WHERE we have rabbit's feet or horseshoes, the Japanese have KitKats.

No, not at the end of animals' legs, but clutched to them as good luck charms.

Sales of KitKats have soared in the land of the rising sun. Students are snapping them up, hoping the chocolate treat will bring them good fortune during exam season.

This is because the snack's name sounds similar to a Japanese expression, "kitto katsu". According to which translation you choose, this either means "I hope you win" or "I'll do my best to make sure I succeed".

According to Yuko Iwasaki from Nestl Japan "some determined pupils are buying Kit Kats for themselves as a sort of reminder that they are really going to give these exams their best shot".

Ambitious - and superstitious - parents are also adding the York confection to their children's lunch boxes.

They can choose from the original wafer, or more exotic flavours such as passion fruit and lemon cheesecake. There is even a Japanese website devoted to the KitKat and spin-off merchandise: breaktown.com.

Could this bring a change of fortune at York City, now Bootham Crescent has been renamed KitKat Crescent? All the Diary can say is "Kitto katsu, City!"

LOOK out for York's leading Elvises on the box this weekend.

Eddie Vee and Paul Bulmer are taking part in the Great British Memory test, hosted by Neil Fox and Gabby Logan live on ITV1 at 9.20pm on Saturday.

Our two gyrating pelvises will be among 100 men taking on 100 women to discover which sex can store the most stuff up top. The contestant with the best memory trousers ten grand.

Eddie is sure which gender will emerge the winner.

"Men are going to be far better," he said. "Women are multi-taskers whereas men concentrate on one thing at a time. If a woman wins, it will be a ringer."

LISTEN out too, if you read this in time, to Radio Four at 3pm today: Changing Places. It's all about the Sustrans cycle network.

The show should include details of City of York Council's Bike It project and other cycling initiatives at Millthorpe School.

DIARY readers have a good record of solving mysteries. So here's another one, raised by Bishopthorpe resident Michael McCulloch.

He writes: "At the top of Queen Street, heading towards the railway station (I refuse to call it a 'train' station) there is a section of wall which is part of the Windmill Hotel that appears to be medieval, in that it is composed of blocks of magnesium limestone - the same as comprises the Minster and the city walls.

"Does anyone know its origins, or of what it was a part?"

Can any of our history buffs help? Mr McCulloch hopes that "soon I may be able to lay to rest my enigmatic poser".

Updated: 09:27 Friday, February 04, 2005