Japanese Taxi company to offer tours of ghost spots

[yuiyoshida]

By Preston Phro, RocketNews24
TOKYO —

Japan, as we’ve noted before, is allegedly full of ghosts. Now you may or may not believe in such things, but plenty of people in Japan are sure they exist, from the ghosts of murder victims to the spirits of seafood. In fact, there are numerous “shinrei” (ghost/spirit) spots, where unearthly apparitions are believed to appear regularly throughout the country.

Many of these spots have been identified and information about their locations can be found online. One might assume that this is to help people avoid accidentally going to a place filled with spooks — but that’s not entirely the case. In fact, some want to go to the “shinrei” spots — and a new taxi tour in Yokohama will gladly to take you on the night ride of your life.

Called the “Shinrei Spot Junrei Tour,” or the “Ghost Spot Pilgrimage Tour,” this new tour will be available for a limited time this summer. Running from July 24 to September 4, the tours will be conducted by the taxi company Sanwa Kotsu and will depart from Shinyokohama Station at 9 at night and will last for 90 minutes — getting back to the station in time to catch the last train home! If you make it back at all.

The tour goes to five stops in total, though Sanwa Kotsu’s website cleverly hides the exact locations — presumably to keep the fright at maximum levels. The operators have, however, provided some information about the kind of places you’ll be visiting: a tunnel, a pass under a railway bridge, an abandoned hotel, the site of an “incident,” and a garage.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/taxi-company-to-offer-tours-of-ghost-spots

[AlbertCat]

1. I know not much at all about Japanese mythology

But I thought ghosts were kinda rare.... in a religion that includes reincarnation. I remember some ghost stories about spirits with unfinished business, especially women who's lovers abandoned them. I seem to remember they have no feet (they just sorta fade out) and can be exorcised by somehow "finishing" their unfinished task.

I'm sure I'm not remembering these tidbits correctly.

I love a good ghost story!

But who the hell would believe such things?

[yuiyoshida]

2. The first religion of Japan was shinto

and Shinto has many many tales of Ghost stories. Shrines all around Japan contain the places for Spirits to reside. Perhaps this is why they are built, to give them a home to stay in, and not have to wander aimlessly about!

[AlbertCat]

3. Went to Wiki...

..... all fascinating because the Japanese yurei are different in many ways from western ghosts....and the same in many ways.


I love in "Throne of Blood" (such a good film!) how the 3 witches of Macbeth are transformed into the level spirit in the forest... so Japanese and not Western, but so totally "getable" by any westerner.