Himeji Castle (Himeji-Jo) is a popular day trip from Kyoto or Osaka. Many visitors don’t realize that the castle inspired the plot of Ringu, the Japanese horror movie that was remade in the US as The Ring. The plot was influenced by the legend of banshu sarayashiki (The Dish Mansion in Harima Province), in which a woman named Okiku is falsely accused of stealing a treasured dish, then killed and thrown into a well. You can still see the fenced-in Okiku’s Well when you visit the castle today.

Sunshine 60 is popular among locals and tourists alike due to its city-in-a-city concept, where offices, shopping, restaurants, and hotels all sit under one roof. Despite its cheerful name, Sunshine 60 was built on top of Sugamo Prison, which held senior Japanese World War II criminals, including former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, who was hanged there in 1948. The dark history of the place has continued on, complete with accidents occurring during construction and ongoing supernatural sightings.

By day, Toyama Park is a nice spot for picnicking. But after dark, chilling legends come to life. The park is rumored to have been a training ground for the infamous Unit 731, Imperial Japan’s chemical and biological weapon research unit, which conducted sickening experiments on prisoners of war during WWII. Details of the atrocities committed there are still shrouded in mystery, but human bones were unearthed in the park in 1989. Apparently, nighttime visitors can still hear the victims’ cries.

This ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) in Iwate prefecture has long been believed to be the most haunted accommodation in Japan. But visitors need not fear. Ryokufuso’s ghost is a benevolent one, a zashiki warashi, a kind of yokai (spirit) typical of the Iwate region. The spirit takes the form of a young boy and resides in an inner room where he brings good fortune to the lucky guests who spot him. Although Ryokufuso burned down in 2009, it reopened in 2016, and the legend still persists.

Maruoka Castle is a top viewing spot for cherry blossoms in the Fukui Prefecture. But it comes with a gruesome legend. In 1576, as the castle was being built, a stone wall kept collapsing. A widow named Oshizu agreed to become a hitobashira (human pillar or sacrifice) if her son could become a samurai. However, the promise was broken, so Oshizu flooded the castle’s moat with rain every April. A tomb was later erected to soothe her spirit and stop the flooding, but her spirit remains.

Built below the cemetery located on the grounds of Senjuin temple, close to Shibuya, Sendagaya Tunnel is said to be haunted by the ghost of a bloodstained woman with long hair. Drivers have reported temperature drops in the tunnel and seeing mysterious handprints on their cars, while those walking along the pedestrian walkway claim to have been followed by the long-haired woman’s ghost. Take the train to Sendagaya Station to explore for yourself but don't say we didn't warn you.

Tunnels are a common motif in Japanese ghost stories, so it’s no surprise that this one near Fukuoka—home to Fukuoka Tower—is a creepy spot. The story goes that a young woman was murdered in the tunnel. Because her killers were never caught, she can’t rest in peace. The tunnel, which leads to a dead end, is lined with graffiti warnings about the ghosts. Visitors claim to have heard the word "stop" being yelled at them as they walk.