Three of the Spookiest Spots to Visit in Japan

Japan is a country that’s brimming with history and culture. Filled with endless wonders, it has an infinite number of exciting destinations for travelers to explore. For the food-obsessed, there are thousands of world-famous restaurants to sample, as well as delicious street food on every corner; for the historical nerds, temples, and palaces dating back hundreds of years. For those with a taste for the occult and supernatural, there are also some seriously spooky spots to visit.

From the tragic and spine-chilling A-Bomb Dome in Hiroshima to the infamous Aokigahara Forest, here are three that you might want to see for yourself.

The A-Bomb Dome, Hiroshima

Less spooky and more incredibly sad, the A-Bomb Dome in Hiroshima marks the spot where an atomic bomb exploded in 1945, killing more than 100,000 people and ending Japanese involvement in the Second World War. Knowing what happened here makes it an incredibly eerie place to experience, even though the location now acts as a memorial park and place of peace. According to local legend, many claim to have heard voices crying on the wind when they visit in the early morning. The bomb hit the city at 8.15 am.

Oiran Buchi, Yamanashi

According to the legend of the specters who haunt Oiran Buchi aka ‘The Bridge of Wailing Women’, the ghosts who frequent this eerie place hark back to the 1500s, when the area was known for its vast reserves of gold. Killed to protect the secret of the mines that lay beneath, they were lured onto a bridge, and fell to their deaths when its ropes were cut by the men they’d been brought in to serve. While you can now safely cross the ravine via a suspension bridge, you may nonetheless feel a spectral tug at your sleeve as you go…

If you ever visit Japan, however, you may not want to commune with the specters. Regardless, some tourists may want to visit the area to absorb the history and atmosphere it presents. Naturally, death is part of the journey of life. While paranormal visits are often displayed in media and myth as something unpleasant, some see this as an opportunity to reconnect.  If you believe in the occult or mysterious, you may even find the thought of life after death comforting and lots of people contact sites like TheCircle for psychic readings, hoping to connect with their lost loved ones or seek clarity and guidance.

Aokigahara Forest, Tokyo

At first glance, this forest on the slopes of Mount Fuji appears paradisiacal. Green, verdant, and bright with dappled sunlight, it seems like a peaceful place to hike and explore, but do not be deceived. Also known as the Suicide Forest, it has long been infamous for the number of bodies found among its ancient trees.

While no one has yet managed to explain this phenomenon, some blame it on the woodland’s dark history. Once used to carry out the practice of ubatse – which involved leaving elderly relatives to die alone in the wilderness – there have long been rumors that it’s haunted by the tragic ghosts of the aged men and women who perished here.   

For paranormal explorers and those with an interest in the occult and otherworldly, Japan is a wonderland of spooky spots just waiting to be explored. Which of these haunted destinations will you add to your itinerary?