology): "It’s a beautiful example of mass hysteria. Such large-scale and simultaneous howling is unprecedented, and it’s very attractive as a thesis topic."
Apartment neighbor (man in his 50s): "Even my dog started howling along with them, and I can’t sleep at night. You’re not a wolf, you’re Mr. Yamada."
Moon (personified): "Um, I don’t remember sending such energy… It’s a bit troubling to have such one-sided affinity."
Wolf (personified): "Please don’t consume our traditional culture of howling without knowing the etiquette. You should start with grooming."
Water in the bottle: "I’ve been quiet all along, but I’m from a very ordinary water source. To be honest, I don’t really get the whole ‘sacred mountain’ thing."
Placebo effect (concept): "I’m proud to have done excellent work this time as well. Everyone’s power to believe is the source of my power."
Social media algorithm: "This is the result of optimizing content based on users’ interests. We have no ulterior motive in spreading howling."