Explore eight of Tokyo’s most haunted locations

Have you ever had a paranormal experience in Tokyo? Ghost hunting season in Japan typically aligns with the summer months, especially in August. This is when the Japanese festival of Obon takes place, a time when it’s believed that the spirits of ancestors return to the world of the living. 

During this period, ghost stories, haunted attractions, and other spooky activities become more popular. However, haunting can happen all-year-round. In Japanese, a place said to be haunted is known as a 心霊スポット (shinrei spot) and, according to a survey by the Asahi Shimbun, about 45% of Japanese people believe in the supernatural.

We’ve rounded up some of the top psychic spots and ghost stories around central Tokyo. These locations in Tokyo offer a glimpse into the city’s darker side, where history and legend blend to create spaces ripe for paranormal encounters.

Interestingly, Tokyo’s unique history contributes to its haunted reputation. The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the devastation of World War II left profound scars on the city, leading to many tragic tales of loss and unresolved spirits. The tradition of yurei (restless spirits) in Japanese folklore adds layers to these ghost stories, as many believe that the souls of those who died suddenly or in tragic circumstances remain tethered to the physical world. 

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1. Aoyama Cemetery

Address: 2-32-2 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku
Access: 9-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Gaien-maye Station
Google Maps Link: Aoyama Cemetery
Shinrei Rating: 👻👻👻👻

Aoyama Cemetery, established as Japan’s first public cemetery in 1926, serves as the final resting place for many historical figures. It has become associated with numerous ghost stories, particularly connected to those who perished in the Great Kanto Earthquake and World War II air raids. Reports of apparitions in traditional attire and unexplained disappearances, such as the infamous story of a vanished taxi passenger, contribute to the site’s haunted reputation. Many visitors claim to experience a sense of unease, feeling watched by unseen forces.

2. Yotsuya Oiwa Inari Tamiya Shrine

Address: 17 Samoncho, Shinjuku-ku
Access: 5-minute walk from Yotsuya Sanchome Station in Shinjuku-ku
Google Maps Link: Yotsuya Oiwa Inari Tamiya Shrine
Shinrei Rating: 👻👻👻👻

This shrine is dedicated to Oiwa, the central figure in the famous kabuki play Yotsuya Kaidan, known for her tragic fate and vengeful spirit. It is said that those who fail to pay proper respect to Oiwa’s memory invite misfortune. The shrine attracts actors performing the play, who often report accidents linked to Oiwa’s curse. Visitors may feel a chilling presence or hear faint, unexplainable sounds. The shrine’s somber atmosphere is intensified by the offerings left to calm her restless spirit.

3. Jokan-Ji (The Throw Away Temple)

Address: 2-1-12 Minamisenju, Arakawa-ku
Access: 1-minute walk from Minowa Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
Google Maps Link: Jokan-Ji
Shinrei Rating: 👻👻👻👻

Jokan-Ji, referred to as the “Throw Away Temple,” holds a tragic legacy as the burial site for many women from the Yoshiwara red-light district during the Edo period. Thousands of unmarked graves are located here, and many believe the spirits of these women still linger, unable to find peace. Shadowy figures and strange sounds, including soft cries, are often reported at night. The temple’s annual memorial ceremonies reflect ongoing efforts to honor these souls, further cementing its status as one of Tokyo’s most haunted places.

4. Kinuta Park: The Case of the Haunted Tree Stump (Setagaya)

Address: 1-1 Kinutakoen, Setagaya-ku
Access: 1-minute walk from Minowa Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
Google Maps Link: Kinuta Park
Shinrei Rating: 👻👻

Kinuta Park is popular with families, art lovers, and cherry-blossom enthusiasts. However, beneath its serene facade lies the legend of a vengeful demon. The park was built on the site of an old 第六天 (dairoku-ten) shrine, dedicated to the Demon King. Most dairokuten shrines were destroyed due to their sinful connotations, leaving few behind. An innocent-looking tree stump in the Okamoto area is believed to be an original part of the old forest. Those who touch it may find themselves cursed. Google Maps refers to this area as たたりの森 (‘tatari-no-mori’ or ‘forest of the vengeful ghost’). Was it even too much for road construction workers to remove the stump?

Take a trip and see if you’re brave enough to touch the tree stump for yourself. To find it, follow the pin at the Google Map we made. You can even see on the map view an usual curve in the otherwise straight road. Was it that even road construction workers were too afraid to remove the tree? This article (Japanese only) gives further direction on how to reach the stump. 

5. Horyuji-zaka: The Case of the Haunted Hill (Shinjuku)

Address: 3-8 Ichigaya Yamabushicho, Shinjuku-ku
Access: 3-minute walk from Ushigome-yanagicho Station on the Tokyo Metro Oedo Line
Google Maps Link: Horyuji-zaka
Shinrei Rating: 👻

Tokyo is home to several 幽霊坂 (yurei-zaka) or ghost slopes, including Horyuji-zaka in Shinjuku, known for ghost sightings since the Meiji Period. This steep hill once led to Horyuji Temple and provided ample time for contemplation before reaching the sacred site. Today, the hill is lined with modern apartments, but those brave enough to venture here on Halloween might catch a glimpse of something otherworldly.

6. Tamai Hospital: The Case of the Abandoned Hospital (Shibuya)

Address: 1-4-1 Honmachi, Shibuya-ku
Access: 2-minute walk from the North exit of Hatsudai Station on the Keio New Line
Google Maps Link: Tamai Hospital
Shinrei Rating: 👻👻👻👻👻

Near Shibuya’s bustling nightlife lies the now-abandoned Tamai Hospital. Once a functioning medical institution, it was transformed into a TV studio, notorious for filming grim dramas. Yet, the echoes of its past remain. Many report feeling sharp pains or encountering eerie occurrences, such as curtains moving without cause. Local film crews regard this site as a hotspot for paranormal activity.

7. Musashino’s Fourth JH School: The Case of the Haunted Gymnasium

Address: 5-chōme-11-41 Kichijōji Kitamachi, Musashino
Access: 22-minute walk from Musashi-Seki Station on the Tokyo Metro Seibu Shinjuku Line
Google Maps Link: Musashino’s Fourth JH School
Shinrei Rating: 👻👻👻

The area around Musashino’s Fourth Junior High School was once home to the Nakajima Musashi Aircraft Engine Plant, targeted during World War II bombings. Over 200 fatalities occurred here, and the surrounding region has become an infamous shinrei spot. The school gymnasium, formerly a laboratory, is said to harbor strange paranormal occurrences. Students whisper of a hidden staircase leading to the old morgue, with lingering scents of chemicals from past procedures

8. Sanatorium: The Case of the Ghostly Park

Address: 3-chōme-14 Egota, Nakano-ku
Access: 10-minute walk from Shin-Egota Station on the Tokyo Metro Oedo Line
Google Maps Link: Sanatorium
Shinrei Rating: 👻👻👻👻

Ekoda Forest Park is a picturesque spot during the day but transforms into a ghost-hunting ground at night. Once an army hospital turned sanatorium for tuberculosis patients, it is haunted by the spirits of many who suffered and died here. Closed in 1993, rumors abound of dark secrets surrounding its closure. Visitors have reported chilling experiences, including sightings of a woman pointing toward unseen evils and mysterious bite marks on dogs.