Haunted tunnels, poltergeists, paranormal activity and ghosts ... not the first things which come to mind when thinking about Japan...

...But for the most daring among you who'd love to explore this hidden world in Kyoto, we have selected a very special tour for you where you'll get unique chance to explore this little-known VERY creepy side of the city!

So let's see what's on the monster and murder menu, and get ready for one of the most unique tours Japan has to offer!

Don't forget to bring your flashlight!

You'll be picked up by your guide at your agreed meeting point in Kyoto city, and after a brief instruction, this haunting excursion can start.

Today you'll see Kyoto's scariest places, and not the ones in pop culture, but some truly scary places, and at each site our local guides will give you the backstory. Some you literally may choose not to enter as we did the first few times we sculpted this tour.

This tour starts at Arashiyama Station, Kyoto.

It can be day or night, as the atmosphere is spookier at night, but one of the temples on the route is closed then. The last train back from Arashiyama station to Kyoto station (20-30 minutes slow local train) is at 11:30pm

PART 1

Kiyotaki Tunnel

The Kiyotaki Tunnel is shrouded in spook as there have been numerous reports of paranormal activity going on in the tunnel. For decades this place has been a hot spot for ghost hunters and people interested in everything paranormal.

People have witnessed strange and unexplainable things while going through the tunnel over the years. Some of the most frequent sightings are ghosts which appear in the backseat of a car and quickly disappear after the driver discovers the unwanted passenger.

Some people say the ghosts visiting the tunnel are the spirits of the people who died in the area as the tunnel was built on both an execution site and a battlefield. Others say it's the spirits of the construction workers who died while building the tunnel, while others claim the paranormal activity is cause by a spiritual vortex.

Emperor Saga's bloody pond

After a stop at the mausoleum of Emperor Saga we will visit the pond right behind the mausoleum. It is here where the head of samurai fell after being beheaded, turning the transparent water into red never return to its original color.

Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple

Completely off the beaten-track and surrounded by a beautiful bamboo forest is this impressive, yet eery mass burial site dating from ancient times consisting of more than 8,000 monuments marking the areas of the deceased. Situated high on a hill overlooking the city, each grave is accompanied by a buddha head. Exposed to wind and rain and covered in moss, these heads memorialize the souls of the dead and create a creepy yet unique environment.

Twice a year there is a ceremony dedicated to the spirits of the dead in which all the stone statues are lit up by candles. Besides visiting one of Kyoto's most unique temples, you'll be rewarded with a beautiful and peaceful walk through the bamboo before reaching the site.

The Cold Mountain (Death and Dread)

This hill features on google maps as an unmarked, unspoken hill and "Buddhist Temple" that is the single coldest and eeriest place in Japan and is said to have the most malevolent spirits of any forest. An elite army died here as well as an emperor, and nobody comes to the hill from Kyoto city to visit. We have felt a severe drop in temperature when stepping onto the first step in the path into the forest, and so we will leave this one as optional at the end of part 1.

PART 2

Akabashi Tunnel and Ochiai Bridge

Although being a popular spot for photographers to capture awe-inspiring natural scenery, Ochiai Bridge and Akabashi
Tunnel have a dark reputation of suicides, natural disasters and mysterious sightings. The bridge connects the northern part of the tunnel to the opposite valley and the steep drop into the shallow river below is said to be a commonly-used means of committing suicide. Besides suicides the area is also known for numerous flood-related deaths and mysterious disappearances of local residents.

The nearby walls of the Akabashi Tunnel are often dotted with posters of missing people. Locals have claimed to see dark figures wandering or standing either side of the tunnel's entrances which disappear when approached. As if all that wasn't enough there are several rumors telling of the area being used for sky burials (Tibetan funeral practice in which corpses are left atop mountains for wildlife and nature to use for sustenance) despite being illegal in Japan.

Sagano haunted mansion

This haunted building was constructed over 40 years ago. The caretaker leapt to her death from the eight story of the building and poltergeist activity has been around forever since. It is the most well-known site on our tour for haunting.

Railroad crossing of Sagano-Nomiya

A love-torn female high school student committed suicide here by jumping into a train. Enraged by those who are successful in love, couples that walk by here at night are known to break-up or divorce. The mood at night is spine chilling.