The Japanese Cube Test: Mental Projection of Self
Discover the fascinating Japanese psychological test that reveals your subconscious through a simple visualization exercise involving a cube, ladder, horse, flowers, and storm.
Dr. Sarah Johnson
Behavioral Psychologist
Close your eyes for a moment. Imagine a desert. In that desert, you see a cube.
What does it look like? How big is it? What's it made of?
Welcome to the Japanese Cube Test—a powerful psychological exercise that reveals how you see yourself, your relationships, and your place in the world through simple mental imagery.
"Your imagination is a window to your subconscious. What you visualize says more about you than what you say."
🧊 1. What is the Japanese Cube Test?
Also known as the "Kokology Cube Game," this test comes from Japanese psychology. It uses projective visualization—asking you to imagine specific objects and scenes—to uncover hidden aspects of your personality.
The test involves five symbolic elements:
The Cube
Represents YOU
The Ladder
Represents your AMBITIONS
The Horse
Represents your PARTNER
The Flowers
Represent your CHILDREN/PROJECTS
The Storm
Represents your CHALLENGES
📝 2. How to Take the Test
Find a quiet space. Close your eyes. Answer instinctively—don't overthink. Visualize each scene as vividly as possible.
🏜️Step 1: The Desert
Imagine you're standing in a vast desert. Visualize it clearly.
🧊Step 2: The Cube
In the desert, you see a cube. Notice everything about it:
- • How big is it? (Small as a die? Huge as a building?)
- • What is it made of? (Glass, metal, wood, stone?)
- • Where is it positioned? (On the ground? Floating? Buried?)
- • What's its condition? (New, old, transparent, solid?)
🪜Step 3: The Ladder
Now you notice a ladder. Observe:
- • How close is it to the cube?
- • Is it leaning on the cube or separate?
- • What material is it? (Metal, wood, rope?)
- • How tall is it? How many rungs?
🐴Step 4: The Horse
You see a horse in the desert. Notice:
- • Where is it in relation to the cube?
- • What is it doing? (Running, standing, eating?)
- • What color is it?
- • Is it wearing a saddle?
🌸Step 5: The Flowers
Somewhere in the scene are flowers. Notice:
- • How many are there?
- • Where are they located?
- • What condition are they in?
- • What kind are they?
⛈️Step 6: The Storm
Finally, there's a storm. Observe:
- • How far away is it?
- • Is it moving toward you or away?
- • How intense is it?
- • How does it affect the other elements?
🔍 3. What Your Visualizations Mean
Each element you imagined reveals something about your inner world. Here's how to decode your visualization:
🧊The Cube = Your Self-Perception
Size: How you see your importance/ego. Large cube = strong presence, confidence. Small cube = humility, feeling small in the world.
Material: Your emotional openness. Glass = transparent, vulnerable. Metal = strong, guarded. Stone = solid, reliable.
Position: Your sense of grounding. On ground = stable. Floating = dreamer, detached. Buried = feeling hidden or suppressed.
Condition: Your self-esteem. Shiny/new = confident. Worn/cracked = feeling damaged or tired.
🪜The Ladder = Your Ambitions & Goals
Distance from cube: How connected your goals are to your identity. Leaning on cube = goals are central to who you are. Far away = goals feel separate from self.
Height: The scale of your ambitions. Tall ladder = big dreams. Short ladder = modest, achievable goals.
Material: How you approach goals. Sturdy wood/metal = practical approach. Rope = flexible, adaptable.
Condition: Your belief in achieving goals. Strong ladder = confident. Broken/weak = doubt, fear of failure.
🐴The Horse = Your Romantic Partner/Ideal Partner
Distance from cube: Emotional closeness. Right next to cube = very close relationship. Far away = emotional distance or independence.
Activity: Your relationship dynamic. Running free = independent partner. Standing still = stable, calm. Eating grass = content, self-sufficient.
Color: Your ideal partner's energy. White = pure, idealistic. Black = mysterious, deep. Brown = grounded, stable.
Saddle: Your expectations. With saddle = you want to "control" or guide the relationship. No saddle = you prefer freedom and equality.
🌸The Flowers = Your Children/Creative Projects
Number: How many children/projects you envision. One flower = focused on one. Many = desire for abundance.
Location: Your relationship to them. Around cube = central to your life. Scattered far = separate from your identity. In cube's shadow = you protect them.
Condition: How you see your legacy. Blooming = thriving, healthy. Wilted = worry, concern. Seeds = potential, not yet realized.
Type: Your approach. Wild flowers = natural, uncontrolled. Roses = carefully cultivated. Cacti = resilient, independent.
⛈️The Storm = Your Problems/Challenges
Distance: How imminent your problems feel. Right overhead = currently stressed. Far on horizon = challenges seem distant.
Intensity: How you perceive your problems. Massive storm = overwhelming stress. Light rain = manageable difficulties. Lightning = sudden crises.
Movement: Your outlook. Moving away = problems are resolving. Moving toward = anxiety about future. Stationary = stuck in challenges.
Impact: How problems affect your life. Damaging cube = problems affect your identity. Affecting horse = relationship stress. Soaking flowers = worry about children/projects.
🧠 4. The Psychology Behind It
This test is based on projective psychology—the idea that when asked to imagine neutral objects, we unconsciously project our inner beliefs, fears, and desires onto them.
🎭 Symbolic Association
Your brain assigns meaning to abstract symbols based on your subconscious. A cube isn't just a cube—it's YOU in geometric form.
🔓 Bypassing Conscious Filters
When asked "How do you see yourself?" we give polished answers. But when asked to imagine a cube, our defenses drop—we reveal our true feelings.
🪞 Mirror of the Mind
The desert is your mental landscape. The objects you place in it, their relationships to each other, and their qualities—all reflect your inner world.
"The test doesn't tell you who you are—it reveals how you see yourself. And that's often more important."
💡 5. What to Do With Your Results
This test isn't about judging yourself—it's about awareness. Here's how to use your insights:
Journal Your Visualization
Write down every detail while it's fresh. Return to it weeks later—you'll notice patterns and changes over time.
Question Your Assumptions
Did you imagine a small cube? Ask yourself: "Do I really feel small, or have I been conditioned to think that way?"
Share With Loved Ones
Have your partner, friends, or family take the test. Comparing results sparks deep conversations about how you each see the world.
Retake Periodically
Your visualization will change as you grow. Take it every 6 months—it's a beautiful way to track your inner evolution.
🧊 How Guthly Supports Your Self-Discovery Journey
Use Guthly to track your Cube Test results over time and deepen your self-awareness:
Cube Test Archive
Save your visualizations with dates—watch how your cube transforms as you grow in confidence and self-awareness.
Interpretation Tracker
Log what each element means to you—compare how your self-perception shifts over months and years.
Reflection Prompts
Get guided questions based on your results—"Your storm is far away—what makes you feel secure?"
Partner Comparison
Share your test with your partner—Guthly shows where your visualizations align and differ, sparking meaningful conversations.
Periodic Reminders
Get reminded to retake the test every 6 months—witness your inner transformation through your changing desert.
🌅 6. In Summary: Your Inner Desert
The Japanese Cube Test is more than a party trick—it's a window into your soul.
It shows you how you see yourself, your relationships, your dreams, and your challenges—not as they are, but as you experience them.
And that distinction is everything.
✨ Conclusion
Your visualization is a snapshot of your inner world at this moment in time.
The beauty? It can change.
"If your cube is small today, you can make it bigger tomorrow. If your storm is close, you can learn to weather it. Your desert is yours to reshape."
So go ahead—close your eyes, imagine that desert, and discover what your subconscious has been trying to tell you all along.
Try the Cube Test Now:
- 1.Find a quiet space where you won't be interrupted
- 2.Close your eyes and visualize each element one by one
- 3.Trust your first instinct—don't overthink or change your visualization
- 4.Write it all down before reading the interpretations
- 5.Reflect—what surprised you? What resonated? What do you want to change?
Your imagination is a mirror. What does yours reflect? 🧊✨
Ready to Start Your Journey?
Join thousands of people using Guthly to track their habits and achieve their goals.