Scariest Places in Japan

Japan is a country rich in ancient tradition, folklore, and its fair share of ghost stories. Since Halloween is just around the corner, here is a rundown of some of Japan’s scariest places:

Oiwa Inari Tamiya Jinja. | 上野彦馬 (talk)

Oiwa Inari Tamiya Jinja – as legend goes, the shrine was once home to a woman who was poisoned by her own husband. Tamiya Iemon was a ronin (a samurai without a master) who had an affair and later poisoned his wife, Oiwa. The Oiwa Inari Tamiya Jinja enshrines the remains of Oiwa. One of Japan’s most famous ghost stories, Yotsuya Kaidan, is based on the ghost of this famous jinja in Tokyo.

Ireido (Hall of Repose) – this site is in Yokoami-cho Park, Tokyo. During the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, many people who sought refuge in the area were burned to death. The park was also used as a crematorium for the 38,000 people who perished in the disaster.

Doryodo Ruins – in Otukayama Park, in Hachioji, Tokyo. On the site once stood a popular temple that was dismantled in 1983, 20 years after the murder of an elderly woman on that same place. On the same year of the murder, a body of a female university student was also found there after being killed by a professor she was having an affair with. Witnesses say they can hear someone crying in the area.

Old Chusetsu Tunnel – this creepy tunnel in Fukuoka is said to be the scene of a gruesome murder. Those brave enough to walk through the tunnel say they have heard a voice shouting “stop!”

Round Schoolhouse Ruins – this circular schoolhouse in Bibai, Hokkaido, is a documented abandoned and haunted structure. Stories say people who dare go inside emerge insane or have disappeared forever.

For those who seek an adventure in the outer realms, there is a fascinating “Haunted Tokyo Tour” you can join that may leave you weak in the knees.