Tokushima: ‘Bubble man’ awaits response from Guinness

The Yomiuri Shimbun

18:18 JST, December 17, 2022

MATSUSHIGE, Tokushima — A man locally known as “the bubble man” recently attempted to break a Guinness World Record for bubble making.

“Longest garland wand” was his target — one of many Guinness records related to blowing bubbles.

A garland wand comprises two handles and a length of string with a number of hanging loops. Those wishing to break the record must produce bubbles from every one of the loops while also having the longest length of string. The current record is 12.6 meters.

The bubble man made his attempt with a wand bearing a 14.317-meter-long string and 70 loops.

With help from volunteers, he and another one stretched out the string, dipped it in a bubble solution and lifted the wand’s 2.7-meter-long poles. As the crowd watched in a park in Matsushige, Tokushima Prefecture, the two walked upwind, and soon bubbles were flying out one after another and blanketing the area.

In four out of eight attempts, he was able to confirm via photographs that bubbles flew out of all the loops on the string. He is now waiting to hear from Guinness World Records in Britain as to whether his attempt will be certified as a new record.

The bubble man moved to Matsushige from Yamaguchi Prefecture in March. He makes bubbles for children in places such as parks and daycare centers, mainly on weekends. He keeps his name and age secret because he does not want to ruin children’s dreams.

“The children were delighted [with my attempts], and that made me so happy,” said the bubble man.