Cursed house in Japan. Mystical Japan: Aokigahara Suicide Forest

According to legend, Himuro mansion is a large traditional Japanese house that is located in a rocky area somewhere on the outskirts of Tokyo. The mansion became known as the site of the worst massacre in Japanese history.

It was said that the Himuro family practiced ancient, forgotten Shinto rituals that had long ago been banned in Japan. One of these occult rituals called “Ritual of Strangulation”, it involved the sacrificial murder of a young girl.

The purpose of this terrible ritual was to protect the Himuro family from bad karma, which they believed was coming out of a portal in the mansion's courtyard.

The strangulation ritual was carried out every fifty years. The family selected a baby girl who was secretly raised in the mansion. This girl was called the "Maiden of the Rope Temple." The girl was not allowed into the world, she lived in complete isolation, otherwise the ritual would not have worked.

When the time came, the girl was brought to the temple in the courtyard and ropes were tied around her arms, legs and neck. Then several bulls began to pull the ropes in different directions, tearing the victim alive into several pieces. The bloody ropes were then placed on a portal in the mansion's courtyard. If the ritual was successful, then bad karma receded from the family for another fifty years.

This tradition was passed down from generation to generation in the Himuro family. However, during preparations for the last ritual, something went wrong. The Maiden of the Temple of the Rope fell in love with a boy whom she accidentally saw from the window of a mansion. This was a real disaster because she had to remain pure and free from worldly influences. Her blood and soul were tainted, and when she was sacrificed, the ritual failed.

Upon learning that the girl was in love, the head of the Himuro family was distraught. He was responsible for the success of the ritual. Fearing that all the misfortunes would now befall the family, he fell into an indescribable rage. He brutally killed the entire Himuro family, slaughtering all family members with a traditional Japanese katana sword. The head of the family believed that by killing them, he was saving them from a more terrible death. When all the family members were killed, he fell on his katana and committed suicide.

Locals the neighboring village remained silent about the Himuro mansion and everything that happened there for decades. And then endless eyewitness accounts began about strange events happening in the mansion.

Inside the mansion, all the walls were covered in bloody handprints. Ghosts have been seen here both at night and in broad daylight. Legend has it that they are the ghosts of the murdered members of the Himuro family, and they will try to repeat their failed ritual on anyone foolish enough to dare enter the abandoned building.

From time to time, corpses of people who dared to go there are found in the mansion. They have the typical rope marks on their arms, legs and necks, as if they had been strangled.

Several corpses were found in the underground network of tunnels beneath the mansion. The corpses were literally torn into several parts. No one knows who made these tunnels or what purpose they served, but it appears they were made to carry out the Ritual of Strangulation.

The mansion also has a window that has gained a bad reputation. They say that if this window is photographed, a ghostly image of a young girl in a kimono will appear in the photograph.

These incidents have caused panic among people in Tokyo, and many believe that those who approach this mansion will be cursed. The mystery of the deaths of seven people found in this building has still not been solved.

The urban legend of the Himuro Mansion became popular in the west. The haunted house story has become very fashionable. If the legend is true, then the Himuro Mansion is definitely the most cursed building in Japan.

“I screamed throughout the entire cinema hall in fear!” - ARD author Zhanna Idymova once said about her first experience of watching a Japanese horror film. It seems like the movie “The Ring”...

Japanese horror films are attractive due to their presentation style, and the scary girl climbing out of the well is simply a masterpiece of suspense.

You definitely can’t deny this to the Japanese. Deadly pale faces with inevitably large, frightening eyes, long wet hair covering the face, and a special, incomprehensible to Western viewer, and therefore even more attractive depressing atmosphere - Japanese horror films are significantly different from other world horror films.

For more than fifteen years, the best Japanese horrors - Japanese horror (J-horror, J-horror) have been confidently winning the attention of horror movie lovers all over the world. Unlike Americans and Europeans, well-mannered residents of the Land of the Rising Sun do not allow themselves to splash out negative emotions on others.

Therefore, Japanese horror seems lighter and at the same time oppressive. Without copious splashes of blood and dismembered bodies, Japanese horror directors know how to create dark, violent films with apocalyptic contours. The greatest emphasis is usually placed on the psychological component of horror and the potential expectation of an unexpected outcome. It is this thriller orientation that forms the world army of fans of Made in Japan horror.

The regular characters of J-horror are ghosts, poltergeists and yokai - mystical humanoid creatures with different characters, who came into the cinema from Japanese folklore. Japanese folk and world magic are also used: exorcism, foresight, shamanic rituals. The wet girl from the videotape not only brought the famous film by Hideo Nakata the highest box office in the world among films of this genre, but also successfully appeared in the South Korean and American counterparts.

This is a yurei - an ethereal spirit, making itself felt with heavy breathing and heartbreaking groans behind the wall, with quick steps in the corridor. In general, the image of a long-haired girl with oriental features in a long white robe is a kind of business card Japanese horror film, which appears in a significant part of these films and is actively exploited by the world's horror story authors. It seems that there is nothing scary in this image, but a terrible unpleasant feeling inside the stomach appears from just looking at the official poster of the film, not to mention the picture itself.

Manga comics, anime cartoons and unsurpassed horror films - this is Japan's contribution to world cinema. The irresistible desire to watch Japanese horrors to the end can be explained quite simply. Not a single self-respecting director of Japanese horror will leave a grateful viewer without a solution, nor will he disappoint with a blurry and unfinished ending of the film. There is always food for thought and a strong desire to better understand the mystical facet of Japanese culture.

ARD presents its top Japanese horror films of the last 15 years.

Call/Ringu

Production: Japan Genre: fantasy, horror, detective, thriller Type: feature film, 96 min. Premiere: 01/31/1998 Director: Nakata Hideo Cast: Matsushima Nanako, Nakatani Miki and others Original author: Suzuki Koji.

Summary:
After the mysterious death of her niece Tomoko Oishi (Yuko Takeyuchi), journalist Reiko Asakawa (Nanako Matsusoma) decides to independently find an explanation for what happened, distrusting what she considers to be a typical urban myth that after watching a certain videotape, the phone rings, and a week later - the man dies with his face contorted in horror. However, everything predicted begins to come true for Reiko herself - and she, having overcome her initial skepticism, understands that there is no choice left but to understand the reasons for what is happening, asking for support from her ex-husband Ryuji Takayama (Hiroyuki Sanada). The ongoing investigation leads Asakawa and Ryuji to an abandoned house where a tragedy occurred many years ago: a girl named Sadako (Rie Inou) was buried alive in a deep well. Reiko realizes that time is almost up - and does everything to help the soul of the innocent murdered find peace...

Ring 2/Ringu 2
Manufacture: Japan
Genre: horror film

Premiere: 06/10/1999

Director: Nakata Hideo
Cast: Nakatani Miki, Sato Hitomi and others

Summary:
The sequel to The Ring picks up the sinister theme of the deadly videotape and picks up right after the death of the first film's protagonist, journalist Ryuichi. His friend Mai Takano is trying to figure out what happened. The trail leads her, firstly, to the mysterious tape, and secondly, to Ryuichi's ex-wife, Reiko Asakawa, and her son, Yuichi. Gradually, Mai begins to realize that Yuichi has the same sinister paranormal abilities as Sadako Imamura, the ghost living in the tape. Sadako's spirit has taken possession of the boy and he begins to commit one murder after another. A veil of evil begins to hang over the heroes. Will they be able to handle it?

The Grudge
Manufacture: Japan
Genre: horror film
Type: feature film, 92 min.
Premiere: January 25, 2003

Director: Shimizu Takashi
Starring: Okina Megumi, Ito Misaki and others

Summary:
The most terrible of all curses is the dying curse. At the moment when life leaves the body of a person who dies a violent death, all the powerless rage and frantic anger of the unfortunate victim against the tormentor falls on the place where the murder was committed. The soul of the deceased will not find peace. The restless ghost will begin to appear where he was during life, and, obsessed with a thirst for revenge and blind malice, kill everyone who dares to enter his domain. There is no escape from this terrible curse.

Curse 2

Manufacture: Japan
Genre: horror film, thriller
Type: feature film, 95 min.
Premiere: 05/16/2003

Director: Shimizu Takashi
Starring: Sakai Noriko, Niyama Chiharu and others

Summary:
A curse born from the enraged mind of a dying person cannot disappear without a trace. The image of an innocently ruined soul appears again and again to everyone who tries to comprehend the secrets of its terrible fate, freezing the blood in the veins of the unfortunate, with the icy horror of the inevitable... Some time after the inexplicable events in the cursed house, where the bloody drama that took place many years ago marked the beginning of a chain of terrible deaths and mysterious disappearances, the charming Kiyoko, the Japanese "queen of horror", is obsessed with the idea of ​​filming an investigative film in this ominous place. She is sure that she is creating a sensation, and even the terrible and inexplicable events that have haunted Kiyoko since the beginning of filming are unable to change her fatal intentions, which have become a death sentence for the movie star and everyone around her...

Curse 3

Manufacture: Japan
Genre: horror film, thriller
Type: feature film
Year: 2007

Director: Shimizu Takashi

Dark Waters
Director: Hideo Nakata
Japan, 2002
Horror film, mystical thriller
Duration: 101 minutes
The film is presented by the association of companies "Pan-Terra" - "Cinema without Borders"

Summary: Yoshimi Matsubara, after a divorce, is looking for new apartment, where she will live with her daughter. She finds accommodation in a strange house, where there are puddles and severe dampness everywhere. The manager will explain this by the rainy season. Nevertheless, the woman decides to move. On the roof, her daughter Ikuku finds a red children's bag with toys, but her mother forbids her to take it. In one of the corners of the room there is a damp spot on the ceiling, which is gradually growing.

"Dollmaker" (2005) / Doll Master

Duration: 90 min.
horror
Director: Yong-ki Jeong
Cast: Yu-mi Kim, Yun-Kyong Lim, Hyong-tak Shim, Chi-yong Ok, Hyong-chun Lim
From the moment you abandon them, their sadness turns to horror.

Have you ever had the feeling that someone is watching you? Horror pierces you, and drops of sticky sweat run down your back... You turn around, but there is no one and nothing behind you except the doll. The cold shine of her glass eyes evokes thoughts of a long and painful death....

Cello/Chello

Year of manufacture: 2005
Genre: horror, mystery
Production:
Country: Korea
Director: Lee Woo-cheol / Woo-cheol Lee /
Cast: Ho-bin Jeong, Yu-mi Jeong, Da-an Park, Hyeon-a Seong
About the film: A mystical horror film that tells the story of a house in which an entire family died while listening to cello music in various places. There are no signs of forced entry and no signs of violence on any of the victims. The only survivor is a cellist. She constantly mutters that it was the cello music that killed them all...

One missed call (Japan)

Chakushin ari (You"ve Got a Call) (2003)

Briefly:
A message sent by you three days later will be sent to your mobile phone. This is a death warning

Director: Takashi Miike / Takashi Miike

Main roles Stars: Ko Shibasaki, Kazue Fukiishi, Atsushi Ida, Renji Ishibashi, Goro Kishitani, Yutaka Matsushige, Anna Nagata, Mariko Tsutsui, Shinichi Tsutsumi

Your mobile phone is ringing. But instead of the usual signal there is a strange, unfamiliar melody. You don't have time to answer. The display says “1 missed call”. The caller's number is your own. The time of the call seems very strange - it is shifted into the future from today's date by exactly three days. There is one message on the answering machine. This is your own voice, meaningless words, some extraneous sounds and suddenly - a chilling death cry. This seems like someone's stupid joke, but you only have three days left to live...

Second missed call (Chakushin ari 2)

Cast:Mimura, Yuyu Yoshizawa, Renji Ishibashi, Haruko Wanibuchi, Asaka Seto, Peter Ho

Kyoko works full-time at a daycare center and studies child therapy in the evenings, leaving little time to date her photographer boyfriend Naoto. One day, Kyoko runs into a Chinese restaurant where Naoto works part-time. On the threshold, an eerie call is heard from her cell phone. They recognize this sound as the one that preceded the “death forecast” calls made last year. They remember what happened... a recording of their own voice screaming in horror... the inevitability of the end. And soon a grim death enters the world of Naoto and Kyoko, and it becomes obvious that the curse has not been lifted.

Due to its strangeness, Japan and its people have become very popular in many countries. Due to the long isolation, the culture of this place seems incomprehensible and amazing to us, and the Japanese seem eccentric. Naturally, they themselves don’t think so and nothing strange They don’t see it in themselves.

Today we will tell you the chilling legends of Japan, which are far from intended for the fragile child’s psyche - even adults cannot listen to them without shuddering. We will not ignore the favorite characters of Japanese horror films - dead girls with black hair; also, these legends cannot do without darkness and water. You can find all this in the stories below.

This story in all sorts of interpretations can be found in legends of all times and peoples. It is simple and instructive, it says that any evil will always be punished. And the hunter is not always the victim - very often the situation changes radically and terribly.

In one of the many districts of Tokyo, a gang of four brutal criminals was operating. Among them was a very handsome and stately guy who met girls and allegedly invited them to his hotel for a romantic evening. And already in the room the handsome man’s accomplices were waiting for the poor victim and pounced on her. On that fateful day, the guy met the girl and then everything went according to the script. But, apparently, the scenario had a bad ending for the gang - when the hotel workers got tired of waiting for the guests to leave, they opened the room and found the torn bodies of the criminals there.

2. Satoru-kun

Based on this legend, telephone games are a very dangerous thing. And not only because anyone, even a maniac, could be hiding in the interlocutor. Films were even made based on such modern stories. You can read this story right now. And you will never want to play with your phone again.

There is a being in the world named Satoru, he can give you the answer to any possible question. To call him, you just need to have a cell phone and a 10 yen coin in your pocket (naturally, everything should happen in Japan, therefore the money is Japanese). Find a pay phone, use a coin to call your own mobile phone. When the connection is established, say into the phone “Satoru-kun, if you are here, then please come to me.” (Surely you need to speak Japanese too).
Throughout the day, this creature will call your number and tell you where it is until it is behind your back. When Satoru says “I'm behind you,” you immediately ask the question you want answered. But don't look back - if you look back or don't remember the question, the creature will take you with it.

A similar story is told about a certain Anser, only he punishes differently.

In order to find out the answers to your questions, collect ten telephones and start calling simultaneously from the first to the second, from the second to the third, etc. From the 10th, call the first. When all the phones are connected, Anser will answer you. (Which phone, we don’t know). He will answer questions from 9 people. But the tenth one will be less lucky - Anser will ask him his question. If he does not answer, then the cruel monster will take some part from his body, since Anser is a freak child, initially consisting only of his head and assembling his body in parts.

3. Do you need your legs?

This legend would be funny if it weren't so cruel. From it you can learn to be attentive to the questions of random people - perhaps your answers will be taken too literally.
And the most important thing is that in this story there is no correct answer - if you say no, you will be left without legs, and if you answer yes, you will have a third leg.

One day, a boy walking home from school was accosted by an eccentric old woman, repeating one phrase:
- Don't you need legs?
The boy tried to ignore the old witch, but she did not lag behind. Then he shouted “no!” to make the grandmother fall behind. A crowd of people came running to the child’s cry and saw him lying legless on the asphalt.

The most mysterious mystery in Japanese legends is a doll named Okiku. According to stories, when the owner of the toy died, the doll began to grow hair similar to the hair of a child and growing quite quickly.

This doll was given to his little sister in 1918 by a 17-year-old boy named Eikichi Suzuki. And his sister, as you might have guessed, was called Okiku. The boy bought the doll at maritime exhibition in Sapporo (this is resort town on the island of Hokkaido). The girl really loved this gift and played with it every day. But at three years old the girl died of a cold. Relatives placed the doll on the altar at home and prayed near it every day in memory of the little girl. One day they noticed that the doll’s hair had become longer and concluded that the girl’s spirit had settled in her favorite toy.

5. Kaori-san.

The preface to this story is very creepy. But the sequel is even worse than the preface. What's funny is that if the second part of the story scares only small children, then almost all teenage girls from Japan believe in the preface.

Having entered high school, one girl decided to celebrate this in a very original way - to pierce her ears. To save money she did not go to specialized place, but did it at home herself, inserting her first earrings into the pierced earlobes.
After a couple of days, my ears became swollen and my earlobes began to itch terribly. Looking at them in the mirror, Kaori-san saw a strange white thread sticking out of one ear. And suddenly the world of the girl who tried to pull the thread was covered in darkness. And the reason was not the light being turned off - this thread turned out to be the optic nerve and the girl went blind.

But that is not all. Having gone crazy from the constant darkness, Kaori went to bite off the ears of her seeing friends and acquaintances. She did the same with high school student A-san, who carelessly went for a walk alone. When she answered affirmatively to a persistent question strange girls with pubescent heads: “Are your ears pierced?” the crazy woman attacked A-san and bit off her earlobes with earrings and ran away.

6. Sennichimae

The story is about the Osaka area where the incident happened. scary tragedy back in 1972. Then more than 170 people burned during the fire. In general, the spirits of the dead often appear in horror films. But during the day they rarely walk the streets. So...

An ordinary employee of an ordinary company was driving home in rainy weather. When the man came out of the subway and opened his umbrella, he noticed strange passers-by walking down the street without umbrellas and with frozen looks. In bewilderment, the man constantly dodged the individuals trying to collide with him. Suddenly a taxi driver called him over, and although the man did not need a taxi, he persuaded him to get into the car. It wasn’t that difficult - the passer-by really didn’t like the strange street and the people who filled it. And the taxi driver, pale as snow, said:
- When I drove by and saw you walking along an empty street and dodging who knows what, I realized that I needed to save you.

7. Hanako-san and Mr. Shadow

Just like the Japanese water world is closely associated with the world of the dead, many legends are told about toilets and their mysterious inhabitants. We will tell you the most popular and common ones.

Come to school in the middle of the night, find the north building and stand between the third and fourth floors. Don't forget to bring various goodies and a candle from home. Place all this behind your back and, turning to the shadow you cast, chant: “Mr. Shadow, listen to my request, please.”
Then this gentleman will appear from the shadows and fulfill your desire. But only if the candle does not go out. If it stops burning, then the cruel master will take away part of your body (which part is, probably, at his discretion).

Another absurdity from this series:

When you go to the toilet, you will be asked whether to give you red or blue paper. The choice is small and sad - if you say that it is red, you will be torn to pieces, spattering everything around with your own blood. If your choice falls on blue paper, then all your blood will be sucked out to the last drop. There is another not very pleasant option, but it will keep you alive. You can say "yellow" and the booth will be filled to the brim with shits. True, you risk choking on feces, but those who know how to swim will definitely survive and then the unpleasant smell will not be able to darken their festive mood.

There is another similar variation, only in it all the actions take place at night.

In the fourth stall of the boys' toilet there lives a voice that belongs to someone unknown. If you go there at night, he will ask: “Red cloak or blue cloak?” Unfortunately, there is no option with a yellow cloak. When you choose the red cloak, the owner of the creepy voice will stick a knife in your back. With blue, accordingly, you will lose your blood.
Rumor has it that one skeptical boy decided to prove that this story was a fiction. He never returned that night, and in the morning he was found with a knife stuck in his back, and blood covering his body like a cloak.

There is also such a game with Hanako-san:

1).If you drum on the door of the third booth three times and say: “Hanako-san, let’s play!”, you will hear in response “Yesss!” and a girl will come out in a red skirt with a bob hairstyle.
2.) Someone should go into the second booth, and his partner should stay outside. The one outside must knock on the booth door four times, and the one inside the booth must knock twice. Then, in a chorus of three or more voices, you need to say: “Let’s play, Hanako-san. What do you want - tag and rubber bands?” The voice will say, "Okay, let's play tag."
And then... A girl in a white blouse will come to the one in the booth and touch him on the shoulder. Surely, older boys are not at all interested in this game.

8. Scary story about a cow's head

Komatsu Sakyo once wrote a scary story about a cow's head. This legend originates from it, which is told like a true story, which has already become urban folklore.
In general, the story dates back to the Kan-ei period (1624-1643). The story itself is nowhere to be found, only phrases like: “Today I was told a heartbreaking, creepy story about a cow’s head, but I can’t write it because it’s too scary.”
Because of this, the story is not in any book; it was always transmitted orally. And we won’t publish it here - it’s really too terrible and blood-curdling. It's just hair-raising... We'd better tell you what happened when it was voiced.

One day on the bus, an elementary school teacher was telling scary stories. The naughty children sat quietly that day - they were really scared. The teacher, proud of his storytelling skills, decided that he would finally tell the most terrible story, of course, about a cow’s head. As soon as he began the story, the children began to ask Sensei in horror to stop. Many became whiter than chalk, many began to cry... But the teacher did not shut up, and his eyes became empty, like the eye sockets of death. It was both him and not him.

And only when the bus stopped did the teacher come to his senses and look around. He realized that something was wrong. The driver was scared to death and covered in sweat. He simply couldn't go any further. Looking around, the teacher saw that all the children were in a deep faint, and foam was coming out of their mouths. He never told this story again.

9. The Woman with the Slit Mouth

You may have even seen a film based on this legend. The story, of course, is tritely simple, but I just wish I could find out who came up with this terrible nonsense about an ugly woman mutilating children. And what kind of mental illness did that person have?
There is also an option about a lady simply disfigured by an atomic explosion, but this is an interpretation of the first story.

This horror story became so popular because police found similar entries in case files, newspaper reports and television reports. If you believe the legend, then an incredible beauty with a bandage on her face wanders the streets of the country. When she meets a child, she asks whether she is beautiful. If the child does not answer immediately, she removes the bandage, revealing a gap instead of a mouth, scary sharp teeth and snake language. After that she will ask: “And now?” If the child answers in the negative, she will cut off his head. And if it’s positive, he’ll make the same mouth for him. They say that in order to be saved, you need to ask her first about something or give an evasive answer.

Well, actually, another option on the same topic

Allegedly taken from the notebook of the narrator's great-grandfather and written in 1953.
He went to Osaka, and there they told him the story of the atomic girl. And if a person hears the story, then three days later he will meet this girl, who is all covered with scars and scars after the explosion of the atomic bomb. And on the third night a girl comes to him (and it sounds romantic) and asks: “Am I beautiful or not.” And the narrator’s great-grandfather answers: “I think you’re pretty!” “Where am I from?” the girl asks again. “I think you are from Kashima or Ise” (these are the places where the atomic bombs were exploded). The girl confirmed the correctness of the answer and left. The narrator's great-grandfather wrote that he was very scared - after all, the wrong answer would have sent him to the next world.

10. Tek-tek

Americans call this horror film "Clack-Clack". And the story is about a woman who was hit by a train and found herself cut in half. It’s no wonder that after this the lady became angry with the whole world and began to take revenge on him. Here's a classic story, and in pairs there's another one similar to it.

Kashima Reiko, cut in half by a train, wanders through the night, moving on her elbows and making a gloomy "tek-tek" sound. And if she meets someone on her way, she will not stop until she catches up and kills him, turning him into the same freak. And she will do this manipulation with a scythe. They say that this woman especially loves children playing at dusk.

Here's another version of the story:

The young man decided to go skiing on a weekday so that there would be fewer people around. He was right - he was driving past the roadside forest alone. And then the man heard obvious cries for help from this very forest. Approaching him, he saw a woman who had fallen waist-deep into the snow and begged him for help. When he took her hands and began to pull her out of the snow, she was incredibly light. Looking at where her legs should be, the man saw that the lady was missing the lower half of her torso. And there was no hole under it. And then the woman grinned...

Japan is rightfully included in. The Japanese are, by and large, a nation obsessed with creepy ghost movies. From the horror movie icon of the crawling Sadako from The Ring to the creepy scenes of Suicide Club. It is an undeniable fact that Japan has produced a number of films containing the most terrifying moments in the history of the horror genre.

Whether you're a casual movie watcher or a film fanatic who breathes and eats their favorite films, Japanese horror films will definitely captivate you. So, top 18 most creepy places Japan.

Of course, Sadako and other characters from the plots of Japanese horror films are fictitious and created by the country's richly imaginative writers and directors Rising Sun. But did you know that Japan has many scary places that can scare a person for the rest of his life? Believe me, there are dozens of places in this country that are no less frightening than Sadako herself. Do you want to see something as scary as Sadako in the Land of the Rising Sun? Make sure to take our tips into account when planning your trip to Japan.

18 of the scariest places on the planet and in Japan that can scare you no less than Sadako herself

1. Aokigahara Forest

When it comes to terrifying places in Japan, there is no doubt that the most terrible and mysterious is the Aokigahara forest. This place has a well-characterized nickname - “Suicide Forest”. Aokigahara, unfortunately, has the reputation of being the second most popular suicide spot in the world. For decades, thousands of people have been coming to this mystical forest in order to commit suicide. Sounds pretty creepy, doesn't it?

Don't be too surprised if you run into Sadako and her companions during your visit to this chilling forest. Yet it is the Aokigahara forest that is known for the lion's share of paranormal activity in Japan. Even if the government tries to keep a record of suicides in the forest, this place has already acquired numerous terrible myths and legends as the scariest place on the planet. And it is in first place in our ranking.

2. Old Chusetsu Tunnel, Fukuoka

Aren't you afraid of Sadako and other ghosts? In this case, I recommend entering the abandoned old Chusetsu Tunnel, located in the city of Fukuoka. Locals claim that you can hear strange voices in this terrifying tunnel.

3. Oiran Buti, Yamanashi

It looks as if you are trying to deceive us, the most sophisticated people will say, assigning these words to this and the next position on our list. Despite the wonderful landscape around, Oiran Buti occupies worthy place in the list of the most scary places on the planet and in Japan. After all, it was here that in ancient times about 50 oiran (prostitutes) were killed. Also, this place has a creepy suspension bridge, as if copied from a scene from the Silent Hill films.

4. Hiroshima and Nagasaki

In these cities, people often hear crying and cries for help from restless souls at night until dawn.

5. Akasaka Mansion Hotel, Tokyo

Known as Tokyo's scariest hotel, Akasaka Mansion is capable of scaring the living daylights out of guests with a variety of hair-raising visions. In fact, one woman staying at the hotel said that an unknown force grabbed her by the hair and dragged her across the room. Could this be Sadako's work? Spend the night in this hotel yourself and perhaps you can find something.

6. Field hospital, Kanagawa Prefecture.

From unusual sounds to windows opening, there are many reports of paranormal activity at this field hospital.

7. Doryodo Ruins, Tokyo

In the ruins of Doryodo, bystanders can hear the cries of a girl, a student, whose body was dumped here after a brutal murder committed in 1973. She doesn't have to be Sadako, but her moans will definitely make your hair stand on end.

8. Himuro Mansion, Tokyo

Incarnated in the game Fatal Frame, the Himuro mansion was the site of the notorious massacre of his entire clan by the head of the Himuro family. This horrific crime is often considered one of the most brutal and shocking murders in Japanese history. But some say that this story of the Himuro Mansion is nothing more than just a fiction.

Want to know if this urban legend is true? There's only one way to check! Visit one of the scariest places on the planet and make sure!

9. Hakone Yama, Tokyo

Try to take a long time night walk by Hakone Yama and listen to the terrifying sobs, wailings and other mysterious noises in this place. In addition to the mystical sounds, the park leaves a strong feeling that this place has an extraterrestrial, supernatural nature. Although Sadako most likely will not appear here, Hakone Yama remains a tempting object for fans thrills and Ghostbusters.

10. Sunshine 60 Skyscraper, Tokyo

Visit this building at sunset and you might be lucky enough to see the appearance of mysterious fireballs floating in the air.

11. Round school building, Hokkaido. One of the most terrible places on the planet.

This school is one of the most famous scary places in Japan, because the creepy building, inhabited by ghosts, can scare even the most courageous lovers of the otherworldly. There are many stories on the Internet about the circular school, including legends about people who entered the building, but disappeared forever or left with their minds damaged.

12. Royal Hotel, Okinawa.

One of the most famous spooky places in Japan, the Royal Hotel is an abandoned hotel built on the once sacred grounds of Nakagusuku Castle. According to legend, the spirits and ghosts that lived in the castle were disturbed by the new construction, causing a number of accidents to the hotel owner and construction workers.

13. SSS Curve, Okinawa

Want to capture ghosts on your trip to Japan? I recommend that you go to the SSS curve on Okinawa Island.

14. Teahouse Ruins, Okinawa

The ruins of this tea house - Goldmine for paranormal activity experts and ghost hunters.

15. Gate No. 3 of Camp Hansen Military Base, Okinawa

Do you want to meet Sadako? You won't find her in this camp, but you may encounter another strange entity. Apparently, here, on this gloomy American military base, the appearance of a bloody soldier from the Second World War has been recorded many times. Some people say that he asks for a light (particularly with a lighter), and then disappears without a trace.

16. Atsugi Naval Base, Kanagawa

At this US Navy base, cases of the appearance of a restless soul have also been recorded. As far as I know, this ghost is connected to a Marine who died in a terrible car accident in the 1960s.

17. Rusted Hangar, Kanagawa

This hangar, located away from the US Navy base, is also known for a number of strange paranormal phenomena. Here you can hear the doors closing by themselves, and ghosts with red eyes have also been observed in this place.

18. Gridley Tunnel, Yokosuka

Want to see the ghosts of Japanese samurai? The Gridley Tunnel at Yokosuka Naval Base is a single-lane, narrow tunnel haunted by the spirit of a once surprised and killed samurai. There is a belief that this warrior set out on a journey to avenge the death of his master, and on the way he was attacked by his enemies. Since he was unable to complete the work he started, the ghost of the samurai was unable to leave this place.

We can't blame this samurai for his appearance in the tunnel. Besides, it must be terribly boring to spend thousands of years in such a cramped place. Fortunately, our good friend Sadako can always pay a visit to this tunnel and offer a few words of encouragement to the fallen warrior.

This is our story from the series the most scary places on the planet finished. If you liked the selection, write in the comments and we will continue in the same spirit!

By the way, did you know that Sadako can pitch in baseball? I must say that she has a very good throw with her right hand.

I love Japan. I just love her. And their horror films in all forms are especially close to my heart. So I decided to post my thoughts, reflections and rants on the topic of urban legends of the Land of the Rising Sun.

Urban legends of Japan. Part I

When walking along quiet Japanese streets, be very careful. There can be danger around every corner. If a beautiful woman with a bandage on her face calls out to you and asks: “Am I beautiful?”, do not even think about answering her. Walking along the school corridors, you can hear children crying. But don’t rush to run to help. And if your other half wears a red scarf without taking it off, under no circumstances force you to take it off. Don't want to listen? Well, we warned you. But don't underestimate Japan's urban legends...

“You can have a thousand academic degrees,

but man by nature always believed

and will believe in the existence of something,

not amenable to rational explanation"

Koji Suzuki "Ring" / "Ring"

Japan another country

Japan is a country with a different mentality. It developed along a completely different path, strikingly different from Europe. For a long time the country was closed; access for foreigners was strictly limited. Peculiar natural conditions, social norms and rules, traditions and mythology combined into an interesting, but alien mixture to Europeans. On this basis, a unique layer of culture arose - urban legends.

What are these urban legends? These are actually scary stories based on the mythology and culture of the country. Remember how, as children, we scared each other with stories about a red sheet, a green hand and a black coffin on wheels? So, the Japanese also like to scare their friend with all sorts of horror stories. Only their stories will be more terrible and capable of scaring not only schoolchildren, but also impressionable adults.

Typically, the main characters in Japanese urban legends are onryo spirits - vengeful spirits who have returned from the dead to punish the offender. We are familiar with these ghosts primarily from popular Japanese horror films. Everyone knows Sadoko Yamamura, the girl from the movie “The Ring.” By the way, in the book by Koji Suzuki, on which the movie was based, Sadoko was an adult girl - a classic image of an onryo.

Kaidan or kwaidan is a traditional folklore genre in Japan, designed to frighten the listener with stories of encounters with the supernatural. Undoubtedly, he had a huge influence on the formation of urban legends in Japan. This literary trend created fertile ground for the emergence of modern urban folklore. Moreover, many classic horror stories have been translated into a modern twist, turning them into urban legends.

Traditionally, Japanese culture itself is rich in a variety of horror stories: ghosts, monsters, and strange creatures inhabit Japan. Therefore, it is no wonder that Tek-Tek, the Woman with a Slit Mouth and other terrible monsters roam around the cities.

In addition, after the fall of the Tokugawa military-samurai regime (Edo period), stories from Europe poured into the Land of the Rising Sun along with foreigners. They, of course, also influenced the formation of Japanese urban folklore. To many modern Japanese scary stories we can recall similar legends from the USA, Germany or other countries.

For convenience, Japanese urban legends can be divided into several categories.

Revenge

One of the main themes of Japanese horror stories is revenge. The ghosts of the dead take revenge on their offenders, their descendants, children, neighbors, friends, and even those who accidentally got in their way. “Wrong time, wrong place” is a very relevant expression in relation to legends telling of reckoning.

Sometimes the injustice is so great and the thirst for revenge is so strong that the soul cannot find peace. She remains attached to a place that is meaningful to her. Typically this is the place where the person died. It’s good if punishment overtakes the offender. But most often it is innocent citizens who get the nuts.

Everyone knows the 2003 film “The Grudge” directed by Shimizu Takashima and its American remake. A curse born from the enraged mind of a dying man cannot disappear without a trace. The image of an innocently ruined soul appears again and again to everyone who tries to comprehend the secrets of its fate. No one can be saved by coming into contact with all-consuming rage. Similar stories exist in all corners of Japan. Sometimes having a real basis because of the tragedies that have happened.

There are also legends where others take revenge for the victim. The boy was bullied by his classmates. Often it came to assault. The child’s grandmother knew that her grandson was being bullied, but she could not do anything. And one day the boy was beaten so badly that he died. The woman immediately told the police that her grandson was killed at school. But school officials said it was an accident and the case was closed. The woman achieved nothing. “I don’t want to hear this,” she said and cut off her ears. The old woman was admitted to the hospital, and since then nothing has been heard from her.

A few weeks later, an elderly woman wearing a purple kimono began to appear at the school gates (the color purple is associated with death in Japan). She tore out the livers of those children she spoke to. To drive it away, you need to say “purple,” which means “rest in peace.” Therefore, always be on alert, in case your grandmother turns to you with a request to take her across the road.

Another urban legend tells that a gang of robbers was operating in the Shibuya area of ​​Tokyo. One of them, a handsome guy, met and flirted with girls, then brought them to the hotel, where his comrades were waiting. One day, as usual, the handsome man invited the girl to the hotel. And as usual, his comrades ambushed...

The evening of the next day came, and the guests still did not leave the room. The hotel employees became worried and entered the room. There lay four corpses, torn to pieces...

This terrible story, found in different variations in almost all countries, also contains a certain amount of educational moment - retribution for actions can overtake anywhere and anytime, hidden in the most harmless, at first glance, things. Sometimes the hunter can turn into the hunted.

School inhabitants

A separate group of urban legends are legends about ghostly inhabitants of schools. The place where Japanese schoolchildren spend their time is full of secrets and mysteries. The school toilet is especially mysterious and enigmatic. Yes Yes. You heard right. It's the toilet. There are a great many legends about those who wait for schoolchildren in cabins.

If you don’t have enough thrills and life without adrenaline makes no sense, then come at two o’clock in the morning to the northern building of the school, on the stairs between the third and fourth floors. Bring a candle and something tasty with you. Place the treat behind you and chant to your shadow, “Mr. Shadow, Mister Shadow, please listen to my request.” And then tell him your wish.

If everything goes as it should, Mr. Shadow will come out of your shadow and fulfill your request. But be careful! If the candle goes out, Mr. Shadow will get angry and take away some part of your body. Moreover, he will not ask which organ will be least useful to you in life.

After staying a little longer in the toilet and successfully surviving the arrival of Mr. Shadow, you will hear a voice: “Do you want red or blue paper?” Here, too, you need to gather your willpower and think about what to answer to a caring ghost who is worried about whether you have everything you need to go to the toilet. If you say “red,” then death is inevitable, and the whole body will be covered in blood. If you say “blue”, all your blood will be sucked out. Whatever one may say, one is not better than the other. But there is a way to stay alive - say “yellow paper”. Then the toilet stall will fill up... Well, you understand. As a consolation, let's say that this is not fatal...

Some schools may ask you, “Do you want a red cape or a blue cape?” But now you know how to respond to a malicious ghost. And then go straight to the shower.

For researchers and simply lovers of the paranormal, the Japanese school toilet should become a place of pilgrimage. In fact, you don't need to make any effort, just knock three times on the door of the third stall of the women's restroom on the third floor and say: “Hanako-san, let's play!” In response, you will immediately hear: “Yes...” and you will be able to see the ghost of Hanako-san in person.

An alternative way to call a girl from the toilet requires more effort. You'll have to persuade one of your friends to join you, because you can't do it alone. You will have to push your friend into the second toilet stall from the entrance, and you yourself will remain outside. While propping up the door so as not to let your friend escape from the stall, knock four times on the door. A friend locked inside and doomed to meet a ghost must answer with a double knock, but if he simply kicks the door and demands to be let out immediately, then count his knocks as two. The rest will pass for noise. Then you need to call: “Hanako-san, let's play! Do you want a rubber band or a tag?”

A bored ghost will immediately respond: “Okay. Let's tag." And then the one inside will be touched on the shoulder by a girl.

Of course, you can take a seat in the booth yourself, but the effect will not be the same. Besides, you can always say that you have already called Hanako, just at another school. Now explore the external manifestations of ghostly emanations that influence fluctuations in air flow. Well, or else, come up with something. The main thing is to be more intricate, otherwise your friend won’t believe you and will beat you.

Hanako-san is the most popular ghost in Japan, rumors about which have been circulating since the 50sXXcentury. In addition, there is a ghost girl in almost all Japanese schools. It’s no wonder that Hanako-san became the heroine of several films and anime.

There are a great many stories about how the soul of a poor girl was captured by the toilet. According to one version, Hanako-san was in poor health, and when her classmates locked her in the toilet, the girl’s heart stopped. According to another version, Hanako was attacked by a maniac. She ran away and hid in the school toilet, but it didn't help -

he found her there anyway... The third version talks about the family problems that the girl had to live with. Her father cheated on her mother, and she went crazy with jealousy. The crazy woman strangled the younger children, but Hanako managed to escape and hid in the school toilet. But the mother still found her eldest daughter... And according to the fourth legend, Hanako-san committed suicide because her long hair was cut off.

Damned places

Urban legends related to cursed houses, hospitals, parks and others popular places a dime a dozen. Every city has a couple of such attractions. They serve as a place of pilgrimage for lovers of the paranormal and an opportunity to test their courage. If you want to tickle your nerves, you can visit the cursed place and leave your name on the wall. But be careful, don't let the curse drag you into its web...

In 1972, a fire occurred in Sennichimae, a district of Osaka, in which one hundred and seventeen people died. There was talk that this place was now cursed.

One employee was late finishing a report for his boss. He hurried home and exited the subway in Sennichimae. It was raining heavily. So the man opened his umbrella and walked away, dodging the people rushing here and there. The man looked at the passers-by, and a chill ran down his spine: all the people were without umbrellas, pale and gloomy. The empty eyes expressed nothing, their gazes were fixed on one point.

Suddenly a taxi stopped not far from the man.

Come here! - the driver shouted.

But I don't need a taxi.

No matter, sit down!

The man wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible, so he obeyed. The taxi driver was as pale as a sheet. Taking a breath, he said:

I was driving along the route when I saw you walking along an empty street and dodging someone, as if from people passing by...

Age of technology

Computers, players, the Internet, mobile phones - we can no longer imagine life without all this. Technology has deeply entered our lives. And, of course, this could not but affect urban legends. Horror stories appeared related to television, the World Wide Web and mobile phones. Just remember the popular horror films “The Ring”, “One Missed Call” and others.

If there is a maniac on the other end of the line, this is not the worst thing that can happen to phone owners.

Do you know Satoru who can answer any question? No? Then we'll tell you now. To call him, you need a cell phone, a pay phone and a 10 yen coin. Place a coin in the machine, call your cell phone and say: “Satoru-kun, Satoru-kun, if you are here, come to me and please answer my question.”

Over the next twenty-four hours, Satoru-kun will call you on your cell phone. Every time he will say where he is. This place will get closer and closer to you. IN last time he will say: “I’m behind you...” Now you can ask the question for which you decided to risk your life. There will definitely be an answer to it. But if you turn around, wanting to look at the all-knowing alien, or cannot think of a question, Satoru-kun will kill you. And you won’t know the answer and will die ahead of time. Japanese ghosts are not to be trifled with.

Another variation on the theme of telephone calls is the legend of the Mysterious Anser. If communication with Satoru-kun is not enough for you or you want to try your luck again, then take ten mobile phones and call from the first to the second... and so on. To close the chain, send the last tenth call to the first phone - a circle is formed. When all the phones are connected to each other, you will be contacted by a man named Anser, who will answer nine people's questions. Well, Anser himself will ask the tenth member of the spirit-summoning team a question. If he does not receive an answer, a hand will come out of the mobile phone screen and drag away some part of the interlocutor’s body. Anser is a freak of a child. He has only one head and in order to become a full-fledged person, he steals body parts and answers any questions along the way. If you are not confident in your erudition, it is better not to take risks. Or at least not being the owner of the tenth phone.

There are many legends surrounding the photographs. For example, you cannot stand in the center if three people are photographed. This threatens troubles and even death.

“To take a photograph is to take out the soul” - this opinion existed for a long time in Japan. It has taken root since the Edo era, when photography came to the Land of the Rising Sun. This attitude towards a new invention initially arose in many countries. Perhaps this is not easy. Who can say whether we are losing part of our soul when we capture our image in the next photograph.

Deformities

Ugliness and beauty attract attention in equal measure. Even if you are running errands and do not pay attention to the people rushing nearby, your gaze will still catch on a beauty passing by, or on a person missing one leg or arm.

The Japanese did not ignore this topic. Moreover, standing out from the crowd is not accepted here.

One of the most famous urban legends in Japan is the "Gap-Mouth Woman" or "Woman with the Slit Mouth." Based on this urban legend, a horror film of the same name was shot in 2007 by director Koshi Hiraishi. There is a variation of Slit Mouth - Atomic Girl, disfigured by the explosion and asking the children the same question.

Kuchisake Onna or the Mouth-Crack Woman is a very popular horror story, especially famous due to the fact that the police still find many similar messages in their archives. According to legend, an unusually beautiful woman wearing a gauze bandage walks the streets of Japan. If a child is walking down the street alone, then she can come up to him and ask: “Am I beautiful?” If he hesitates, Kuchisake tears off the bandage from his face. A huge scar crosses her beautiful face from ear to ear, a giant mouth filled with sharp teeth, and a tongue like a snake. After which the girl will ask the question again: “Am I beautiful now?” If the child answers “no,” then she will cut off his head with scissors, and if “yes,” then she will give him the same scar. Don't rush to answer! The only way to escape in this case is to give an evasive answer. For example, you can answer: “You look average” or “You look good.”

Another story that scares the Japanese to death is "Tek-Tek". This horror story tells the story of a woman who died under the wheels of a train.

Tek-Tek or Kashima Reiko is the ghost of a woman who was run over by a train and cut in half. Since then, she has been wandering at night, moving on her elbows, making the sound “tek-tek.” If a girl sees someone, she will chase him until she kills him. Reiko will cut her victim in half with a scythe and turn her into a monster just like her. According to legend, Tek-Tek hunts children who play at dusk.

With Tek-Tek, analogies can be drawn with the American children's horror story called “Clack-Clack,” which parents used to scare children who were out late at night. If you are a child, then do not stay out late late. It is still unpleasant when you are deprived of your legs.

As has already become clear, in Japan, before answering any question, you need to think carefully. Otherwise it may lead to death. Who knows, maybe your words will be taken literally. So in the following urban legend, you can lose your legs if you answer without thinking.

One day the boy was walking home after school. An elderly woman approached him with a question. “Do you need legs?” - she asked. The boy, of course, said no. He has legs, why does he need another one?! His body was immediately pierced by unbearable pain. Passers-by came running to the child's screams. When they saw the boy, they were dumbfounded with fear - he had no legs.

The ghost described in the legend is terrible because it is impossible to immediately come up with the correct answer to his question. If you say “no” you will lose your legs, if you say “yes” you will get a third one. You can cheat by answering: “I don’t need it, but you can ask tago.” The ghost will turn its attention to the one whose name was called, and you will remain unharmed. Therefore, it is better to prepare the name of your enemy in advance so that you can immediately blurt it out if you are approached with a similar question.

Dolls

Long black hair, pale faces, sophisticated features, a mysterious smile. No, these are not beautiful Japanese women, these are porcelain dolls. Forever frozen images, embodiments of once living people. One of the Japanese urban legends tells of a mysterious doll, Okiku, whose hair suddenly began to grow after the death of its owner.

According to legend, the doll was originally purchased in 1918 by a seventeen-year-old boy named Eikichi Suzuki. He bought the toy on Tanuki-koji, a famous shopping street in Sapporo. It was a gift for Okiku's two-year-old sister. The girl really liked the toy, and she did not want to part with it even for a moment. Unfortunately, Okiku suddenly fell ill and died suddenly. The family placed the doll in the home altar and prayed to it every day in memory of Okiku, who left her family untimely.

Some time later, relatives began to notice that the doll's hair began to grow. The restless spirit of Okiku found refuge in a doll...

They say that if a child plays with one toy for a long time, it can come to life. There is some truth in this, because for a child a doll, a teddy bear or a wooden soldier is not just a friend, but a friend who will listen, understand and share grief and joy. So why shouldn't a toy have a soul? Especially if these are Japanese dolls.

One day a girl named Yuriko moved with her parents to another city. Before leaving, her mother told her to get rid of the Likki-chan doll. From early childhood, the toy was the girl’s most beloved and dearest, but she could not disobey her mother and still threw the doll away.

After some time, when Yuriko had almost gotten used to the new place and made friends at school, the phone rang.

It's me, Licca-chan. I'm in ***. “And I’m coming to you,” they whispered at the other end of the line.

*** is the place where the family used to live. The girl got scared and hung up. But after a while the phone rang again.

It's me, Licca-chan. “I’m fucked,” said the same voice.

*** - this was the closest station from the girl’s house.

This went on several times until Yuriko couldn’t stand it anymore and screamed:

Who are you? Tell me who you are!

But the phone rang and the caller hung up. The girl opened the curtain and looked out into the street. There was no one there. And then the phone rang.

It’s me, Licca-chan,” Yuriko heard. - I'm behind you...

The sales agency for these dolls launched the “Likki-chan Phone” service. On this phone you can hear the mysterious whisper of a living doll. Unfortunately, there is a recording playing there. But maybe that's just what they tell us...

No matter how things really turn out, be more careful when choosing gifts and souvenirs for your family and friends. You may accidentally purchase an unusual doll.

***

This is only part of that huge layer of culture called urban legends. We touched a little on the mysterious and scary stories that exist among the population of Japan. But that is not all. To be continued...