Oyama Kaizuka

Location: Oyama 2-chome 12-1, Ginowan City, Okinawa Prefecture 901-2223, Japan

Oyama Kaizuka is an important place of cultural heritage in Okinawa. It’s also one of the most haunted spots in Japan.

Oyama Kaizuka, which translates directly as “large mountain shell heap,” is a training ground for spirit mediums in Okinawa known as ‘yuta.’ Yuta are mediums born with particularly strong spiritual powers, and it is considered sacred land to them. Because the spirits are so strong here, they can hone their natural abilities and make them stronger, much like a martial artist trains his body for a fight.

It’s said to be dangerous for anyone with any type of spiritual ability to enter the grounds because of the strength of the spirits there. There’s a sign placed before the grounds that says, “Past this point is sacred land, so please do not play here.” The locals also make a point not to go near it at night.

People who do make the mistake of entering the sacred grounds are said to hear an excruciating ringing in their ears, experience sleep paralysis and also face potential injury upon returning home.

The caves in Oyama Kaizuka were also used as an air-raid shelter during WWII. Upon hearing Japan lost the war, the people taking refuge killed themselves, fearing the American soldiers would just kill them, anyway.

There’s a creepypasta about a group of friends who went to visit Oyama Kaizuka that goes as follows:

This happened about four years ago. When I was 17 or 18, my friends and I were really into travelling around local ghost spots. We went around asking our classmates for their top ghost spot rankings and decided to visit the top five. Oyama Kaizuka in Ginowan City ended up being number five, so we went to visit it.

Apparently yuta, the spirit mediums in Okinawa, used the place for training (I don’t know exactly what they did there). We heard about people going crazy after visiting it, a woman in white who runs at you, and all sorts of other crazy information, so we approached the area cautiously.

As soon as we went in, we saw a small Jizo statue, and the area was surrounded by trees. Because of that, we couldn’t go any further. We were actually somewhat relieved. It was probably because of the typhoon that hit Okinawa earlier.

We stood by the entrance, chatting, when I saw something that looked like the shadow of a head behind my friend. I thought it was just a reflection, so I turned in the direction of the light and saw a potted plant there.

‘So that was it,’ I thought.

Me: “Look, a potted plant.”

Friend: “So it is! This too?”

We started getting worked up, but we should have realised… I felt something behind me, but when I turned around, nothing was there.

Friend: “Did you feel something just now too?”

Me: “Huh? Not really, but maybe.”

Friend 2: “Maybe it’s just your imagination?”

Friend 3: “Isn’t there something over there?”

The four of us looked in the same direction. There was a white mist coming off of someone’s house. We looked closer.

Me: “Doesn’t that look like a person?”

Friends: “It does!!”

It started walking towards the forest. I was so scared I couldn’t move. I just stared at this person made of mist. Then it entered the woods and disappeared.

Everyone: “This is dangerous, let’s get outta here.”

We hurried back to the bikes and took off, one by one. Then I remembered.

Me: “What was that shadow earlier as well??”

I looked, but there was nothing there anymore.I remembered that when I was little, my grandmother told me not to go near black shadows.

“Shit, we gotta go!” I told my friend, and we followed our other friends. But as expected, the black shadow chased after us with incredible speed!

“It’s coming!” I yelled.

“No way! We’re going 80 km/h!”

“Are you shitting me? That thing is for real, look how fast it can go,” I said. I turned around, and it was right behind us. ‘Shit!!’ I thought.

“What’s that?” my friend asked, looking at something ahead of us.

“What is it?” I asked and looked closer. The white mist figure was standing there, facing us. I didn’t know what to do.

“Just hit it!” I screamed.

“What else did you expect me to do?” he replied, and we prepared ourselves for impact. We closed our eyes.

“Go!” I heard a mysterious voice as we went through it, and I looked back. The black shadow got wrapped up in the white one and started disappearing. I couldn’t understand what just happened, so I turned to my friend.

“Stop!” I slammed on the brakes and watched the black shadow disappear entirely.

“Is it gone?” my friend asked.

“You saw it, right?” I answered his question with another question. “So it really was dangerous.” We went to go and join up with the rest of our friends when we heard voices calling our names.

I opened my eyes.

I was lying by the entrance of Oyama Kaizuka. The other guys woke me up, and I saw my friend lying next to me. We looked at each other.

“You saw it, right?” we said at the same time. We’d had the same dream. We felt sick, so we returned home.

Just what was that white mist that protected us?

Want even more Japanese horror?

Exclusive translations each week