Top 20 Scariest Japanese Urban Legends

Described by some as a “demon”, this entity plagues the Japanese countryside. Like many good urban legends, the origins of Kunekune can be traced back to the internet, specifically to Japanese message boards in 2001. It took on a life of its own, though, and now, many people claim to have witnessed the Kunekune in the countryside. It’s a twisting, white being you see in fields and rice paddies during summertime, with its name literally translating to “wriggling body”. This sounds relatively harmless, but if you get too close or look at it for too long, it’s said that you’ll lose your mind.

You’re at your most vulnerable when you’re using the bathroom, which could be why so many popular ghost stories center around it. The “Akaname”, whose name means dead skin and filth, is a classic yōkai who hides in the bathroom. They want nothing more than to lick up the dirt and mildew left behind after you shower, and stories date back hundreds of years, often referring to Japan’s many bathhouses. They’re not really supposed to be dangerous, just disgusting, and we’d really rather not think about an imp-like creature licking the bathroom walls clean while we’re trying to relax in the steam.

Meaning “human pillar”, the practice of Hitobashira has been documented as far back as 1500 years ago. It’s where people were sacrificed – often by being buried alive – during the construction of buildings, so that their spirits would later protect the site. One particular legend centers around Maruoka Castle, built in the sixteenth century, and claims that an old woman from the village was willingly buried alive underneath a pillar so that her spirit would keep the wall from falling down. Nobody knows if the story from Maruoka is true, but it DID happen throughout history. Hitobashira isn’t too dissimilar to Pharaohs having people slaughtered so that they could serve them in the afterlife.

In the same vein as Hitobashira, Sunshine 60 is a supposedly haunted skyscraper in Tokyo. Don’t let the name fool you; this enormous building, which has an observation deck boasting some of the best views in Tokyo, was built on the former site of Sugamo Prison. Sugamo was built in the late nineteenth century, but became particularly noteworthy during World War II, when it was used as a POW camp. After the war, it was used by the US Army to hold some of Imperial Japan’s most notorious war criminals. Dozens of these war criminals were executed there before the building was demolished in 1971. Sunshine 60 stands there today, and is supposedly occupied by the restless dead of Japanese history’s biggest villains.

Japan is known for having unusual commercials, and this bizarre Kleenex ad is no exception. The ad sees a woman in a white dress sitting next to an ogre while a song plays; it immediately drew complaints for being creepy and disturbing. Rumors spread that it was cursed and that everybody who worked on it, including its star Keiko Matsuzaka, had died tragically. Suffice it to say, none of this is true; as of 2024, Matsuzaka is still alive and in her seventies. But the commercial is still so spooky to watch that people enjoy telling tall tales about it. Maybe we’ll go with a different brand of tissues in the future…

Like Kunekune, this story also came from internet forums. That doesn’t mean it won’t scare you to your core, though. A young woman commuting to work one day found her train going way off course, with her fellow passengers asleep. She was unable to leave, but soon enough, the train stopped at the ominous Kisaragi Station – which doesn’t exist. What made the situation so memorable for those on the message board, however, is that the story’s author was live posting it, as if it was actually happening. The woman’s final message said that things were “getting strange”, and that she wasn’t going to post anymore. She was never heard from again. It’s a chilling, modern ghost story.

About the same time that the modern version of Ouija boards appeared in the nineteenth century, Japan had its own iteration: Kokkuri. The idea is that, using only paper, you draw the symbols you want the spirit – known as Kokkuri-san – to use to communicate. You also need to ensure doors and windows are open, because otherwise, Kokkuri-san can’t come in. Like Ouija, there’s no evidence that Kokkuri will actually summon any kind of entity. But that doesn’t stop people from trying their luck, playing the game at risk of conjuring a spirit that, if the rules aren’t all followed, might do them more harm than good.

Also known as “the Bath Game”, Daruma-san is another divination game, similar to Kokkuri – but you’re trying to summon a much more malevolent spirit on purpose. In Japan, Daruma dolls are red, round dolls important to Buddhism. To do this, you supposedly need to sit in a full bathtub late at night and wash your hair while chanting. You’ll then have summoned the ghost of a woman who will follow you. But if you turn around and look at her, she’ll become violent. The name “Daruma-san” likely comes from a game played with Daruma dolls similar to “Red Light, Green Light” - which itself is similar to how the Bath Game is supposed to work if it’s successful.

In Japanese mythology, Onryō are restless and often violent spirits who want nothing more than to harm the living. They’ve been recorded for more than a thousand years, but there’s one particular Onryō you’ll be very familiar with: Kayako Saeki, from “The Grudge”. Kayako appears in the Japanese original movies and the American remakes as an Onryō because of her violent murder at the hands of her husband. Sadako from “The Ring” is also an Onryō, but similar spirits exist in real-life folklore in Japan. Many regions have their own, specific Onryō stories to frighten everybody who hears them.

These stories began to be widely reported, even outside of Japan, in the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. This huge earthquake was one of the strongest on record, with almost 20,000 people dying and thousands more injured or missing. But eventually, taxi drivers in the areas the tsunami had hit began reporting passengers who disappeared. Though these ghosts aren’t malevolent, the phenomenon has been widely discussed. Nobody knows exactly what’s to blame for the rise in taxi drivers having these encounters, with some putting it down to trauma from the tsunami. Or, maybe there’s more to this world than we currently understand…

Said to be made up of the bones of unburied people who have died of starvation or at war, the Gashadokuro is always hungry. It hides in the woods at night – where it can blend in with skeletal trees – and then attacks unsuspecting passersby. According to the myths, the only warning that you are being stalked by one of these giant stealthy skeletons is that intended victims will suddenly experience a ringing in their ears. If that happens, be sure to high-tail it out of there. Said to be both invisible and indestructible, the only true prevention is a Shinto charm.

According to Japanese folklore, this snake woman is reputed to haunt shorelines, and will trap fishermen and swimmers, before crushing them to death and sucking the blood from her victims with her long tongue. She lures her victims with a small bundle, said to resemble a baby. If the victim offers to hold the baby, she will let them live. If they try to get rid of it, the bundle becomes incredibly heavy, and they are unable to escape. In other stories, she just wants to wash her long hair in peace, and will attack any who interrupt her... so be forewarned.

Said to be cursed, it is considered one of the most haunted places in Japan. Several rumors revolve around the tunnel, including its length. Found in Kyoto prefecture, it is said to be 444-meter-long, equivalent to about 1456 feet – with four being a suspicious and unlucky number in Japanese tradition. However, it is said to vary in length depending on the time of day, sometimes longer sometimes shorter. Furthermore, it’s said to have a particular mirror inside. If you look into this mirror, you will glimpse a vision of your own death.

This creature was the inspiration for one of the most memorable creatures in the 2006 fantasy/drama, “Pan’s Labyrinth” - the Pale Man. However, this hideous creature comes straight from Japanese lore, and is Tenome. His name means “hand-eyes,” or “eyes on hand” and the legend says that a blind old man was beaten to death by hoodlums. As he lay dying, he wished that he had seen them to know who they were - wishing he'd had eyes on his hands. Because of his rage, he came back as a ghost with eyes on his hands – and now will kill whoever he lays eyes on.

What if words could kill? Well, apparently these ones do. The legend goes that there is a poem called “Tomino’s Hell.” In the vein of “The Ring,” a seemingly innocuous action taken with an everyday object could be deadly. If read out loud, something terrible will happen to the reader, ranging in severity, from illness, injury, misfortune, or death. Most online versions of the poem are “spoken” via text-to-speech software. No word on whether it is considered safe to read the translation aloud. Even in the digital age, it’s stories like this one that feel the most powerful, because, well, why take the risk?

This urban legend also deals with cursed literature. Allegedly discovered in the 17th Century, it is said to be the scariest story ever written, and that anyone who reads it will die of fright. There are multiple accounts of the story from this era, but only in reference to its notoriety, and that it is too awful to repeat. According to the legend, most of the copies were destroyed, but some fragments remain. One account tells of an elementary school teacher accidentally reading a fragment to their students, causing several to suffer fits, and the rest to break out in panic.

One for the modern age, the Red Room Curse tells of a pop-up that appears on the intended victim’s computer. The pop-up asks “Do you like the Red Room?” Even if you close the window, it will keep coming up. Once asked, the unfortunate internet user will die, with the room in which they’re in found dripping in their blood. It started as a simple – if unsettling – flash animation, but the legend became infamous when it was linked to the death of 12-year-old Satomi Mitarai, who was murdered by a classmate in an empty classroom.

Japan has a thing for toilet ghosts. There’s Hanako-san, who haunts school bathrooms. And Kashima Reiko … but they say once you hear the full story, she’ll appear to you after a month, so let’s leave this be. But of all of the bathroom bogies, this one is the worst. Aka orAo Manto usually haunts the last stall in a public bathroom. If you use it, a voice will ask if you want the red or the blue paper. The results vary, but a common version goes like this: say red, it slices the back of your neck, say blue, it chokes you to death. To survive the murderous ghost, decline either option. Do not ask for a different color, as the ghost will send you to the Netherworld.

This urban legend tells of a young girl who was hit by a train on her way home from school. Cut in half, she now haunts places like railroad crossings and schools. She crawls around on claw-like hands, sharpened to the bone from years of dragging, which now make the tell-tale "teke-teke" sound. However, it sounds a bit like an oncoming train, so you can’t be quite sure when she’s near. Angry and vengeful, she chases those waiting around too long. If she catches you, she will cut you in half to make you like her. And if you think you could outrun her, bad news: She’s super fast.

This one is the most disturbing because it feels like she really could be walking around near you, and you’d never know. The tale dates all the way back to the Edo Period. Once very beautiful, this woman was horribly disfigured when her mouth was slit from ear to ear. She covers her face, traditionally with a scarf, sometimes a medical mask. A vengeful spirit, she stops unsuspecting victims and asks if they think she is pretty. If they answer no, she either shows them her mouth and then slits their face with scissors or waits for them to go home and savagely kill them. If yes ... she screams, "How about now?" and then slits their face anyway. To escape, say “so-so” ... and run.

Let us know in the comments which story will have you sleeping with the lights on.