I Stayed in Japan's Most Haunted Inn

@Abroad in Japan

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Join the creator on a spooky overnight stay at a remote inn in Iwate, known for its zashiki-warashi spirit, complete with ghost hunting and a traditional kaiseki dinner.

4 places · 2 experiences

1
Kabushima Shrine
Shinto shrine · Hachinohe
4.3 (4,736)Closed · opens tomorrow 8:30 AM
Picturesque Buddhist shrine to the goddess Benzaiten that was reconstructed after a 2015 fire.
Kabushima Shrine, Same-56-2 Samemachi, Hachinohe, Aomori 031-0841, Japan
2
Humbe Restaurant
Restaurant · Kamaishi
4.2 (186)Closed · opens 5:30 PM
Hamayui, 2F 3-3-3 Uogashi, Kamaishi, Iwate 026-0012, Japan
Experience · 1 place
Stay Overnight at Japan's Most Haunted Inn
Head to Kindaichi Onsen Ryokan, home to the zashiki-warashi spirit, the ghost of a young boy said to wander the inn at night. Upon arrival, the warm, illuminated entrance feels far from a haunted mansion. The staff guide you to your tatami mat-style room. Around 8 PM, they shut off all the lights in the inn to encourage guests to go out and search for spirits. It's a really fun vibe, with other guests in the pitch-black hallways using cell phone lights. For a more intense experience, wait until 10-11 PM when most guests are in bed. Bring an infrared camera to potentially spot heat signatures or other anomalies in the dark. People come from all over Japan to meet the spirit, as seeing him is supposed to bring good luck. The creator notes that many guests report feeling a presence or something sitting on their chest while sleeping. Despite not seeing the ghost boy, the creator had a good night's sleep, a rare thing on this trip.
- Infrared camera for ghost hunting — Bring an infrared camera to aid in ghost hunting. It can show heat and other things in the dark that a normal camera can't, potentially revealing paranormal activity. The creator used one that showed residual heat from where someone was sitting.
3
Kindaichi Onsen Ryokan
ryokan · Ninohe
Kindaichi Onsen or Kintaichi Onsen is an onsen in the city of Ninohe, Iwate Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan.
Kintaichi Onsen, Kintaichi, Ninohe, Iwate 028-5711, Japan
Ghost hunting encouragement — The inn actively encourages ghost hunting by shutting off all lights around 8 PM, creating a pitch-black environment in the hallways. Guests wander with cell phone lights, making for a fun and creepy atmosphere.
Tatami mat room — Traditional tatami mat-style hotel rooms, providing an authentic Japanese inn experience during your spooky stay.
Kaiseki dinner — The food here is amazing, a traditional kaiseki dinner with fresh fish from the coast, pork shabu-shabu, ebi, soup, and apple tempura. Ghost hunting is hungry business, so enjoy this delicious meal.
Apple tempura · ¥??? — A unique dessert item, apple tempura, which tastes like apple pie. It's made with amazing local apples from Iwate and Aomori, sweet but not fake sweet, just fresh, delicious, and warm. Eat it while it's warm.
Falling bird figurine — During a previous visit, a bird figurine inexplicably fell off a shelf in the lobby area when the creator stopped filming. There was no wind or movement to cause it, making it a weird and spooky occurrence.
Light orb in guest video — Other guests showed the creator a video they took in a room where a bizarre light orb passed through the frame. While the creator hypothesized it was light reflecting off a balloon, they couldn't replicate it, suggesting it might have been the spirit.
Playing with toys for the spirit — Guests can play with toys left on display in a specific room, which is seen as playing with the spirit of the boy. Balloons are often left around, creating a surreal atmosphere.
Reading guest story notebooks — In the room with the toys, you'll find stacks of notebooks filled with thousands of stories from past guests detailing their spooky experiences at the inn. Many stories describe feeling someone sitting on top of them while sleeping.
Experience · 1 place
Visit the Zashiki-Warashi Shrine at Night
evening
Before going inside the inn, visit the shrine outside dedicated to the zashiki-warashi. It's eerie and dark, with paper offerings blowing in the wind, especially creepy at night. You'll see offerings of sake, which is a bit odd for a little boy spirit, but it shows the respect the hotel has for him. The creator experienced an abnormal, hurricane-like gust of wind here, which was very weird and not typical for the season, making them wonder if they angered the spirit. This was the creepiest part of the experience for the creator.
- Abnormal gust of wind — While at the Zashiki-Warashi Shrine, the creator experienced an abnormal, hurricane-like gust of wind that nearly knocked them off their feet. It was very strong and unusual for the season, making them wonder if they angered the spirit.
4
Zashiki-Warashi Shrine
Japanese inn · Morioka
4.4 (383)
Down-to-earth rooms in a laid-back hot spring inn offering a lounge & communal bathhouses.
Shikitei, Yunotate-137 Tsunagi, Morioka, Iwate 020-0055, Japan