THE STORY
Reported Haunting
This forbidden bamboo grove is said to spirit away anyone who enters, leaving them unable to find their way out. Legends blame a fox spirit, the ghost of an ancient samurai lord, a bottomless pit, or another supernatural force hidden within the forest.
Yawata no Yabushirazu is a small but infamous sacred grove surrounded by the modern city of Ichikawa. Since at least the early 19th century, folklore has warned that anyone entering the grove risks becoming lost or disappearing through a phenomenon known as kamikakushi. Explanations range from a kitsune or fox spirit to the ghost of an ancient member of the Taira clan. Entry remains prohibited, and visitors must remain outside the fenced grove near its small shrine.