Japanese Urban Legends

Kiyotaki Tunnel

Unlike a lot of other urban legends, this one is actually a real location in Japan. The picture above is of the tunnel this legend is about.

The Kiyotaki Tunnel outside of Kyoto is famous for being one of the most haunted and mysterious places in Japan. The tunnel is 444 meters long, has a single lane, and connects northern Arashiyama to the neighboring town, Sagakiyotaki.

So, why is it so popular? The popularity has to do with the story behind it, as well as the encounters people have had while driving through this place.

For the history of this tunnel, it has been said to have been built in 1927 by slaves. As time went by, there were reported deaths in the area. Some of them were from slaves who died from harsh working conditions, while others were from railway accidents and people who were executed close to the tunnel. It is said that the spirits of these victims wander at the tunnel at night.

This place is also a famous suicide spot, due to how it's located in the middle of nowhere and has sturdy trees above the tunnel. There is a rumor of a woman who leaped to her death from the road above the entrance, and some have claimed to see her spirit walking through the tunnel.

The length of the tunnel is very unlucky, too. It is 444 meters long, which is seen as bad luck since 4 is the unlucky number of Japan. This is because 4 is pronounced similar to the Japanese word for death. The traffic signals outside of the tunnel have also been reported to suddenly switch from red to green at night, causing car accidents.

So, now you know the history of this place. Because of this history, and the misfortune around it, there's been a lot of weird encounters people have had in or around the tunnel. Some people hear a women's screaming, as well as scary incidents late at night, a women wearing white that jumps on cars, dizziness, nausea, headaches, and spirit sightings. It is said that if you see a spirit reflected off of a mirror while driving in the tunnel, you'll have extremely bad luck.

Overall, if you're driving in Japan and it's super dark outside and you see this tunnel, maybe you should just go another way. Or just ignore this and keep on driving. Either way, drive safe out there and don't get yourself killed in Japan.