Ghosts in Japan

[larry_s]

FAQ or SAQ, here's my question: :D

I want to know more about Japanese people's attitudes towards ghosts and spirits. I am communicating with a few Japanese pals online, one of them told me she had actually seen a ghost. Seems to be something common, as other family members have made the same experience.

Is Japan more perceptible to the supernatural?? Or are spooks just "cultivated" as in Good Old England?

[Nahoko]

Larry,

I donｴt know if ghosts are common in Japan, but there is certainly a lot of such tradition and mythology. Traditionally, there are different kinds of ghosts, good ones, evil ones (literally those seeking revenge, onryo) etc. Also, there are lots of differing local beliefs and stories. But I don》 have enough knowledge about such things.

Hm, the experiences made by your pal's family are common. probably each family has a few of these stories. Frightening, isn》 it? :)

[thomas]

Hehe, some of these stories sent me (the naive gaijin that I am) shivers down my spine. ;)

Anyhow, if you are interested in Japanese ghosts you should really start by reading Lafcadio Hearn:

"In Ghostly Japan" => http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0804809658/ref%3Dase%5Fjapanreferencepa/002-4577362-9748860

[larry_s]

Originally posted by Nahoko
Hm, the experiences made by your pal's family are common. probably each family has a few of these stories. Frightening, isn》 it? :)
Sounds intriguing. So does this also include you and your family? ;)

[Microage97]

Hey Guys, are there any online sites that deal with Japanese ghosts or stories about them?

Dave

[thomas]

Hi Dave and welcome!

Just found these pages on Google:

Ghosts, Demons and Spirits in Japanese Lore =>

http://www.asianart.com/articles/rubin/

Then, there's About.com (Japanese Language maintained by Namiko Abe) =>

Japanese Ghosts 1 =>

http://japanese.about.com/library/weekly/aa102800.htm

Japanese Ghosts 2 =>

http://japanese.about.com/library/weekly/aa110400.htm

JinJapan features this article in its "Trends in Japan" series:

In Japan, Summer Is the Time for Ghosts =>

http://jin.jcic.or.jp/trends00/honbun/tj991014.html

Tengu: The Legendary Mountain Goblins of Japan =>

http://www.tanega.com/seinenkai/articles/tengu.html

Google's cache is a wonderful thing! Itchybear.com listed "types of ghosts", here's their Japan entry:

Japanese ghosts are perhaps the most hideous to be found anywhere in the world, most of them being deformed and often without all or some of their limbs. The most frightening of all are said to possess either one or three eyes, have long, snake-like necks, and elongated tongues.

They make a habit of haunting old houses and cemeteries. Japanese tradition says that some ghosts appear in the form of samurai warriors, complete with their battle wounds. Among all this horror, there are still the koki-teno, or fox spirits.

These are the ghosts that appear in the form of foxes, but have the power to change themselves into beautiful female apparitions in white, flowing robes. Not surprisingly, it is said the koki-teno can bewitch any living man who takes their fancy.

Sound & Spirit: Ghosts (scroll down for their o-bon feature) =>

http://www.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/pri/spirit/specials/links/244links.html

These are just the resins I picked, should be enough for an overview (have to do some reading myself). ;)

On a side-note: Google's really fast. A search for ghosts in Japan (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=ghosts+in+japan&spell=1) lists Japanreference.com as first page!

[Microage97]

Thanks Thomas,

It seems to me that the level of superstition varies from pref. to pref. A friend of mine in shimane pref. thinks that ghosts can be found everywhere where as my gf from Osaka thinks those people are strange anyways, so it doesn't surprise her that they people in Shimane pref. believe in them.

[larry_s]

@ Thomas: thanks for the links, very interesting stuff!

@ Dave: no matter where you go, country folks believe in lotsa weird things. It's a mix of tradition, superstition and religion.

[moyashi]

Japan does definitely have ghost fetish.

Just watch TV around OBON season. Enough scary things to make you want to re-think about eating dinner.

Also, currently Beat Takeshi is doing his "unbelievable" show which deals at times with scary ghosts.

There is also a show that is focusing on "exorcising devils" from people.

Haunted house (errr ghost house) are always the thing for young people who are new drivers. hehe I've done my share.

I've never figured it out but more than the hobgoblin type of thing, ghost have a much bigger count up where I live.

Believe it or not I've had my coincedenses. NO -- I haven't seen a ghost - ghost, but more of something along the lines of dark shapes (kage - shadows) .... and where I live in town has the largest number of car accidents ... lol ... 1 a month. 2-3 in winter. I'm included for having 3 in 4 years. Coincedentatly, the major intersection down the street is a calling zone ( ... hmmm hard to describe for me in English but ... it's where a spirit pulls folks / causes an accident so that they won't be the only one dead ...errr in the lingo stage so to say.)

If you ever go ghost hunting Japan don't forget to bring your salt. One time I was so hard up that I bought AJI-no-Moto .... hahahaha artifical salt. I wasn't about to temp "ghost" fate.

[halloalex]

Hi larry_s!

Good question. May I ask, why you are so interested in this specific topic? A few month ago a new movie about this issue came out, namely:

Kakashi (2001. Japan. Directed by Norio Tsuruta. Cast: Maho Nonami, Kou Shibasaki, Grace Ip, and Shunsuke Matsuoka). Kaoru is distraught over her missing brother. but now she痴 got a clue to his whereabouts. A letter was sent to her from an old schoolmate Izumi leading Kaoru to believe her brother is in a tiny village called Kozukata. From the moment Kaoru arrived in Kozukata, she could tell things weren稚 going to be normal. Her car mysteriously died in a tunnel, all the townspeople were infatuated with making scarecrows (they were planning a big scarecrow festival, too), and neither her brother or Izumi were to be found. Things got stranger when Kaoru began having terrible nightmares and bizarre visions. This is a town with a nasty little secret and visitors should not be staying long. Kakashi is an eerie Japanese horror film in the tradition of the Ring series and Uzumaki. Its deliberately slow pace is quite effective in making the viewer squirm. Personally, I can稚 get enough of this style of Japanese film and Kakashi holds its own with any of its competition. If one is looking for a creepy horror film, you are certainly advised to check out Kakashi. After viewing this, it痴 doubtful anyone will look at scarecrows the same way again.

It's really scary - although I should'nt withhold that my nerves are definitely not of steel. But since I watched this movie, I find the topic "ghosts in Japan" quite interesting too. Could it be, that you had a similiar "experience"?

asks,
alex

[thomas]

@ alex

thanks for the hint, in case I need to spend another sleepless night, I'll go for it, hehe.

[Microage97]

I guess I will find out soon enough. I will be in Osaka during Obon and I will let you know.

Dave

[akemi]

I was brought up with Japanese ghost stories, but it was not until I moved to the UK that I was ever frightened by such things.

Somehow, the anecdote style, that British people favour, and the fact that they don't let you know if it is a *true* experience or something they have just made up, makes it quite unsettling. Once or twice I have laughed at what I assumed to be a joke, only to realise that the person in question really did think he/she had seen a Roman soldier in their kitchen or been chased by a supernatural big cat.

[moyashi]

@ thomas

hehe ... ask your wife if she's been to "Jesus's" grave. There's a story that it's really located in Aomori area.

:japanese: monsters ... also known as "yokai" ... those creatures that look like ?!?! 3 eyed thingys .. umbrella thingys ... kappa ... long necked women (hehe ... most of the scarest things in the Japanese mythology is women ... hehe I wonder why :emblaugh: )

:angel: ghost aren't something to play with in Japan. There's lot's on TV about ghost pictures, regular pictures that get blurred ... normally the person in the picture meets something nasty. (bad accident ... loses their sanity and what not)

:chinese: obon is a great time, since lot's of the local neighborhoods have obon dances ... and festivals. This is really a great time to go Japan.

[thomas]

Hehe, if you refer to Herai Village, yes, we went there together. I still don't know what to make of that. Jesus' grave, along with his brother's... :D

I have some pics somewhere, will scan and post them.

Here are two links

=> http://www.japanreference.com/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?ID=2983

=> http://www.japanreference.com/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?ID=2984

[moyashi]

lol ... you've been there.

So, you're officially saved?

[thomas]

Nahoko said I shouldn't make fun of it. [...] :)

I will post some scans later tonight.

[moyashi]

well, it was a half heart jest at best.

I grew up in western N.Y. with lot's of Mormon friends ... hmmm I wonder how the timing works out.

errr ... don't wanna turn this thread into a religious rant though.

[thomas]

It's a known fact that in the 17th century a lot of Japanese christians fled to these remote areas (I think the Tohoku area was quite independent at that time, wasn't it?). I was told that many people around Herai claim to be of Jewish origin, or so the saying goes. I really don't know what to make of all this...

Anyhow, it seems to be a mystical/mythical spot! :)

Edit:

Posted some pics here (http://forum.japanreference.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=722).

[larry_s]

Originally posted by akemi
I was brought up with Japanese ghost stories, but it was not until I moved to the UK that I was ever frightened by such things.

Somehow, the anecdote style, that British people favour, and the fact that they don't let you know if it is a *true* experience or something they have just made up, makes it quite unsettling. Once or twice I have laughed at what I assumed to be a joke, only to realise that the person in question really did think he/she had seen a Roman soldier in their kitchen or been chased by a supernatural big cat. Then what's the difference between Japanese ghosts and their British counterparts? Obviously, such beliefs are also rooted in Japanese society. Is it a matter of your own cultural background vs. a different, namely British culture? I would still like to learn more about supernatural beliefs in Japan.

[moyashi]

hehe ... American ghosts carry chains and make clanky noises. Of course, there was the movie Poltergiest. :dunce:

I'm gonna stick with the Ghost group. The Yokai Group belonging more with ???? errr ... hmmmm ... gremlins/imps/fairies/werewolves are much more legendary and probably go back further in time much like Dragons do in Europe with the ??? (baby snatchers) and change-lings.

The Japanese also have what they call "living-spirit" ghosts. These are extremely dangerous and will cause serious trouble for people and/or can bring on death. Read the Sidenstickler version of "Genji - monogatari" Tale of Genji for many references and examples. Basically this type is a Jealous woman picking on her boyfriend's/husband's girlfriend/mistress.

2 extremely magical animals are the fox and tanuki. (:emblaugh: watch the cartoon "heisei tanuki ponpokokopo ???? lol I never can remember this anime's name since it's sooo long" :emblaugh: ) for what they can do. The female white fox with 7 tales is a jealous creature and likes to pick on both men and women. Men if they are fooling around and women if they happen to be mistresses. The tanuki is normally male in gender since you can't miss his baggage (though female version do exists) and can be found "protecting"? watering fountains and drinking establishments ... hmmm I still not sure what the tanuki is all about.

Ghosts characteristically have no feet and normally bring harm and bad luck to those who happen to see them.

Interesting point is that there isn't a witching hour so - to - say ... 0:00am but more of a withching period being from 2am (the strongest) - 5am (or very very early day break ... when the sun can't be seen and it's foggy with a tad bit of light).

Ghost seem to become about due to .... a very crucifing death (automobile accidents / fires) , where the death is extremely sudden (no time to realize what's happened aka ... Ghost and 6th sense) , when cause of death could easily lead to a revenge situation, you know basically ghost material :rolleyes:

symptoms of a haunting/possession: lack or restless sleep / looking ghostly / having pains while sleeping (hmmmm ... this is starting to sound like me :o )

Interesting note: Japanese houses tend to be rebuilt on a 30 year schedule. (Well, hokkaido this pretty much the norm. Finding tradtional style buildings is extremely difficult.)
Also, if a murder happens in a house it will be re-built by the next purchaser (benefit: major cheap discount :rolleyes: ) this even included a painful death (although, rumors/gossip if had been spread if not ... too bad ;) no discount)
If real estate agents conceal the fact a murder has happened in an apartment that you want to rent. And you later find out through rumors/haunting the real estate agent is responsible to cover your deposit fees and moving expenses :cool:

There are also ghost corridors/paths which ghost will take while traveling. Hopefully, your apartment doesn't fall within one of those lines. (errr ... my previous apartment probably did ... it always freaked out my wife's friend who seems to have the touch for sensing/seeing ghosts ... lol ... didn't bother me too much I never did like her very much anyway :emblaugh: ) Interesting point was that 9 floor 7th and 4th floors had the highest turn over rates in that building ... 9 and 4 are auspisous numbers in Japan ... (9 being hurtful and 4 relating to death).

anyway ... just a tad bit that I know on the subject.

oh the ghosts!!!

hehe ... they're pretty typical doing typically ghostly things ;)

[thomas]

Wow, what an impressive reply, was that offhand? Have to reread. :)

Ghost paths.... thanks God I don't have to sleep alone tonight...

[deborah gormley]

Where I live the most nortorious ghost is a Banshee, its a whaling female,that is said to yearn her lost child.

At dusk she can be seen and heard floating up wards to the roof tops and over the chimney, whaling extremely loud, and if you are unfortunate to see and hear her, then death is coming to your family in the space of three,(three days,or weeks ect;)

It has been reported in papers ect; that this is factual and it is still believed by the older generation of this land,

I had an experiance along time ago, of a small child standing on a fence, screaming and holding out his little hands as if to jesgure my help, as I approached I called to my friends to come with me, but they did'nt see or hear the child, I hurried to the child only to see a face of an ageing woman, then I ran home to tell my parents, three days later a member of my family passed, and to this day we all believed it was the banshee, scary stuff, does the japanese people have a banshee ghost?


debs.

[moyashi]

ewwww that sent shivers done my spine.

hmmm .... no ... not that I know of.
Although, I mentioned somewhere of pictures that get blurred by "??? spirits" might be such an indication.

I wonder if this is due to that dyeing in Japan isn't such an earth shaking experience that it seems to be as in the states.

There isn't really a go to heaven or hell mentality / situation..... hmmm where do you go then? the white light?

I check with folks around me.


@Thomas

offhand as in if I just wrote that up?
If so, yes. I guess I've watched to much TV and heard too many stories.

Ghost paths ... are like deer trails. So, you live near / on one or you don't.
Although, recently I just found out about demon portals.

Demon portals are very rare but as the name is ... they are doorways that allow "devils" (lowercase 'd' being used on purpose) to pass into the human world. Cross over devils/demons can also indulge in possession.

Apparently, the paths are easier to disrupt while a portal is much more difficult to close.

worried about ghosts?
sleep with a pair of scissors under your pillow/bed. Probably, shintoistic in orgin but it seems that scissors can cut a ghost.
Becareful though.
I had a bad experience, in my previous apartment.
I fooled around with the scissor thingy having felt "something" -- they only work while you're sleeping possibly.

[thomas]

Just talked to Nahoko about this thread, she told me that she was once invited to sleep at a friend's place. During dinner the entire family was gathered around the table. Well, obviously the whole family, since Nahoko could hear someone running up and down the stairs and playing in the rooms at the first floor. Pater familias noticed her astonishment and apologized to her, telling her that this was their "zashiki warashi". These seem to be childrens' spirits inhabitating houses. This family was completely serious about it and told her not to worry. She didn't, because in her old house they experienced similar things.

I just searched Google for zashiki warashi and found this page

=> http://www2.kanawa.com/japan/sr_critter.html

Hehe, even the official web site of Iwate Prefecture has something on them. They call them however "mischievous child spirits"

=> http://www.office.pref.iwate.jp/english/folklore/folklore.html

They seem to be abundant in Tohoku region

=> http://homepage2.nifty.com/p-sona/english/aomori-e.html

[tosh]

And now for something really scary. There is an interesting editorial in (at?) Mainichi Shimbun. Some guy and his friends want to raise torches and pitchforks in a pouring thunderstorm (in a manner of speaking). Oops,wrong board.

[tosh]

Forgot to post the date (Friday,May3rd,2002),and the subject of that editorial(The French candidate). My bad.

[deborah gormley]

Those sites where very interesting.

has any body got real life experiances with the so called third dimension?.

A brother of mine went out running a few years ago as normal, with a groupe of friends, they ran religious every morning for months the same six mile route, timeing themselves to improve on speed ect; but the last morning was very different, they reached a point of the run that was the sprint path, and they all could see a light that they beleived to be a torch in the distanct, as they proceeded the light got very intense and large, they now thought that someone was trying to play a trick on them so they continued to run laughing at the fool with the light, they ran threw the beam only to be held there for a short time, as they broke from the beam they all fell to the ground and became ill, on arrival home there bodies had swollen two fold and they where all taken to the nearest hospital, doctors claimed it was fluid and they where treated accordinly, on discharge from the hospital the groupe went straight to the chaple and demanded to see the priest, they where told that, that spot on the road was where a police vehicle had been blown up and the goverment had only claimed injuries for the policemen, when infact two men lost there lives and this was the spirts claiming acknowledgement.

this is a true story, this area still apparently has the ghosts of the two unclaimed dead and on occasion they let themselves be seen.

Ghost stories, I love them.

Debs.

[moyashi]

watch Hayou Miyazaki's "heise tanuki pontokopo ... err what ever the tanuki story is called" It has a full range of these Yokai.

Also, the movie Totoro ... covers a few too.

hmmm ... I wonder what yokai are called in English.
hmmmmm :::
ghost, apparition, phantom, spectre, demon, monster, goblin
妖怪 [ようかい]

But these don't really protray a what a Japanese "youkai" is ....

so ... Let's keep it a "yokai" and that's that ;)

[Yair Lahav]

Would you count binbogami as ghosts?

Yair

(Hi everyone!
first time on this forum..)

[Nahoko]

Hi Yair, welcome to our forum! :)

I don't have so much knowledge about binbogami, but I would not count them as ghosts. Binbogami means "God of the Poor", so you could classifiy them as low-level gods of poverty. They are not part of any religion, just tradition or popular belief.

I just consulted my books. ;) They appear as emaciated persons holding uchiwa (traditional Japanese fans). They were first mentioned during Edo period when large parts of the population became very poor.

Here's an image I found:

[moyashi]

hehe ... picture of "will-o-wisps" included above.

I forgot what they are called in Japanese :emblaugh:

[Yair Lahav]

Thanks Nahoko,

It was very kind of you to scan in the image you attached. It is very interesting. Where did you find it? Does your source say who draw it and when? (whose signature is ﾒMeMoﾓ?) This binbogami looked rather different from the pictures I have seen. They usually show a haggard old man in tattered clothing. I could not clearly see what is written on the top uchiwa. The bottom one looks like ﾒkasuﾓ but is it O-bon ﾐ or, perhaps, an older variety of ﾒDenﾓ (as in kooden, condolence gift) on the top one? Can you help me with this? Similarly interesting are the will-o-wisps (kitsunebi) beside the binbogami which usually signify that the subject of the picture is some sort of o-bake.

But enough of binbogamis. People say if you speak a lot about them, they start liking you and move into your house. And who wants a god of poverty smiling at you across the breakfast table.

Actually, what never ceases to amaze me is how much ghost stories are still part of todayﾕs Japan. Almost all of the illustrated children books I have seen have ample references to ghosts. A book for kindergarten kids, for example, shows a family of skeletons where gaikotsu-kun and gaikotsu-chan are waving good-bye to gaikotsu-otoosan who (dressed as a salaryman) is about to depart for the office. Had I had this book when I was a child, I would not have dared to go to the bathroom in the dark for monthsﾉ

Another question:

For some reason, centipedes (mukade) seem to be popular in Japanese children stories. Do a lot of those critters (brrrr ﾐ they give me the willies) scamper around in Japan? If yes, how big are they?

Yair

[thomas]

Hi Yair,

I've split this thread for reasons of consistency and posted a new topic on insects in Japan right here (http://forum.japanreference.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=272). Hope you don't mind. :)

[DragonLady]

Wow those are a lot of sites. I am a big supernatural fan especially when it has to deal with ghosts anywhere. I live in Chicago, IL. USA so there is a lot paranormal over where I live and I usually end up visiting those sites and taking pictures and other equipment to see if it's actually haunted or just a rumor :eek:

[moyashi]

DragonLady ... hehe don't forget your salt!

[DragonLady]

Thanks moyashi, I won't forget it. ^_^

[samuraitora]

what is the salt for

[Yair Lahav]

For purification. In most cultures the dead is considered impure. Since ghosts are dead people coming back, they also impure. Because of the Shinto belief in the purifying effect of salt, the Japanese throw salt around as a means of purification after encountering with the dead (e.g. when returning home from a soushiki). In addition, salt is thrown around in the sumo ring or when consecrating a new house.

[samuraitora]

cool...learn something new every day

[jus_defy]

the Disney movie about three witches...there is a little segment about using salt as protection.
d

[samuraitora]

hocus pocus???

[Yair Lahav]

Mediaeval non-conformists did not have the opportunity to listen to satanic messages at heavy metal concerts, therefore they had to produce the stuff themselves. A way to do so was saying Black Mass. It was the Latin Mass said backwards, under an upside down cross over the altar (on which usually a goat head and a bat head was placed, a la Ozzy Ozbourne). Some parts of the Black Mass were not said backwards, but were a twisted form of the original Latin text. For example, instead of ﾒOremusﾓ (letﾕs pray) they said ﾒbibemusﾓ (letﾕs drink) or where the original called for an Amen, they said ﾒStramenﾓ (straw). Hocus Pocus comes from the ﾒHoc est corpus meumﾓ, meaning ﾒThis is my bodyﾓ which is said by the priest when instituting the Holy Communion. By today, ﾒHocus Pocusﾓ has become a harmless saying, usually heard from aspiring stage magicians.

[thomas]

That's very intersting, Yair. I wasn't aware of "hocus pocus" deriving from the Latin Mass. While we're at that topic: another interesting word is "abracadabra", another magic invocation.

While being a mystical word used to invoke spirits for protection against disease, its origins are not so clear. It obviously originates with the gnostics and was found on Roman amulets ("abraxas"), but also used by medieval alchemists and in kabbalistic rituals. Nowadays it's also used by stage magicians.

[Yair Lahav]

"in kabbalistic rituals"

???

Which one? (Let's not include the presently fashionable New Age and Neo-Gnostic circles that use the word "Kabbalah" without ever being exposed to the actual stuff - which requires decades of preliminary studies (Torah, Talmud, Midrash, Tosafot, etc.), superb knowledge of both Hebrew and Arameic and a personal instructor who transmits the oral tradition to the student who, by the way, has to be at least age 42).

Did you see any scholarly documentation regarding the actual use of the Gnostic/Basilean concept of Abraxas in Kabbalistic rituals? (The only thing I can think about would be Gershon Sholem's book about the possible Gnostic sources of Kabbalah, but that book is not about liturgy).

[thomas]

"Abraxas in kabbalistic rituals": hm, I'm unable quote any sources on that. Mea maxima culpa, must have been a misconception of mine.

Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance yet to read any of Prof. Sholem's oeuvres, and I seriously doubt I'd ever be able to grasp their meaning. Neo-gnosticism? Maybe, although I'm not into New Age at all (too worldly for such things).

I'll see if I can find any related resources online/offline.

[Yair Lahav]

>>I haven't had the chance yet to read any of Prof. Sholem's oeuvres<<

Did not loose anything. Boooooooooooooring stuff. Bedside reading for insomniacs...

Anyhow, I have a question that fits this thread better. I came upon this charming webpage:

http://homepage2.nifty.com/nacques/mytown/11.html

It is about Chirakashi Sama who appears to be the God of Untidiness. Does anyone has any more info about this popular deity? And what is the connection between him and Dairokuten Sama (i.e. Mara, the ruler of the Sixth Heaven in Buddhism)

[thomas]

There seem to be no online resources available on Chirakashi Sama or Dairokuten Sama (apart from the page you mentioned). Checked my library too - to no avail.

Does this page perhaps refer to [i]Daikokuten?

God of Untidiness? My brother's room must be a on of his shrines.
:)

[Yair Lahav]

Thanx for fixing up the URL in my post. I must have done something wrong when quoting the site.

The text of the site says Dairokuten and the inscription on the stone shown on the illustration reads the same (大六天). Albeit sounding similar, Dairokuten and Daikokuten are two different entities. The former, Dairokuten no Mao, the ruler of the Sixth Heaven, is actually a demon who can grant you whatever you desire, thus serving as the ultimate impediment of enlightment. The latter is a deity, one of the Shichifukujin (Seven Gods of Luck).

The nonchalance of the Japanese when absorbing foreign deities in their folk beliefs has often resulted in absolutely charming and sometimes even humorous popular myths. What amazes me is that mythogenesis did not stop in our high tech age and this site seems to be a good example for that. The constant flow of contemporary ghost stories appears to be another side of the same process.

[devilmaycare34]

:happy:

I find this subject most intrigueing and am interested in finding that film but just recently or less recently lol there was a game released called fatal frame/ project zero. based on a true story where some ppl go missing in himura mansion and a school gurl miku goes in search of her brother mafiyu, its very scary but my point is i've been trying to research into it and there only seems to be game references to it so if anyone can prove to me that this story exists especially when there shud be a little evidence please tell me, i cant even locate the mansion as such, tho perhaps its name was changed can anyone please help.

[noyhauser]

Actually there is a ghost in my family's house. All the people what work for my Uncle believe that the house is inhabited by a Small little girl that haunts the house. She supposedly wears a white kimono, and is crying when people see her. Nobody knows who she is but some people guess she may be someone from the imediate area who caught a disease and perished from it years ago. The House itself is quite large and only my uncle lives in it, so it adds to the effect to be sure. The particulars about it makes it all the more creepy. It been in the family for nearly 100 years and sits behind it is a hill covered in a bamboo forest, which makes the leeward side that faces the bay kinda dark (which the house is on). Some of the Staff won't go near the house during the evening for fear of the girl. I personally never saw her, but it was kinda creepy because some strange stuff did go on in the house after I was told that (weird noises and doors that I thought I closed being opened. But maybe that was because they told me about these stories and I started thinking about it. Just a little story for your peoples interest.

[Microage97]

Creepy! Is there anyone here from Kansai region? Or Osaka to be more specific? I want to check out some creepy area. My wife and I once ran across a temple in Kyoto that happened to be in the middle of a city block and was surronded by houses and buildings that if you didn'y know about it, it would be totally un-noticed. Well anywayz, it was really creepy and old women were taking water from a fountain.

I was told that they take a bath in the sacred water before they die.

Dave
www.japanish.org

[Sgt. Wang]

That's kinda creepy. I don't know what to think of that................

[doudesuka]

Welcome Yair!


Well since a lot of people commit suicides on the subway tracks in Japan. I imagine there are some restless living dead .
What do you think?

Also. I heard that some buildings that were built near war criminal burial places have some strange things that go on.
Does anyone know about this?

[Muppette]

I heard that the belief in ghosts is widely accepted in Japan and that the spirits of the dead are treated with a great amount of respect. I was told that ghosts even walk around in busy city streets and no one goes out of their way to acknowledge their presence.

Also, I did hear that there was a place where a great Japanese warrior was buried and people needed to use that space to build a new building there. So, in order to not make the spirit angry, they went through a long drawn out ceremony to make sure nothing bad would happen.

Eh, it was a long time ago that I was told this. I vaguely remember the warrior's daughter being mentioned in the whole tale, too. Maybe like they were already haunting a certain area before they wanted to build a new building there.

I was just wondering if anyone knew of that particular tale. I know the details are very vague, but I was just wondering.

[Psi-dood]

Go to Okinawa... TONS of ghost stories. I personally saw/felt some crazy shiez there. Freaky stuff. Thank god for MONKS ^_^

[Chipi]

Well some friends of mine were genuinely scared to go to Shogunzka in Kyoto, they told that it would be haunted by dead warriors...well, I didnt see any ghosts, I just thought it was absolutely beautiful and peaceful.

But another friend of mine did show me a freaky photo that was taken last spring in Kyoto, in Gion during Sakura season. In the picture there are just some tourists posing in the front (the main object in the photo), but if you look on the background..theres an old house on the background, and on the windows of that house you can see 5 white hazy characters that seem to have faces...
It might be a fake photo or just a lucky(?) accident, but it was quite strange..Ive never seen anything like that.

[Apollo]

Yes, I have also noticed and realised that Japan is more spiritual and believe more in ghosts than many other countries.
I don't know why, but incredible respect is paid toward dead people, maybe perhaps fear of punishment(?).

When I was a little kid in Japan, I remember my uncle and his wife told me about this ghost of a specific forefather (they live in a house which has passed on from generation to generation in the family for hundreds of years) who "lived" in the room next to where I was supposed to sleep when I had to stay over because my parents were out or something - and I was really, really, really scared, especially because it is an old house and this can really make it more creepy!! I remember one night I thought I heard something in the room (I was about 4-years of age) and I basically cried out loud and had to sleep rest of the night in my cousin's bed....:(

My uncle also has an empty well (!!!!!!), and their cat fell one day down below and died, and they told me its spirit lived there....creepy!!!!
When I visit, I always have this respect for this well, as well as the "creepy room" (especially now as pictures of almost all of the forefathers are up on the wall now, and I feel like they are watching me...).

[Satori]

I always find this subject fascinating. There was a discussion on this very subject at an equestrian forum I sometimes frequent, and even though the stories don't pertain to Japan, they do support the existence of ghosts, so I thought I would post a link here for you. I hope that's okay!! It's two pages full of fascinating accounts of ghost sightings.

Do you believe in ghosts/spirits or out-of-body experiences?

http://www.ultimatedressage.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=46134

:cool:

[Satori]

Gee, did I kill this thread with my last post? :?

Is this thread now "haunted"?? :? :p

[Apollo]

I always find this subject fascinating. There was a discussion on this very subject at an equestrian forum I sometimes frequent, and even though the stories don't pertain to Japan, they do support the existence of ghosts, so I thought I would post a link here for you. I hope that's okay!! It's two pages full of fascinating accounts of ghost sightings.

Do you believe in ghosts/spirits or out-of-body experiences?

http://www.ultimatedressage.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=46134

:cool:

Thanks for link Satori!! :-) Interesting that most are believers of ghostly beings.

Some of the Japanese ghosts are also depicted in the anime "Spirited Away", if some of you have seen it. E.g. the umbrella with one eye. (which I don't find scary at all).
In this anime, most of the "typical" Japanese ghosts are in a couple of scenes when there is a party/gathering at the bath-house..

[fred]

Frankly speaking, I'd like to believe in ghosts, :worried: and I'd thus like to increase my chances of experiencing something (including experiencing tales from a trusted friend) that would increase my chances of doing so. Reading novels by banana yoshimoto :27: and amy tan and seeing movies like princess mononoke :100: just isn't going to cut the mustard anymore. :kanashii: i'm going to keep checking this thread! if geography helps, then darnit, i'm gonna get moving! :94:

i put in lots of pictures because they're really fun.

by the way, sorry i don't have anything to contribute, other than encouragement.

[DLC]

I was doing some research into onryo, and wikipedia mentions in paragraph form a mythic story of an onryo who terrorizes a village until she was banished.
Although I don't have a lot of specific info on how to banish an onryo (which is what I need to know for writing purposes!), I have a few working theories. One possible way to fight an onryo is to become one yourself. Wouldn't recommend it, since it's kind-of a permanent thing.
Another possibility which crosses my mind is to give the onryo what he or she wants. Onryo seek vengeance or closure, which they never seem to find because it's misdirected. Completing the unfinished business, is a good working theory.
I wish I knew of some good myths and legends that specifically tackle defeating and banishing an onryo, and I'm hoping someone here might have heard of any. The only other thing I can say I've learned from my google search on the subject, is that however an onryo IS defeated (appeased, sated), the winner of the battle must honor the spirit of his foe to complete the banishing and keep the onryo from returning.

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Japanese three major onryo.
"Sugawara no Michizane"
"Taira no Masakado"
"Emperor Sutoku"

Famous onmmyoji (exorcist)
"Abe no Seimei"
The world of a dead person in Japan

"yomi"
onryou which comes out to a collection of Japanese first anecdotes.
"kojiki",Episode 5 "yomi no kuni".
7) The Visit to the Land of Yomi
http://nihonsinwa.at.infoseek.co.jp/english/english.htm
The item which repelled ONRYO,"A peach"

[DLC]

Hmm... fascinating. Y'know, I'm actually getting into this research! I'm starting to compare different cultures' myths and legends, about the land of the dead. And there are some very interesting similarities, in many cases.

I'm starting to regret my own heritage, honestly. America as we know it today is too young of a country to have any such myths and legends. What we have is a hodge-podge of myths from the peoples who settled here from other lands, and not nearly enough of the Native Americans thanks to western influence and the obliteration of some cultures. I could possibly have a doorway to the underworld maybe six blocks from me... but for the lack of any knowledge, I'd never know it.

In all honesty, America is to be truly pitied for it's infantile history. And obscure mythologies.

[wrightbrain]

I recently saw "The Great Yokai War" as well as "Yokai Monsters" which is also known as "100 Ghost Stories". I've been doing research on the various Yokai (which are very cool by the way) but I can't find out much about one of them. I don't know his name, but it looks like a giant scrotum. Sometimes I've seen drawings that look like it has a mouth on it's belly. Who the heck is this, and what does he do?

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

I recently saw "The Great Yokai War" as well as "Yokai Monsters" which is also known as "100 Ghost Stories". I've been doing research on the various Yokai (which are very cool by the way) but I can't find out much about one of them. I don't know his name, but it looks like a giant scrotum. Sometimes I've seen drawings that look like it has a mouth on it's belly. Who the heck is this, and what does he do?


Probably it is "NUPPEPPOU".:relief:
http://www.walkerplus.com/movie/special/yokai/
Yokai of a lump of the meat which decayed.
I appear frequently all over the abandoned temple and the night town.
This Yokai is harmless.
http://mouryou.ifdef.jp/100wa/nuppeppou.htm
The Edo era (1810),
It is written in "HITOYO BANASHI" of a "HATA SOUROU" book.
The original can be seen here.
http://ambitious.lib.hokudai.ac.jp/hoppodb/kyuki/doc/0A001150000001.html

[wrightbrain]

Well, that's a relief. I didn't think the movie was "R" rated. Although it was Miike.

[One Winged Angel]

im new and all and i lived in a haunted house....me and my mom lived with my aunt deborah and she loves haunted places....i was 8 at the time...and i might cry whilei tell this so plz excuse me ok lol.

well my ll cousin was*he is about 5-6 at the time* came to visit us.....well he he wets the bed alot and he was sleeping with me and he told me he was going to the bath room.i said ok he walked off i fell asleep.i woke up and i thought i saw him standing at the end of the bed and i started to say come to bed wade and as i said it i felt a nudge and i looked down and it was him.i looked up and the thing stared at me with the face of an severly old lady...she opened her mouth and pointed her finger at me and i screamed so loud i woke everyone up...and she just turned around and left......i have never forgotten that face...and now im crying lol sorry

[Revenant]

One of my students told me she was lying in bed, and she could feel a spirit standing at the foot of her bed. She couldn't move, nor speak, nor open her eyes. She said that the area was probably full of the ghosts of people who died in the Seto Inland Sea, as her house was built on reclaimed land.

A famous ghost inhabited a dark and decrepit tunnel near here. The tunnel ws cracking in parts, and water was always dripping through in a few parts. A mother and baby were hit and both killed on impact in the tunnel, and a few people later reported looking in their rear view mirror and seeing a woman sitting in their backseat with blood running down her anguished face and crying out, 'where's my baby'. The reports quit after the tunnel was renovated just four or five years ago.