Japan is an eccentrically marvelous country, from its distinct cuisine to cultural fixation with things like anime, and costume play. The country is spread over 6,852 islands and each region has its unique environment and culture. One thing that unifies the Japanese is their fondness for supernatural phenomena and the country produces a plethora of horror films, TV series, books, and more. The inspiration for these originates from authentic haunted locations in Japan and there are certainly quite a multitude of them!
15 Haunted Places In Japan
We have selected a compilation of haunted locations in Japan that left us chilled and eager to learn more about them. These locations are spine-chilling and shrouded in mystery, to the extent that after discovering them, one might desire to embark on a haunted places excursion in Japan.
- Aokigahara Forest – The Suicide Forest
- Inukane Pass Tunnel – The Whispering Tunnel
- Oiran Buchi – The Wailing Women
- Nakagusuku Hotel – The Haunted Ruins
- Camp Hansen – The Lone Soldier
- Okiku’s Well – The Shrieking Banshee
- Round Schoolhouse – A Creepy Building
- Huis Ten Bosch – The House Of Horrors
- SSS Curve – The Martyrs Of The WW
- Labyrinth – The Scary Hospital
- Gridley Tunnel – The Mysterious Samurai Ghost
- Himuro Mansion – The Grisly Murders
- Ikego Middle Gate – The Cursed Concentration Camp
- Weekly Mansion – The Hub Of Paranormal Activities
- Hiroshima – The Spooky Peace Memorial
1. Aokigahara Forest – The Suicide Forest
The densely twisted forest of Aokigahara is uncannily silent, and even sunlight finds it arduous to penetrate the canopy. Notorious worldwide as the ‘suicide forest,’ hundreds of individuals have taken their lives in the forest, to the extent that the government has dispersed information and cards throughout promoting suicide prevention. However, this forest has maintained its reputation as one of the most unnerving haunted places in Japan for a considerable period. It was utilized for practicing ‘ubatse’ or the practice of abandoning elderly women to pass away in the forest, and it is believed that their yurei (spirit) still haunts the woods.
Location: Japan, 〒401-0300 Yamanashi Prefecture
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2. Inukane Pass Tunnel – The Murmuring Tunnel
Tunnels can be eerie places even without the association of ghosts and ghouls! The dim and gloomy structures are ideal for misdeeds, and that is what occurred to a juvenile girl a few decades ago. The girl was killed and was never laid to rest peacefully, and has been said to haunt the tunnel ever since, making it one of the most haunted places in Japan. A visitor to the tunnel will hear murmuring and nonsense language but mostly hear the words ‘Cease’ asking them not to proceed further. Those who dare often feel a presence poking, shoving, prodding them and it’s improbable they will ever cross the length of the tunnel.
Location: Old Chusetsu Tunnel, Japan
3. Oiran Buchi – The Crying Women
Men have exploited women since the beginning of time, but the tale of the prostitutes or the Oiran of Yamanashi still lingers in people’s minds today. The Oiran Buchi bridge is regarded as one of the most frightening places in Japan. The story dates back to the 16th century when the area had gold mines that were operated by the Takeda Clan, who also ran brothels to keep the miners content. After the Battle of Nagashino, the Takeda clan fled from the area but not before slaughtering all the prostitutes so they wouldn’t reveal information about the mines. The clan members invited the prostitutes on the bridge and cut the ropes! It is said that the cries and screams of the women can still be heard from the gorge below!
Location: Highway 411, Yamanashi Prefecture, JapanReference
4. Nakagusuku Hotel – The Haunted Ruins
The deteriorated hotel ruins of the Nakagusuku Hotel is among the preferred haunted attractions in Japan. The hotel was proposed as a lavish resort and only a short distance away from the Nakagusuku Castle. The hotel construction was objected by a monk who claimed it would disturb the sacred site and burial grounds in the vicinity. However, greed for profit prevailed and the owner proceeded with the construction. Following multiple accidents and fatalities among the workers, the construction was halted. In an attempt to resume the project, the owner promised to spend a night at the hotel to prove its safety. However, he returned the next morning babbling incoherently and mysteriously vanished! Even to this day, people witness lights and experience an eerie presence in the deserted hallways of the hotel.
Location: Near Nakagusuku Palace, Okinawa
5. Camp Hansen – The Solitary Soldier
World War II caused significant devastation in Japan and left behind numerous deceased soldiers. One such location that has witnessed this is Camp Hansen in Okinawa. The camp serves as a base for the United States Marine Corps and accommodates over 6,000 marines. It is rumored that a solitary soldier appears clad in blood-soaked World War attire and requests cigarettes from those nearby. These sightings have been widely documented, and even brave marines refuse to stand guard at the Gate 3 where the ghost of the soldier is seen. As a result, it is considered one of the most haunted places in Japan.
Location: Japan, 〒904-1200 Okinawa Prefecture, Kunigami District
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6. Okiku’s Well – The Screaming Banshee
Inside the Himeji Castle is an ancient well with a highly intriguing story of affection and misfortune. It is also one of the most haunted locations in Japan as it is where a specter materializes at night and screeches! The specter is the apparition of Okiku, a young girl who worked for the Samurai Aoyama Tessan. Aoyama was infatuated with Okiku but his affection was not returned. In what can be described as harassment in present times, he concealed a valuable item and accused Okiku of stealing it. He promised not to punish her if she agreed to become his lover! However, Okiku was unwilling to comply and in a burst of anger, Aoyama threw her into the well, causing her death! Henceforth, her wails continue to be heard during the silent hours of the night!
Location: 68 Honmachi, Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture 670-0012, Japan
7. Round Schoolhouse – An Eerie Structure
Spine-chilling apparitions, boisterous spirits, levitating lights, unconventional forms, forsaken vehicles – every supernatural phenomenon in existence has been rumored to occur at the Round Schoolhouse in Hokkaido. The school was constructed in a distinctive circular form in 1906 and functioned as an elementary school. However, it ceased operations in the 1970s and has remained abandoned ever since. Shortly after its closure, stories of paranormal sightings began to circulate, attracting numerous enthusiasts of the supernatural who were eager to investigate. Many of them returned with unsettling tales of what they witnessed and heard, and it is said that some of them even came back mentally unstable, speaking incoherently. It remains a prominent destination on the roster of haunted attractions in Japan.
Location: Higashibibaicho Garonosawa, Bibai, Hokkaido 072-0000, Japan
8. Huis Ten Bosch – The House Of Terrors
The Huis Ten Bosch is a theme park that is an homage to the Japanese-Dutch relations. While the theme park is a picturesque place with tulip fields and joyful attractions, it is also home to one of the most eerie places in Sasebo Japan. A popular haunted house attraction, it utilizes technology to amplify the fright experience for its visitors. It employs virtual reality to bring things to life and make you flee with terror! It has various themes like the ‘Deserted Hospital,’ ‘Manor of Japanese Ghost Stories,’ ‘Digital Horror House,’ and ‘Correctional Ward.’ Maintain your composure at this insane haunted house!
Location: 1-1 Huis Ten Bosch-cho, Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture 859-3292, Japan
9. SSS Curve – The Martyrs Of The WW
In case the haunted places in Sasebo Japan don’t spook you enough then proceed to the SSS Curve in Okinawa. Okinawa endured extensive devastation due to the World War and resulted in the deaths of numerous Japanese Soldiers. It is believed that these soldiers return to haunt this part of the road and visitors often experience a sudden feeling of sickness, dizziness, and the sensation of someone’s hand on their body. Several Japanese paranormal TV hosts have visited the location to document this phenomenon. It’s an assortment of creepy sensations you wouldn’t want to experience on the road!
Location: SSS Curve, Okinawa
10. Labyrinth – The Chilling Hospital
If you are seeking haunted house attractions in Japan but desire something more thrilling than the Huis Ten Bosch, then make your way to Fuji Q Highland theme park. The haunted house at the theme park is one of the finest in the country and will truly leave you unsettled. The house is based on a hospital theme and draws inspiration from an actual hospital at the foothills of Mt. Fuji where doctors harvested organs from unsuspecting patients. It is speculated that these patients return to haunt the doctors, and that forms the foundation of the Labyrinth. It’s 900 meters of pure bloodshed, terror, and illusions that will leave you questioning whether it’s simply an attraction or if the house is genuinely haunted?
Location: 5 Chome-6-1 Shin Nishihara, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture 403-0017, Japan
11. Gridley Tunnel – The Enigmatic Samurai Specter
Gridley Tunnel is a solitary-lane tunnel located on Yokosuka Naval Base. It is believed that in the past, a swordsman was traversing through this tunnel to avenge the demise of his master. However, during his journey, his adversaries apprehended him and mercilessly slaughtered him within this tunnel. Since the swordsman failed to fulfill his mission, it is rumored that he has not departed from this place. His apparition is still witnessed on rainy nights, typically around 1 am. Would you dare to approach this tunnel if you ever encounter it?
Location: Tomaricho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 238-0001, Japan
12. Himuro Mansion – The Gruesome Homicides
Situated just outside of Tokyo, Himuro Mansion is believed to be one of the most eerie locations in Japan. This mansion has witnessed peculiar occurrences, including occultist practices and horrifying murders. According to local legends, the family residing in this mansion performed a strangle ritual (Shinto) every fifty years to ward off negative karma on Earth. Unfortunately, the ritual was tampered with when a lover saved his beloved from being sacrificed. In response, the head of the household proceeded to massacre everyone in the family before taking his life. The spirits of the deceased family members still linger within the mansion, attempting to entice individuals in order to complete the corrupted ritual.
Location: Himuro Mansion, Near Tokyo, Japan
13. Ikego Middle Gate – The Cursed Internment Camp
During World War II, the US navy’s Ikego Housing Detachment served as an internment camp where countless Korean and Chinese prisoners perished due to forced labor. Three gates separate the camp from the Japanese community – the main gate, the middle gate, and the back gate. Guards stationed at the middle gate have frequently reported hearing footsteps, voices, and witnessing apparitions of legless Japanese soldiers. This terrifying sight has sent shivers down the spines of the guards.
Location: Ikego Housing Detachment, Zushi, Yokohama, Japan
14. Weekly Mansion – The Center Of Supernatural Activities
Despite being a deluxe hotel, Weekly Mansion in Akasaka is one of the terrifying places to spend your evening in. Building no. 1 in the hotel premises has witnessed various supernatural activities like pale mists from vents, being pushed on the bed while asleep and electrical appliances turning on by themselves. A lady claimed that she was even dragged on the floor of the room and her back truly had scrape marks as she told. Well, Japan has other stunning places to stay at. So, better explore other places.
Location: Weekly Mansion, Akasaka, Japan
15. Hiroshima – Haunted Peace Memorial
No one has ever forgotten the Hiroshima-Nagasaki incident in which the atomic bomb ‘Little Boy’ destroyed the lives of around 140,000 individuals. The attack occurred at the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall which is now transformed into Hiroshima Peace Memorial. The place has been claimed to be haunted as the people nearby have heard strange voices near the dome. Not only this, but there have been numerous incidents of electronic voice phenomena where you can hear the atomic bomb exploding itself. Isn’t a spine-chilling incident?
Location:1-10 Otemachi, Naka Ward, Hiroshima, 730-0051, JapanTimings: Varies from 8:30 to 19:00.
Can you already hear the eerie murmurs? Visit these haunted places in Japan on your next trip to encounter these mysterious occurrences and check if they are truly haunted! Don’t forget to bring a companion along, because you don’t want to be caught alone with ghosts. So, plan your vacation to Japan soon with Fred and Fuzzys.
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