15 Chilling Haunted Spots in Japan That Will Give You Nightmares

Japan has a long and rich history filled with legends and mythology. This has led to many reportedly haunted locations across the country that attract ghost hunters and paranormal enthusiasts. Here are 15 of the creepiest and most infamous haunted places in Japan:

1. Aokigahara Forest – The Suicide Forest

Located at the base of Mount Fuji, Aokigahara Forest has a tragic reputation as a popular site for suicides. Hundreds of people have taken their lives in the forest, leaving behind haunted spirits according to legends. Visitors have reported encountering ghostly screams and wailing within the forest.

In December 2017, YouTube star Logan Paul visited Aokigahara Forest, a dense forest in Japan known as the “suicide forest.” During his visit, Paul and his friends stumbled upon the body of a man who had hanged himself. Paul filmed the body and included it in a video that he later posted to his YouTube channel.

The video sparked immediate outrage, with many people accusing Paul of being insensitive and disrespectful to the deceased and to the victims of suicide. Paul later removed the video and apologized, saying that he had made a “huge mistake.”

2. Inukane Pass Tunnel – The Whispering Tunnel

In Fukuoka Prefecture, the Inukane Pass Tunnel is said to be haunted by the ghost of a young girl who was murdered there decades ago.

Visitors have reported hearing whispers and gibberish sounds telling them to “stop” and turn back. Some have felt an unseen presence shoving and poking them inside the tunnel.

3. Oiran Buchi – The Wailing Women

The Oiran Buchi bridge in Yamanashi Prefecture is said to be haunted by the ghosts of 55 prostitutes who were killed there by the Takeda clan in the 16th century.

Locals have reported hearing the wailing voices and cries for help of the murdered women.

4. Nakagusuku Hotel Ruins – The Abandoned Resort

The unfinished Nakagusuku Hotel ruins in Okinawa are considered extremely haunted.

Strange noises, apparitions, and cold presences have been reported within the decrepit remains of what was meant to be a luxury resort.

5. Camp Hansen – The Lone Soldier

The WWII-era Camp Hansen US military base in Okinawa is said to be haunted by a lone soldier covered in blood who asks passersby for cigarettes. Gate 3 of the camp was closed due to the repeated ghost sightings.

6. Okiku’s Well – The Screaming Ghost

Inside Himeji Castle lies Okiku’s Well, haunted by the ghost of a servant girl who was killed there by a samurai hundreds of years ago. Her screams and wails are said to echo from the well at night.

7. Round Schoolhouse – The Haunted Ruins

The abandoned Round Schoolhouse in Hokkaidō has a reputation for driving visitors insane. People have reported apparitions, strange sounds, and equipment malfunctions around the round-shaped ruins.

8. Himuro Mansion – Site of Occult Rituals

The infamous Himuro Mansion near Tokyo was the site of occult rituals and mass family murder-suicides. Visitors have encountered paranormal activity stemming from the dark past of the mansion and its grounds.

9. Akihabara – Tokyo’s Electric Town

The famous electronics district of Akihabara in Tokyo has tales of haunted buildings and back alleys where people have encountered spirits and unexplained phenomena linked to its wartime history.

10. Inunaki Village – The Lost Village

An elusive ghost village located near the haunted Inunaki Tunnel has paranormal legends of spirits who violently attack outsiders who stumble upon its path, preventing them from ever leaving.

11. SSS Curve – Ghostly Road Accidents

The SSS Curve road in Okinawa is said to be haunted by soldiers who died there during WWII. Numerous unexplained car accidents have occurred at the curve, believed to be caused by the spirits of the departed soldiers.

12. Labyrinth – The Abandoned Hospital

The haunted house attraction at Fuji-Q Highland theme park is modeled after a real-life abandoned hospital where human experiments allegedly took place. Visitors have reported encountering actual spirits and ghosts from the hospital within the Labyrinth.

13. Gridley Tunnel – The Samurai Ghost

The Gridley Tunnel at Yokosuka Naval Base is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of a samurai warrior who was ambushed and killed within the tunnel centuries ago. Eyewitnesses claim to have encountered his spirit on rainy nights.

14. Weekly Mansions – Supernatural Hotels

Many rooms at the Weekly Mansions rental apartments in Tokyo are considered extremely haunted by ghosts of former tenants who met untimely deaths. Guests report being harassed by violent spirits.

15. Hiroshima – The Peace Park Ghosts

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is said to be haunted by the ghosts of victims from the atomic bombing in WWII. People have reported hearing disembodied voices and bomb explosions. Electronic voice phenomena have been recorded there.

Japan’s haunted places attract thrill-seekers and paranormal researchers hoping to encounter ghosts and spirits from Japan’s past. Though many locations have tragic histories, visiting these sites requires respect and sensitivity.