Top 10 Japanese Urban Legends

1. Kuchisake-onna

   

   A woman wearing a surgical mask who asks people if they think she is beautiful. If they say yes, she removes the mask to reveal a mouth slit from ear to ear. The legend spread widely in the late 20th century and is commonly told to children.

   How spooky is that? A woman with a gash on her mouth asks if she's pretty while carrying a large pair of scissors. Depending on your answer, she'll either use her scissors to make you look just like her or kill you on the spot.

   Man, this sounds horrible. I would hate to be killed with scissors. Do these legends exist?

   I should have drawn the mouth on when I had a sort of surgical mask after a doctor's appointment.

2. Teke Teke

   The ghost of a girl who fell onto train tracks and was cut in half. She moves by dragging her upper body with her elbows, creating a "teke teke" sound. Encounters with her often end with the victim being cut in half as well.

   She uses a saw or a scythe to cut anyone she sees in half. When you hear this sound, you better run.

   Why do I want to see a person run like Teke Teke does?

3. Aka Manto

   A male spirit wearing a red cloak and mask who appears in school bathrooms. He asks victims whether they want red paper or blue paper. Either choice traditionally results in death.

   His name literally means "red cape." If you are in a bathroom in Japan, he will ask if you want red paper or blue paper. If you choose red, you will be butchered to death and covered in blood. If you choose blue, you will be strangled until you turn blue. Either way, you will die.

   If you request a different color, you will be dragged into the netherworld. The only way to survive is not to answer his question.

   How are there so many versions already? There's paper, cloaks, vests - so many of them. I'd like to try it since I know my way out of it, and it seems fun.

4. Red Room

   A pop-up ad or video with a red door is said to appear on computers shortly before the viewer dies. Victims reportedly hear a voice asking, "Do you like the Red Room?" The legend gained widespread attention after being falsely linked to real-life crimes and online panic.

   "Do you like the red room?" Does anybody else kind of want to see this pop-up just because they're curious?

5. Cow Head

   A cursed story known as Gozu that supposedly causes extreme fear or death in listeners. Its exact content is rarely described, adding to its mystique. The tale is often referenced within other urban legends rather than told directly.

   Pronounced Gozu in Japanese, the story is said to be so scary that many people who have read or heard it have died.

   I like hearing about this story, but I want to know the actual story that drives people mad.

6. Kokkuri-san

   A game similar to a Ouija board that uses a coin and a handwritten paper board to summon spirits. Players ask questions to a spirit associated with fox, dog, and raccoon imagery known as Kokkuri. The game became especially popular during the Meiji era and was often played by schoolchildren.

   I need to play this, but I don't think people will want to play it with me.

7. Okiku Doll

   A traditional doll kept at a temple in Hokkaido that is said to grow human hair over time. The doll is believed to be possessed by the spirit of a girl named Okiku who died young. Samples of the hair have reportedly been analyzed and identified as human.

   A 17-year-old boy bought the doll for his 2-year-old sister. She loved the doll so much that she played with it all the time. However, she died a year later. It's said that her soul resides inside the doll because its hair is constantly growing.

   Tests were even run on some of the hair at one point, and the results showed that the hair was human.

8. Human Pillars

   Stories claim that people were buried alive in building foundations in ancient Japan. This practice is known as hitobashira and was believed to protect structures from natural disasters. Many legends describe ghostly activity connected to these sites.

9. Jorōgumo

   A spider yokai that can transform into a beautiful woman to lure men. Once her victims are trapped, she kills and devours them. The legend is commonly associated with waterfalls and remote forest areas.

   She has spider-like features. She lures victims with the sound of an instrument, then traps them in a silk web so she can devour them for her next meal.

10. Nure-onna

    A creature with the head of a woman and the body of a snake that appears near rivers and coastlines. She often asks travelers to hold a bundle that suddenly becomes impossibly heavy. Victims are typically attacked once they are unable to escape.

    Half-woman, half-snake creatures, they love the taste of your blood. Beware!

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Iso-onna

    A female sea spirit said to appear on rocky shores and coastal areas. She lures fishermen with her appearance before revealing her monstrous nature. Victims are dragged into the sea and drowned.

12. ?

    Yuki-onna

    A spirit who appears during snowstorms dressed entirely in white. She kills travelers by freezing them with her breath or leading them astray. Regional variations sometimes depict her sparing certain victims.

The Contenders

13. Kashima Reiko

    The ghost of a woman who lost her legs in a train accident and now haunts bathrooms. She asks victims where her legs are and may kill them if they answer incorrectly. Her name is commonly explained as a wordplay tied to death-related imagery rather than a literal personal name.

14. Kekkai

    A spiritual barrier used in Japanese esoteric traditions to repel or contain supernatural forces. It is often associated with rituals, sacred spaces, and protective practices at shrines. The concept also appears frequently in folklore, religious teachings, and modern fiction.

15. Hanako-san

    The ghost of a schoolgirl who haunts the third stall of girls' bathrooms. Students summon her by knocking and asking if she is there. The story became especially popular in Japanese schools during the 1990s.

    I would honestly play this because it sounds so interesting, and I'm curious to see what would happen.

16. Hachishakusama

    An eight-foot-tall woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat who targets children. She emits a distinctive "po-po-po" sound and is often associated with rural areas. The entity is also known for mimicking the voices of family members to lure victims.

    The eight-foot-tall woman takes children. The stories about her are really cool, and so are all the videos.

17. Tomino's Hell

    A poem said to curse or kill those who read it aloud. It was written by Yomota Inuhiko and later included in a poetry collection by Saijō Yaso. The legend warns readers to avoid reciting it due to its alleged deadly effects.

18. Daruma-san

    A spirit appears in a game where participants summon her by bathing and reenacting her death. She is said to have slipped in a bathtub and died, and players must avoid her presence the following day. The ritual traditionally ends by saying "Kitta" to sever the connection and stop the haunting.

    I love this game. You just sit in the bathroom and say, "Daruma-san fell down," over and over while washing your hair at night. Just don't open your eyes during the game.

19. Futakuchi-onna

    A woman who grows a second mouth on the back of her head, hidden beneath her hair. The mouth demands food and can speak independently. The transformation is often noticed after she becomes unusually silent or eats very little.

    This is a woman with two mouths: a normal one on her face and one on the back of her head. Creepy!

20. Kisaragi Station

    A fictional train station said to appear after boarding the wrong or cursed train line. Those who arrive report being unable to leave or return home. The story originated from an anonymous post on an online message board.

21. Kagome Kagome

    A children's game involving a blindfolded player surrounded by others singing a haunting song. The lyrics reference confinement and hidden meaning, which has led to many dark interpretations. The true origin and meaning of the song remain widely debated.

    Okay, true story (but feel free to dislike this and reply saying it's fake). My cousins and I were waiting for my mom and aunt, who were out grocery shopping. One of my cousins suggested we listen to the Kagome Kagome song used in the kids' game. At first, I wasn't spooked and thought, "No big deal, it's just a creepier Japanese version of 'Ring Around the Rosie.'"

    The next day, the cousin who recommended Kagome Kagome told me that last night, a ghost came to her and sang the Kagome Kagome song! Ever since that day, I have been terrified! Yikes!

22. Hikiko-san

    The ghost of a girl who died after severe bullying. She seeks revenge by targeting children and teenagers. The legend is often interpreted as a reflection of real social issues surrounding bullying in Japan.

    I seriously feel bad for Hikiko-san and what she had to endure. But what was the actual cause of her death - suicide or saving a kitten?

23. Baku

    A mythical creature with the body of a bear, the trunk of an elephant, and other mixed features. It is believed to devour nightmares if summoned after waking from a bad dream. The Baku originated in Chinese folklore but became firmly embedded in Japanese tradition through art, literature, and children's stories.

    This is a demon that feeds on your nightmares. It's often depicted as a tapir-like creature.