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10 Spooky Haunted Houses and Places in Japan

Municipalities across Japan sit on an increasing number of forgotten, dilapidated homes known as 鈥済host houses.鈥�

However, the houses are not haunted or in need of exorcism. They are known as akiya in Japanese.

The homes are just abandoned and towns cannot get rid of them through demolition or resale.

Rural towns are the hardest hit as young residents flock to the country鈥檚 major cities.

The glut of ghost homes has prompted some municipalities to come up with creative solutions to deal with the problem.

However, Japan has a love for everything that鈥檚 scary. Japan’s horror movies are top-notch entertainment and Halloween parties are an unforgettable experience.

Imagine dressing up and partying outside until the early morning hours with over a million people – that’s Shibuya’s Halloween party in a nutshell.

Fancy yourself a paranormal investigator? Let鈥檚 look at 10 spooky, haunted houses and places in Japan.

1. Aokigahara Forest 鈥� Yamanashi Prefecture

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Aokigahara Forest is infamous both inside Japan and internationally. This place receives the moniker of 鈥渟uicide forest鈥� due to the abnormally high number of suicides confirmed within.

The thick twisted forest of Aokigahara is eerily silent, and even sunlight finds it hard to weave its way through the canopy.

Infamous across the world as the 鈥榮uicide forest鈥� hundreds of people have committed suicide in the forest, so much so that the government has placed information and cards everywhere about suicide prevention.

But, this forest has had a reputation as among the creepiest haunted places in Japan for a long time. 

Those who have entered Aokigahara Forest with intentions of self-harm but reconsidered their plans to end their life have reported a strange pull into the darkness of the forest as if it were calling to them.

Furthermore, the forest is supposedly the second most popular place in the world to commit suicide, only surpassed by the Golden Gate Bridge.

2.   Daiba Ghost School 鈥� Tokyo Prefecture

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Located in Odaiba, this ghostly attraction is designed to look like an abandoned, decrepit school  plus, there鈥檚 a storyline to your adventure

This terrifying attraction is open all year round and they take special care in ensuring it is a haunting and unique experience for guests.

You will have to sign your name in a book before you enter and suddenly all the entities within will know it.

The soundtrack mimics a horror flick, with abrupt sounds of movements, random voices and a child鈥檚 creepy laughter, all designed to send shivers down your spine.

3. Round Schoolhouse Ruins 鈥� Hokkaido Prefecture

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The round schoolhouse ruin is located in a small rural town in Hokkaido, called Bibai.

The school was built in 1906, but the eponymous circular school building was only constructed in 1959.

The school was abandoned in 1974 after Japan slowly shifted towards importing coal instead.

There are stories of people who ventured into the schoolhouse ruins but returned deranged, traumatised by what they saw inside the school. Some have never returned.

According to rumours, people have reported hearing voices and footsteps, the feeling of being watched, shrill screams from the woods at night and even attacks from shadowy figures that emerge from the woods.

It was once a popular spot for ghost-hunting back in the 70s and 80s. Although it鈥檚 no longer as popular these days, a handful of daring souls still visit once in a while.

According to a group of paranormal investigators that encountered a shimmering patch in the school building, the site is an interdimensional portal.

Japanese mediums refuse to go anywhere near the site because of the heebie-jeebies they get.

4. Oiwa Inari Shrine and Sharikimon-Dori, Yotsuya – Tokyo Prefecture

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Located in the old streets of Yotsuya, the Oiwa Inari Shrine and Sharikimon-dori are epicentres of ghostly energy.

Oiwa Inari Shrine is believed to be connected to the vengeful ghost of Oiwa. She鈥檚 the main character in the famous Kabuki play 鈥淵otsuya Kaidan,鈥� the most adapted Kabuki play in Japanese history.

The Yotsuya Kaidan is regularly hailed at home as Japan鈥檚 finest work in the genre of spooky stories.

Originally a kabuki play dating from the Edo period (1603-1868), the Yotsuya Kaidan is a tragic tale of betrayal, murder and revenge.

When you stroll the area, listen out as you might hear her.

Sharikimon-dori, in the same area, is a historic red-light district. The poles at the beginning of the road are adorned with the silhouettes of Japanese rickshaw drivers.

Historically, the rickshaws would come in and out, taking false geisha and unfaithful husbands alike. Find the pond in the area, it鈥檚 believed to be infested with Kappa demons from Japanese folklore.

5. Awashima Shrine – Wakayama Prefecture

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The beginnings of this temple are a lot more amiable. The legend says that when Empress Jingu was travelling back home from overseas and was caught in a storm, the gods gave her the insight to just drift with the current.

This allowed her to safely reach the coast and Awashima Shrine was created to thank the gods for their assistance. It was later moved from its seaside location to where it is now in Wakayama prefecture.

According to Shinto beliefs, inanimate objects, especially ones with a close resemblance to humans, develop souls over time.

That鈥檚 why to avoid their revenge, unwanted or unused dolls have to be disposed of in a shrine through a special ritual!

There are over 20,000 dolls here and some have an unnerving backstory.

6. Oiran Buchi 鈥� Yamanashi Prefecture

Men have exploited women since the dawn of time, but the story of the prostitutes or the Oiran of Yamanashi still haunts people today.

The Oiran Buchi bridge is counted among the scariest places in Japan.

The tale goes back to the 16th century when the area had gold mines that were run by the Takeda Clan, who also ran brothels to keep the miners happy.

After the Battle of Nagashino, the Takeda clan escaped from the area but not before killing all the prostitutes so they wouldn鈥檛 share the information about the mines.

The clan members invited the prostitutes on the bridge and slashed the ropes! It is said that the wails and cries of the women can still be heard from the gorge below!

7. Obaken 鈥�  Tokyo Prefectures

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Thrill-seekers and chill-seekers alike should head to this offbeat, handmade haunted house, whose location in a sleepy residential area just makes it feel all that much spookier 鈥� just be sure to book your ticket by 5 pm the day before.

Obaken is known for orchestrating detailed and amazing horror events. They are a well-known troupe of horror fanatics.

Their speciality is zombie events. The stories, themes and locations change.

They come up with unique and fascinating tales to scare even the hardiest of horror fans. But you should be aware you’ll need to get a reservation before you go.

They’re a popular group and their attractions often fill up relatively fast.

8. Nakagusuku Hotel Ruins- Okinawa Prefecture

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The ruins of the Nakagusuku Castle in Okinawa are a famous tourist attraction, but the nearby Nakagusuku Hotel ruins aren鈥檛 as well-known, even though it鈥檚 only 50 metres away from the castle walls.

It鈥檚 believed that a rich developer from Naha, the capital city of Okinawa, wanted to build a hotel and leisure park to capitalise on the tourists attending the 1975 Okinawa Ocean Exposition.

The hotel鈥檚 site seemed ideal 鈥� it was chosen to be on the hill south of the castle, and it had a scenic view of both the castle and the sea.

But Buddhist monks warned that ancient graves and sacred sites lay upon that hill and that angering the spirits was not wise.

After multiple mishaps which delayed construction, some even fatal, the workers refused to continue and construction ground to a halt.

The owner was exasperated and decided to volunteer to spend a night at the site to dispel any rumours that the place was haunted.

When morning came, he was found demented and was admitted into an asylum, where he soon disappeared.

9. Maruoka Castle – Fukui Prefecture

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Maruoka Castle is a beautiful keep surrounded by 400 Yoshino cherry trees which are covered with spectacular blossoms each year.

Nothing more misleading! This castle’s beginnings were a lot less flowery. The lord of Maruoka domain tried to build a new castle here in the 16th century.

Yet, every time the stone walls were built, they would collapse. That鈥檚 why lord decided something more effective was required, a human sacrifice.

Oshizu who was a local widow came forward asking for her son to be elevated to the samurai rank in return.

She was buried alive under the central pillar of the castle and since then the construction started going ahead smoothly.

However, the lord never kept his promise and that鈥檚 why every April the castle moat would flood overflowing with Oshizu鈥檚 tears!

10.  Himuro Mansion 鈥� Tokyo Prefecture

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Just located outside of Tokyo, Himuro Mansion is believed to be one of the eeriest places in Japan.

This mansion has witnessed some bizarre activities like occultist practices and gruesome murders.

According to the local lore, the family in this mansion practised the strangling ritual (Shinto) to seal off bad karma on Earth every fifty years.

But the ritual got tainted as a lover once saved his maiden from being sacrificed. After this, the master killed everyone in the family and then took his own life.

The ghost of the family members still lingers in the mansion and tries to attract people so as to complete the tainted ritual.

While ghosts, mysterious happenings, and stories from beyond the grave are fun to tell in the dark of a warm summer鈥檚 evening in Japan, please keep in mind that the places discussed today, whether haunted or not, could cause legitimate risk to life and limb and should not be visited in person.