10 really scary Japanese urban legends

Japanese horror movies are undoubtedly the scariest. That's because the urban legends that emerge in Japan are hair-raising and even end up taking the sleep of those most fearful people. These are stories that make lovers of bizarre tales want to hear them over and over, without tiring.

Gathered here are 10 urban legends that have sprung up in the Land of the Rising Sun. Some of them inspired blockbuster horror movies, like The Scream. Would you dare to visit Inunaki Village or meet Okiku's doll? Arm yourself with courage, check out these really creepy stories, and decide whether to believe it or not.

01 - Kushisake Onna

If you are in Japan, be very careful when walking down a street late at night. You might get a visit from Kushisake Onna, whose name means "the woman with the split mouth." And a suggestion: don't try to run away from her, because she may not like you very much and teleport in front of you. Either way, it won't look too cool for you.

She appears wearing a surgical mask and a coat and then asks her, "Am I beautiful?" If you say no, she'll cut your head off with a large pair of scissors she brings with her. If you answer yes, then she takes off the mask, revealing her cut mouth from ear to ear.

And then comes the second part. She asks again, "What now?" If your answer changes and you say no, it will cut you in half. And if you answer yes, then you will be like her, for Kushisake will cut her mouth too.

02 - Hitobashira

Hitobashira means "human pillars" in Portuguese and this legend arose in ancient Japan. People believed that it was necessary to make sacrifices to the gods so that their buildings were always protected and made strong and stable.

How were these sacrifices made? They sealed people to the pillars of their buildings, and if the gods liked what was done, the buildings lasted for years and years. However, they would always be haunted by the people who were stuck on the walls.

03 - Teke Teke

The name of the haunt is not known nor much information about it. All that is known is that a nice girl fell on the subway tracks (or jumped, there are several versions) and was cut in half by the train. But she never got rid of the hurt and anger she felt about it.

Then, even without her legs, she moves her torso quickly through the streets in search of revenge. If you're unlucky enough, she can cut you in half with a scythe that drags with you. Ah, "teke teke teke" is the sound she makes when moving using only her elbows.

04 - Aka Manto

Never sit on the toilet when no toilet paper is available. Aka Manto (meaning “red cape”) may be waiting for you. He is an evil spirit that haunts the Japanese bathrooms.

If you sit on the toilet and have no paper, he will ask you, "Do you want red paper or blue paper?" If you choose red, you will be cut into pieces. If you choose blue, you will be strangled to death.

In other versions, if you choose red paper, people will find your body completely skinless, and if you choose blue, your blood will drain out of your body to death.

05 - Tomino's Hell

"Tomino's Hell" (or "Tomino's Hell") is a poem written by Yoomta Inuhiko and is found in a book called "The Heart Is Like A Rolling Stone." It was also included in Saizo Yaso's 27th collection of poems in 1919. It tells the story of Tomino, who dies and goes straight to hell.

But he is a damn poem that kills without mercy all the people who read it aloud. If you are very lucky, you may not die, but surely many bad things will happen in your life.

06 - Cow Head

One day during a school trip, already on the bus, a teacher began telling horror stories to entertain his students. Everyone listened attentively, without interrupting him. However, when he began to tell a story called "Cow's Head, " the students started screaming, begging the teacher to stop.

But the teacher was in a kind of trance and couldn't stop telling the story. When he came to, both the bus driver and all the students passed out and frothing at the mouth. The contents of this story are unknown, but some students could not stop sweating and chills and died a few days later.

07 - The Okiku Doll

This is a real case. Okiku had a kimono doll and she was the girl's inseparable friend. But one day Okiku died of cold and his spirit returned, owning the toy. Now, the hair of Okiku's doll grows and no one has an explanation for it. It is stored in the Mannenji Temple in Japan.

Before being owned, the doll had short hair. However, over time, it has grown and is now long. No one knows how hair continues to grow, but scientific studies have concluded that the hair is from a child. Maybe from Okiku.

08 - The Gap Girl

Some Japanese houses have many gaps and cracks scattered throughout the rooms. And in these places lives an evil spirit in the form of a girl. She is among the furniture, doors or drawers and is always looking for someone to play with her.

If she finds you, she'll ask you to play hide and seek. If you accept the joke, the second time you look into the girl's eyes within a gap, you will be taken to another dimension (or to hell, since no one ever came back to report).

09 - Inunaki Village

This is a mysterious village that is totally isolated from other Japanese villages. Even the Japanese have a hard time finding it, which casts doubt on whether it really exists. Some people who claim to have found it say that right at the entrance there is a sign that reads: "Japan's constituent laws do not apply here."

According to reports, the people there live in an extremely strange way. Incest, cannibalism and murder are very common there. For some reason, no electronic gadget works in this village. There are old stores and pay phones, but you can't call anyone. Many people have already gone to this village, but no one has ever returned.

10 - Kiyotaki Tunnel

This tunnel was built in 1927 and is haunted by the workers who died there as slaves while building it. It is 444 meters (it is known that number 4 is cursed for easterners, as number 13 is for westerners), but its size may vary depending on whether you measure it morning or night.

People report that ghosts can be seen in this tunnel at night. They can even get in the car and scare people, causing fatal accidents. There is also a mirror in the tunnel and if you look at it and see a ghost you will die a horrible death.

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And you, reader friend, do you know any Japanese urban legends that were missing here? Tell us in the comments!